Antioxidants — those health-promoting ingredients believed to reduce the risk of cancer — actually promote cancer metastasis, according to a study performed in mice with human cancer cells.
The study, published Wednesday in Nature, found that human melanoma cells transplanted into mice fed antioxidants spread more quickly than in mice not so fed.
While the results are preliminary and have not been demonstrated in people, the study and others like it suggest a paradox: While antioxidants may be good at preventing cellular damage that can lead to cancer, when a cancer is actually established they help its progression.
Continue reading at the San Diego Union-Tribune.
