In a study reported in Reuters Health it was reported that the vitamins C and E may be able to prolong the ability of the body to maintain its muscle strength. “muscle strength is really a marker of aging”, said one of the investigators. Dr Anne Newman of the University of Pittsburgh told Reurters Health “Muscle strength starts declining when people are in their 40’s, but it decreases dramatically after age 60.
As part of the reporting on the study the researchers reported a “significant positive link between dietary intake of vitamins C and E and subsequent change in muscle strength, regardless of participants’ initial strength levels.”
If this study continues to hold true that the intake of these vitamins will help increase muscle strength, that provides hope for those of us who are aging. It also means it is important for us to obtain as much of these vitamins as is recommended by the dieticians.
The researchers did caution that it would not be a good idea to go out and overdose on vitamins C and E. They found that in “clinical trials with very high doses of antioxidants, you don’t see any benefits and in some cases, they’re potentially harmful.”
What do the researchers mean by antioxidants? Antioxidants are an important element that your body needs to fight the free radicals that come into your body as you breathe. These free radicals attack your cells and the electrical bonding that joins them together. This combative process can result in many of the diseases and skin disorders that our bodies encounter. Our bodies can get antioxidants through the fruits and vegetables we eat, but we often do not get enough of the antioxidants through the natural process of eating. We often can use a supplement to help us stay healthy and strong.
One of the sources for supplemental vitamins is the USANA essentials product line as well as other vitamin companies multivitamin products. These vitamin lines not only provide the multivitamins that will provide vitamins C and E but they also provide the antioxidants needed.
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