SCIENCE
May 30, 2012 | By Thomas H. Maugh II
A widely used antioxidant supplement can reduce some of the symptoms of autism in children, a pilot study has found. The supplement -- N-acetylcysteine, or NAC -- lowered irritability in the children and reduced repetitive behaviors, researchers from the Stanford University School of Medicine reported in the journal Biological Psychiatry. The team cautioned, however, that only 31 children were enrolled and that larger studies are needed to confirm the potential benefit. Currently, irritability, mood swings and depression in autistic children are treated with antipsychotic drugs.
NEWS
April 17, 2012 | By Rosie Mestel, Los Angeles Times / For the Booster Shots blog
Maqui, mangosteen, lingonberry -- superfruits! Though the scientific jury's out on whether these superhero fruits are any better than the common kind, one thing is clear: A lot of the mystique is about marketing, as an article by Karen Ravn in The Times' Saturday section explained. Another fact that's evident: Their names invite punning. A recent conversation between writer and editor while crafting the aforementioned story on the superfruit trend: W: have a superweekend.
HEALTH
March 31, 2012 | By Karen Ravn, Special to the Los Angeles Times
It's expensive! It's exotic! It's superfruit! Meaning what, exactly? The term "superfruit" has been applied to acai berries, maqui berries, yumberries, chokeberries, goji berries, lingonberries, lychee berries - a lot of berries, in other words, but also baobabs, mangosteens, sea buckthorn, jujube fruit, cupuacus, pitayas, pomegranates ... the list keeps growing. You may wonder what is it about these fruits that lifts them out of the ranks of the ordinary into exalted superfruit status.
HEALTH
December 26, 2011
The antioxidant-based O2 Diet is relatively simple. Instead of counting calories, dieters add up ORAC points, short for oxygen radical absorbance capacity. The ORAC number reflects the potential antioxidant activity of a food, as defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In general, berries, nuts and teas have high ORAC values. But eating according to ORAC won't necessarily make you any healthier, experts warn. ORAC testing is not standardized across the industry, and it was never designed to compare two foods, such as cranberries versus blueberries.
HEALTH
December 26, 2011 | By Julie Deardorff, Tribune reporter
Antioxidant-rich products promise an easy way to stave off disease. Simply swallow two softgels daily or knock back a glass of goji-pomegranate juice and the "supercritical" compounds will neutralize those nasty free radicals that threaten your health. Such bold claims seem logical. There's evidence that free radicals, or oxidants, are involved in cancer, degenerative brain diseases and certain other illnesses. And when oxidants turn up in our bodies - it happens when we turn food into energy or are exposed to infection, smoking and other triggers - we fight back by producing antioxidants that can soak them up like a sponge.
HEALTH
October 31, 2011 | By Chris Woolston, Special to the Los Angeles Times
You wouldn't last very long without oxygen. But just as rust slowly eats away at a nail, oxygen can age your body. As your cells use this vital element, they produce free radicals — unstable molecules that can damage your tissues and add wear and tear to your entire body, including your skin. Many anti-aging products promise younger-looking skin through the power of antioxidants, compounds that help neutralize free radicals before they can do any harm. Antioxidants such as vitamin E, vitamin C and beta carotene show up in a lot of sunscreens and lotions.