An antioxidant found in melons has been proven to reduce stress in a a new study published in BioMed Centrals Nutrition Journal.
The superoxide dismutase enzyme supplement (SOD) derived from the fruit decreased the signs and symptoms of perceived stress and fatigue in healthy volunteers.
“The 35 people in our study who received capsules containing superoxide dismutase showed improvement in several signs and symptoms of perceived stress and fatigue,” says Marie-Ann Milesi, a researcher involved in the study.
Milesi admits that researchers found a strong placebo effect in volunteers who did not receive the supplement, but notes that that this can be expected when studying subjective feelings such as stress. She says the improvements seen in the volunteers who took the supplement were significantly greater after 28 days.
Dietary antioxidants have been touted as potential treatments for cancer, atherosclerosis, chronic inflammatory disease and aging. Besides SOD, other popular antioxidants are selenium, vitamin C and E, and zinc.
In addition to nutritional supplements, antioxidants are found in berries, beans, spices such as cloves, cinnamon and oregano, and even potatoes.