Antioxidants


 Are there any side effects in taking the following antioxidents all together: Quercetin 500mg BID, Soy Isoflavones 100mg BID and Reservatrol 100mg BID. I am getting older and trying to get healthy and have recently stopped taking meds for migraines. They did not work. Someone told me that one of these could help my migraines and that the other two combined with this one could quite possibly help me to also lose some weight naturally. Is there any truth to these statements? Please advise thank you.

 

Antioxidants can have many benefits for you body.  Free radical damage is associated with many different types of chronic diseases including chronic pain, chronic infections and even cancer.  By taking antioxidants you are potentially reducing the negative burden of free radicals which may result in some health improvements. 

From a clinical standpoint, antioxidants are not the first natural product I would turn to for the relief of migraine headaches.  With that said, they may enhance the effect of other natural products and do have the potential to make a significant difference in your headaches based on the fact they can create an overall healthier environment. 

In addition to their antioxidant properties, quercetin is also a natural anti-histamine.  Some theories about why people get migraine headaches support the idea that an allergy type response involving histamine is at play.  This makes it very possible that something like quercetin can be helpful for migraine headaches, specifically if an allergy cause is identified.

Soy isoflavones mainly work by supporting optimal hormone levels particularly in women.  Many migraine suffers clearly identify a hormonal component to their headaches so soy can be quite beneficial in these cases. 

If you are not achieving the type of relief you desire from the products you are currently taking I would recommend adding some other migraine specific remedies.  Butterbur and Feverfew are two herbs that have shown some remarkable effects when it comes to reducing migraine frequency and intensity.  They must be taken on an ongoing basis for at least the first 8 weeks to get the maximum benefits. 

The weight loss claims may be true particularly for the isoflavones.  Improper balance between the two main female hormones, estrogen and progesterone, can cause weight gain.  The isoflavones may help to better balance those hormones which could facilitate some weight loss. 

There was some exciting research conducted in animals that showed significant weight loss when resveratrol was added to the diet.  This created a lot of hype and interest in this product for weight loss.  However, the problem is that it would be extremely difficult for a human to consume enough resveratrol (even from supplements) to equal the amount given to the animals that lost weight.  This does not completely rule out the possibility that resveratrol can help with weight loss but further studies need to be conducted before more claims can be made for its effects on humans.


In Health,

Dr. Passero



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Lead Medical Director

As a certified and fully trained Naturopathic Doctor, Passero has trained and preceptored with some of the nation's leading doctors in the field of natural medicine, working under the guidance of MD’s, Chiropractors, Naturopaths and Acupuncturists. Furthermore, he is currently the Vice President of the Maryland Association of Naturopathic Physicians.

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