Hold the vitamins, please. At least, hold the commonly used antioxidant vitamins C and E. Gretchen Reynolds reports in the New York Times Well column on recently published research in which a group of 20 young men took part in an exercise program, while some of the group were given high doses of vitamins C and E, and others were not. Reynolds reports that at the end of one month, the men not taking the vitamins showed higher-than-average activity in their bodies’ innate antioxidant defense system. The men who took the vitamins did not. Researchers found that the men not taking vitamins significantly increased their insulin sensitivity, a key measure of the health benefits of exercise, while those taking the antioxidants did not. The scientists believe that removing the necessity for the body to deal, on its own, with the free radicals also prevented other adaptations that make exercise healthy.
Health, fitness and lifestyle tips for people over 50 who still like to play hard
Wednesday, October 15, 2025
Vitamins certainly play a role in some. For sure those who do not, or cannot eat good food. But I have no problem accepting the fact that perhaps the healthiest People were those that never took a vitamin in their life. I do not believe that there is any way to accomplish what the body can do for it’s self, with good food, and a good attitude. Any attempt will not have as good a result.
20 young men and they published this?What did they accomplish? Its like taking a guy 18 years old and a guy 50,which one do you think needs moor vitamins? Not hard to guess which one right? I,m 62 and my bp is 122/76 not bad at all. I,m in good health and I owe it all to the vitamins I take. But everybody to his or her own. If I believe that it works for me and it does,that’s all that counts.(Me) I’ll take mine,I’ve read to much about the benefits to stop now. May God Bless! Until next time,from Mild Bill Texas.
Why is it that Geezer will print just about anything with just about ANY headline to catch eyes?
Are they really getting THAT desperate?
Doug- please stfu.
Your daily blathering never makes sense.
We tend to think that if something is good for us more must be better. This type of thinking is usually proven not true. One glass of wine with a meal may be good for us but four or five are not. 250 mg/day of vitamin C and 100 IU/day of vitamin E might not show the same detrimental effect as the higher doses used in the study. I think it’s a question of balance.
I would want a much larger sampling of the general population – 20 young men?? C’mon – that is hardly worth publishing!
In my opinion vitamins are there to replace the very things are body needs.I know after a hard workout or any exercise a good vitamin before and even after helps with replacing minerals that are are body’s have used in order to do said exercise. I believe its up to the individual to determine if the vitamins are helping or not. Just because there is a article on vitamins saying are body’s work with out doesn’t mean its the gossipel truth.
don’t read my comments Mikey, but since you did, and commented, tell me, do you find them foolish, like say a Chemical Corp., or Food additive Co. might, or are you just hearing a commotion stirring, like say from some of us out here in “fool the consumer” land, who are getting fed up with the outrageous way the health of our Society has deteriorated in the last 50 or so years by what is being done to our food supply, and what is pushed as food, and the lies that fit in between! Okay, I’m calm now…
They should have included men of different age ranges. Maybe at different points in our lives the body behaves differently to the vitamins.
I will be 70 years old next month. I’ve been taking heavy doses of vitamin c for about 50 years along with 400 iu’s of vit. E . Take a look at my photos on facebook. The proof is in the pudding.Blood pressure taken last week, 108/ 68.
Jim Karas
In the study, did all of the men eat the same diet? If not, then the study is flawed.
I’m very surprised that Sports Geezer – a site for those over 40 – would publish something with such a misleading title: “Bodies Work Better Without Vitamins.†It’s somewhat irresponsible and may give people who do not want to bother taking vitamins an “easy out†alleviating the desire to looking into the underlying stats… and other research.
Hopefully folks reading this site know that study after study over decades have proven that “Bodies Work Better With Vitamins!†Especially when you test vitamin deficient (which most people are!) to adequate vitamin levels.
A much more accurate title for this piece would have been: “Megadosing on Vitamins C and E counteracts antioxidant production in small group.”
A reminder to all: be sure to preface information that you are reprinting, publishing or forwarding with important caveats and give them some context!