抗氧化剂补充剂很受欢迎，通常认为健康。

部分原因是，富含抗氧化剂的水果和蔬菜与许多健康益处有关，包括疾病的风险降低（ 1 ）。

然而，有充分的证据表明，您可能会通过补充抗氧化剂来使您的健康不利。

本文解释了什么是抗氧化剂补充剂，以及为什么最好从食物中获取抗氧化剂。

抗氧化剂补充剂含有浓缩形式的抗氧化剂，这些抗氧化剂是稳定自由基的物质。

运动和消化食物时，您的身体自然会产生自由基。

Environmental factors, such as UV exposure, air pollutants, tobacco smoke and industrial chemicals likepesticides，也是自由基的来源（ 2 ）。

If free radicals exceed your body’s ability to regulate them, a condition called oxidative stress occurs. Over time, this contributes to aging and the development of diseases, including cancer ( 3 ）。

主要的抗氧化剂,有助于调节自由x射线检验cals in your body are the vitamins A, C, and E and the mineral selenium.

Antioxidant supplements contain 70–1,660% of the daily value (DV) of these key nutrients (4,5）。

It’s commonly thought that taking antioxidant supplements prevents the damage caused by free radicals to the body’s cells, thereby promoting longevity and warding off disease.

However, taking antioxidant supplements in high amounts can do just the opposite.

Summary

Antioxidant supplements contain concentrated forms of antioxidants, which are substances that keep your body’s cells healthy by combating damage caused by free radicals.

The health detriments associated with taking antioxidant supplements outnumber its potential benefits.

出于多种原因，不建议大剂量服用抗氧化剂补充剂。

May Decrease Exercise Performance

Your body naturally produces free radicals as a byproduct of energy metabolism during exercise. The harder and longer you锻炼, the more free radicals your body produces ( 6 ）。

由于自由基可以导致肌肉疲劳和损害，因此建议服用抗氧化剂补充剂可以钝化其有害影响，从而改善运动性能和肌肉恢复（ 7 ）。

但是，一些研究表明，服用抗氧化剂补充剂（特别是维生素C和E）可以干扰您的身体如何适应运动，甚至消除与运动相关的一些健康益处（ 8 , 9 , 10 ,11）。

可能会增加癌症的风险

自由基对人体细胞引起的氧化应激被认为是发展的主要原因癌症( 12 ）。

由于抗氧化剂中和自由基，因此据推测服用抗氧化剂补充剂可以降低从癌症中发育或死亡的风险（ 13 ）。

Several meta-analyses, however, have shown that taking antioxidant supplements does neither reduce the risk of many types of cancers nor reduce the risk of dying from them once diagnosed, In fact, they may even increase the risk of certain cancers ( 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 ）。

In addition, several meta-analyses have found that beta-carotene supplements, a precursor of vitamin A, increases the risk of bladder cancer, and, in people who smoke, the risk of lung cancer as well ( 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ）。

The exception isselenium, which may help prevent cancer in people with low levels of the mineral or in people with an elevated risk of cancer. However, more research is needed before selenium can be recommended for this purpose ( 16 , 22 , 23 , 24 ）。

May Cause Birth Defects

Vitamin A is important for fetal growth and development, but at high doses,维生素A。supplements can increase the risk of birth defects ( 25 , 26 ）。

因此，可能或怀孕的妇女不应服用高剂量的维生素A补充剂（ 27 ）。

这些补充剂仅适用于孕妇在维生素A缺乏症的地区，例如在非洲和东南亚（ 28 , 29 ）。

β-胡萝卜素是维生素A的前体，未显示导致出生缺陷。但是，由于长期服用补充剂与癌症有关，因此孕妇应在服用β-胡萝卜素补充剂之前咨询其医生（ 30 , 31 ）。

Summary

尽管他们被认为是健康的，但服用抗氧化剂可以减少运动的健康益处，并增加某些癌症和先天缺陷的风险。

Though antioxidant supplements are generally not recommended for a variety of reasons, the antioxidant vitamin C may benefit people with the common cold or those who smoke.

维生素Cfor the Common Cold

维生素C尚未显示以防止common cold, but it may reduce its severity and duration.

在一项超过11,000人的荟萃分析中，服用维生素C补充剂可将感冒持续时间降低8％，同时也降低了其严重程度（ 32 ）。

最好以较小的剂量（通常不到一克）服用维生素C，因为其吸收量较高。此外，较高剂量可能会导致胃部不适（ 33 ）。

吸烟增加了维生素C的需求

Smoking causes many types of cancers, largely because cigarette smoke contains toxins that cause oxidative damage to your body’s cells ( 34 , 35 ）。

由于这种自由基的接触增加，研究表明，吸烟的人每天需要比不吸烟的人多35毫克的维生素C。同样，暴露于二手烟也增加了维生素C的需求（ 30 ）。

Yet, this additional need for vitamin C can be easily met through diet and without taking antioxidant supplements.

Summary

For the most part, the use of antioxidant supplements is discouraged, though the antioxidant vitamin C can benefit people with the common cold or those who smoke. Still, needs can often be met through diet instead of supplements.

Getting食物中的抗氧化剂rather than supplements is much safer and healthier.

All foods contain different antioxidants in varying amounts, so it’s important to include a variety of foods in your diet.

虽然基于动物的产品（例如鸡蛋和乳制品）具有抗氧化剂，但植物性食品中的食物在其中特别高（ 36 ）。

These plant-based foods include:

  • 蔬菜：Broccoli, bell peppers, spinach.
  • 水果：Oranges, apples, berries.
  • Whole-grains:Oats, quinoa, brown rice.
  • Beans:肾脏，平托，红豆。
  • Nuts:Walnuts, pecans, almonds.
  • 饮料：咖啡, tea.
Summary

在大多数食品中都发现了抗氧化剂，但是诸如水果和蔬菜等植物性来源特别丰富。

抗氧化剂补充剂通常被认为是健康的，但过量时可能会出现问题。

They may decrease exercise benefits and increase your risk of certain cancers and birth defects.

Generally, it’s much better to get the antioxidants your body needs through a健康的饮食.