Key points from article :
Antioxidants were thought to have a protective effect against cancer, but a new study found that they can actually promote the growth of cancer tumours.
The study, conducted by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, found that antioxidants activate a protein called BACH1 in mice, which in turn promotes the formation of new blood vessels.
New blood vessels provide cancer cells with the oxygen and nutrients they need to grow and spread.
The researchers hope that their findings will lead to the development of new cancer treatments that target BACH1.
In the meantime, they advise people not to take antioxidant supplements, as they could be harmful to cancer patients.
The study was published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation.
