A preprint investigating oxidative balance score and osteoarthritis risk was formally withdrawn due to fundamental methodological flaws in disease classification. The authors recognized that relying solely on self-reported osteoarthritis diagnoses from NHANES participants, without imaging or clinical confirmation, created substantial misclassification bias. Participants frequently confused osteoarthritis with other conditions like rheumatoid arthritis or gout, particularly among those with lower health literacy who comprised a significant portion of the osteoarthritis group. This withdrawal represents a rare but important example of scientific self-correction in the preprint era. The case highlights broader concerns about population health research that relies on self-reported diagnoses, especially for complex conditions requiring clinical expertise to differentiate. While disappointing for researchers investigating oxidative stress and joint health, this withdrawal demonstrates rigorous scientific integrity and sets a valuable precedent. The authors' detailed explanation provides a teaching moment about the limitations of large epidemiological datasets and the critical importance of validated outcome measures. Since this was a preprint that never underwent peer review, the withdrawal prevents potentially misleading findings from entering the literature, protecting the integrity of future research on antioxidants and musculoskeletal health.