Recommended use of antioxidant vitamins to treat varied medical maladies is based on the invalidated free radical theory. The continued non-acceptance of the null findings of over 500 clinical trials on vitamin and antioxidant supplements has no scientific basis or biochemical plausibility. The underlying principles of the free radical theory have been proven to have repeated unreliability. It fails to meet the requirements of the scientific method and lacks reproducibility. Yet, the multi-billion dollar antioxidant supplement industry continues to thrive and trumpet false claims for their potentially harmful products. No doubt, excessive intake of antioxidant vitamins results in increased risk of heart disease, cancer, strokes and overall mortality. A working knowledge of redox chemistry is essential to understanding the hundreds of failed trials testing the efficacy of antioxidant supplements and antioxidant vitamins. Normal redox homeostasis may be pathologically disturbed by overzealous use of antioxidants. My UTOPIA and ROS insufficiency theories present a new perspective more correctly informed by the most contemporaneous experimental findings and by the most reliable clinical trials and studies. In short, electronically modified oxygen derivatives (EMODs) are essential for human existence and protection. An EMOD insufficiency "allows" for the development of a multitude of disease entities, including infections, non-healing wounds, infertility, tumor development, arteriosclerotic blockages, and cancer growth and metastasis. There never has been a "war" between EMODs and antioxidants.
About the Author: Dr. Howes was born on a small strawberry farm East of Ponchatoula, Louisiana. He attended Southeastern Louisiana University (SLU) and was honored as a SLU Legend, and as an Outstanding SLU Alumnus, along with Robin Roberts of ABC News Good Morning America. SLU articles referred to him as "a da Vinci in cowboy boots." While working on double doctorate degrees at Tulane University School of Medicine, Dr. Howes worked as a technician on the isolation of thyrotropin releasing factor with Nobel Laureate, Dr. Andrew V. Schally, studied under Dr. Richard Steele, whose mentor was Nobel Laureate, Dr. Albert Szent Gyorgii, met Nobel Laureates, George Wald and Dr. Linus Pauling, who felt that Dr. Howes could help bridge the gap between physicians and scientists. Later, he was also a friends of Nobel laureate, Lou Ignarro and the late Dr. Fritz Lipmann. He was the first in the history of Tulane School of Medicine to receive double doctorate degrees in medicine and biochemistry simultaneously. He was the first to be designated by the late Dr. Theodore Drapanas as a trained "surgical scientist" at Tulane Medical School. During his surgery residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Dr. George Zuidema, Chief and Blalock Professor of Surgery, gave him permission to conduct research studies concurrent with his surgical training in the highly sought after William Stewart Halstead Surgery program. He was granted lab space by Dr. John Cameron, past president of the American Surgical Association, and he wrote many papers on surgical and oxygen free radical subjects during his residency training. He was the first to complete board eligibility in both general and plastic surgery at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, while doing basic research on oxygen metabolism, all in a six-year period. He had the opportunity to work with the pioneer of mitochondrial biochemical function, Dr. Albert L. Lehninger. Dr. Howes invented the triple lumen venous catheter, which has been credited with helping save the lives of over 20 million critically ill patients worldwide. His catheter is the number one venous catheter in the world and his name is well recognized in over 100 countries. He received the Harper Award from the American College for Advancement in Medicine, served as their keynote speaker. In 2013, he was the first to be awarded the Charles Farr award for "excellence in oxidative medicine" by the American College for Advancement in Medicine.