From The August 2000 Issue of Nutrition Science News

Smoking Takes the Power Out of Antioxidants

Greensboro, N.C.—Not only does smoking cause its own health problems, now it appears the habit also prevents antioxidant vitamins C and E from exerting their benefits. In a randomized, double-blind study conducted by Cindy Fuller, Ph.D., of The University of North Carolina, located here, 30 smokers with a mean age of 20 and an average smoking history of two and a half years were tested for oxidative stress levels. Excess oxidation can lead to the development of heart disease, aging symptoms, cancer and other chronic illnesses.

The subjects were broken into four groups and given one of 1,000 mg/day vitamin C, 400 IU/day vitamin E, both vitamins or a placebo for eight weeks. Results showed that only vitamin E supplementation alone increased the time it took for low-density lipoprotein (LDL) to oxidize, while the vitamin C and placebo groups showed no change. Subjects taking both antioxidants did not increase time to oxidation but did decrease their overall oxidation rate. Furthermore, measurements of oxidation by white blood cells—a better indicator of what happens in the body—showed no changes as a result of any of the antioxidant treatments. Such results suggest that smoking may inhibit the effects of antioxidants, even among smokers who are young and have been smoking for a relatively short time.