Anti-Oxidant Information

It is increasingly evident that oxidation is a prime factor in the degenerative diseases of aging. The level of antioxidant enzymes appears to determine the life span of mammals, and dietary anti-oxidants increase the length of life. Glutathione, a key intra-cellular anti-oxidant, appears in more than 10,000 scientific publications, and is essential in the prevention of cancer in humans. Important anti-oxidants include vitamins C and E, selenium, beta-carotene, flavonoids, sulfur-containing amino acids and co-enzyme Q10. Anti-oxidants are best taken in combination, since single anti-oxidants, such as vitamin E may become pro-oxidant in the body, without the adequate presence of vitamin C to convert it to its reduced form. Compound anti-oxidant products range from a simple ensemble of a few vitamins and minerals to complex formulas that include anti-oxidant herbs such as ginkgo and milk thistle.

Anti-oxidant protection

There is increasing evidence that the use of anti-oxidants can prevent oxidative damage in the body. Multiple studies demonstrate an increase in life-span of experimental animals fed anti-oxidants, at times 22% longer, along with improvement in physical and cognitive measures. It is also well established that reduced serum levels of anti-oxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E and selenium may correlate with an increased incidence of cancer, vascular disease and other conditions of aging. In general, it is thought that anti-oxidant supplementation can slow the aging process by 15 to 20 percent.

Types of anti-oxidants

There are numerous anti-oxidants. Some of the better known include beta-carotene, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, zinc, glutathione, co-enzyme Q10, and Ginkgo Biloba. Some anti-oxidants exist in the water phase of the body such as vitamin C and B6, whereas others are lipid soluble, such as beta carotene, vitamin E and co-enzyme Q10, protecting cell membranes and lipid molecules containing cholesterol An essential anti-oxidant in the body is superoxide dismutase(SOD), which converts the oxygen radical called superoxide to hydrogen peroxide. SOD is not absorbed orally, but levels in the body can be increased by supplementing with the nutrients required for its production, copper, manganese and zinc.

Supplementation with anti-oxidants

Anti-oxidants become oxidized in the body as they perform their protective function. Other substances are required to restore their anti-oxidant status, such as the need for vitamin C to reduce vitamin E back to its' anti-oxidant form. This leads to concern regarding the possible pro-oxidant potential of supplementation with large amounts of a single anti-oxidant. Studies, in fact, demonstrate that supplementation with beta-carotene or vitamin E alone may lead to an increase in several types of cancer. This is not unexpected considering the well established data that anti-oxidants work together, such as vitamin C and vitamin E noted above. The conclusion then is that anti-oxidants are best taken together as supplementation, rather then individually.