Micronutrients & recovery
Low-dose dietary antioxidants (e.g., polyphenols, cruciferous vegetables) exert hormetic, cytoprotective effects by upregulating vitagenes (HO-1, Hsp70) and reducing oxidative stress, whereas high-dose supplementation can be pro-oxidant and toxic.
Focus on getting antioxidants from whole foods like raw cruciferous vegetables and spices rather than high-dose supplements. The paper suggests that moderate intake triggers protective cellular stress responses (hormesis), while excessive supplementation may be harmful or ineffective. Prioritize dietary sources over isolated high-dose pills.
This biphasic dose-response relationship (i.e., hormesis) displays low-dose stimulation and a high-dose inhibition... Dietary polyphenols also act hormetically, displaying cytoprotective effects at low doses. However, excessive nutritional supplementation (i.e., high doses) can have negative consequences through the generation of more reactive and harmful intermediates with pathological consequences.
Why this rating
The paper is a review citing in vitro, animal, and epidemiological data, but explicitly notes the lack of conclusive human clinical trials for many specific compounds.
Source
The Hormetic Role of Dietary Antioxidants in Free Radical-Related Diseases
Vittorio Calabrese et al. · Current Pharmaceutical Design · 2010
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