We discussed a study a while back where blocking glucose metabolism in worms increased lifespan (while increasing radical oxygen species), and where administering antioxidants blocked both of these effects. All we had to work from was the abstract, so I always wondered--what antioxidants were used?

Peter at Hyperlipid did a recent post, I'm not sure if it's the same study, or a similar study, but full access is free here; Glucose Restriction Extends Caenorhabditis

I haven't read the study yet, but according to Peter,



N-acetylcysteine is a darling of those trying to increase their lifespan; calorie restriction increases glutathione (an antioxidant) in some tissues, and cysteine is sometimes the limiting factor in its synthesis.




Maybe an inability to make vitamin c is not a design flaw in humans, and not a sign that we should be getting ridiculous amounts of vitamin c from a nearly all-fruit diet.

hmmmm, I [I]am[I] suspicious of anything that we are "supposed" to get from eating large (ish, or not) quantities of seasonal food that we may or may not have even had access to much of the time 15,000 years ago. I do feel noticeably better when I take vit c when I am getting sick though, placebo? It even feels good on my sore throat (ascorbic acid in water, for ex)... (not that something is necessarily good for you b/c it "feels" good, just saying...)

But don't we also absorb a good amount of C from various organ meats? I doubt it approaches the quantity in citrus, but is closer to what we actually need/want?