Wouldn't getting enough vitamins, especially a high dose of vitamin C and E, lower the risk of cataracts slightly anyways?
Maybe I'm missing something, but it's not that horrible if you do get cataracts. It's a simple, painless surgery to remove them.
I'll still try greatly to avoid getting them, but there are far worse things that could happen.
There's evidence supporting the idea that antioxidants might prevent DNP cataracts. Early research in the 1930's and 40's made a bunch of different hypotheses about the etiology. Some thought the cataracts were caused by oxygen deficiency and lactic acid buildup in anaerobic metabolism (which is predominant in the lens). Others thought it was because of interference with glycolysis. Some thought it was secondary to liver damage (which is not the case).
The best research came in the 1950's by Ogino and Yasukura. They found that guinea pigs fed a vitamin C deficient diet while on DNP developed cataracts, while those that were supplemented with vitamin C did not. As they explained, "In these experiments, it is clear that there is a close relationship between the production of cataract and vitamin-C deficiency." They then went on, though a series of fascinating steps, to isolate the cataractogenic metabolite of DNP (the chemical derived from DNP that can cause cataracts). They identified it as 2-amino-
p-quinonimine. They found that the hydroxyl- and nitro-radicals of DNP in the
p-position of the benzene ring are essential to the production of dinitrophenol cataract. There are various other cataractogenic agents that are similar quinoid substances.
Ogino and Yasukura said "This suggests that a genetic predisposition plays an important role in susceptibility to this cataract. This notion is strengthened by the fact that, in spite of extensive experiments of long duration by many authors, it has been found impossible to produce dinitrophenol cataract experimentally in various other species, namely, in rats, rabbits, guinea pigs, and dogs, although Bettman observed dinitrophenol cataract in a special strain of mice."
Another researcher, Rigdon, studied DNP-induced cataracts in chickens and turkeys in 1959. He said "of course, necrosis in any tissue may occur by different mechanisms. However, the similarity of the effect of DNP and deficiency of vitamin E on the lens may be significant."
Personally, I think those who developed cataracts either 1) had a genetic predisposition as Ogino and Yasukura hypothesized, 2) were vitamin C/E deficient, or 3) both. As I pointed out in another thread, vitamin C supplementation didn't make it big until Linus Pauling in the 70's. I think it's very possible that these people in the 1930's were eating unbalanced diets and had antioxidant deficiencies. IMO, vitamin C, vitamin E, and other antioxidants would be expected to reduce the incidence rate or even prevent cataracts altogether. The incidence is already low enough to begin with that I don't think any supplements are "mandatory" while taking DNP, but for those who are susceptible, for whatever reason, a normal dose of vitamin C and E might offer some insurance. In the 1930's, cataracts were estimated to occur at the rate of 1 in 1000.
Hope that helps,
Conciliator
