| |
Antioxidants are chemicals that can neutralise free radicals, the molecules that are one of the most damaging parts of the aging process. When an antioxidant comes into contact with a free radical, it can accept or donate an electron so that the unpaired electron on the free radical is eradicated, meaning that it can do no further harm. While the antioxidant then has an unpaired electron and so itself becomes a free radical, it is a less reactive one, usually far less so. Furthermore, it may then be possible for other antioxidants to neutralise it so that it can do further protective work – this is the case, for example, with vitamins E and C, where E can be rejuvenated by C, which is why it is best to take both of them together.
The body produces its own natural antioxidants. Agents such as superoxide dismutaste (SOD), catalase and glutathione peroxidase all help to counter the effects of free radicals, and they work well. There is a strong correlation between the amount of SOD produced in mammals and their maximum lifespan. But they do not neutralise all free radicals, and many researchers believe that adding antioxidants to the diet can provide much additional protection against free radical damage, and certainly act as an insurance mechanism if the normal defences are overwhelmed, as they often are in the face of illness, stress and a bad diet.
Almost all vitamins, especially C and E, act as antioxidants. Other non-enzymatic antioxidants include selenium, some corticosteroids, cysteine, glutathione, methionine, tyrosine and cholesterol, which is not at all always harmful (it actually protects cell membranes provided that it has not been oxidised). Many of the cholesterol-derived steroid hormones such as DHEA, glucocorticosteroids, pregnenolone, progesterone, testosterone and estrogen also act as free radical scavengers. These antioxidants are able to work on their own.
The other type, however, known as enzymatic antioxidants, require metallic trace elements or vitamins from the diet to function. Manganese, zinc and copper are all necessary for SOD activity; glutathione peroxidase requires selenium; iron is required for catalase and some types of peroxidase. So it is very important to make sure that there is enough of all of these in the diet, which can easily be achieved with a good multivitamin supplement. Many people are deficient in manganese, zinc and copper, so supplementation can be a very important factor in reducing aging – if the body’s natural antioxidants don’t work, free radical damage accelerates greatly.
All cells and organelles are surrounded by layers of saturated fat, which is highly oxidisable. Consuming antioxidants in the diet protects cellular and intracellular membranes from being oxidised. This is especially important for the brain and nervous system, which have the highest concentrations of fat of any body organ, and not just any fat, but very long chain fats with many unsaturated bonds, making them especially vulnerable to free radical damage. To protect them, the body uses vitamin C as an antioxidant, with special pumps to increase its concentration by 100 times in the brain and spinal cord compared to other organs. Many people are deficient in vitamin C, so supplementation may be very important to protect your brain from damage leading to senility, dementia, and Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
Another important molecule is coenzyme Q-10, the only antioxidant that is able to adequately penetrate the mitochondria, where most free radicals are produced. In one study where it was given to mice, the mice remained remarkably vigorous and youthful right through middle and old age, so coenzyme Q-10 seems to be one of the most beneficial antioxidants of all. Antioxidants are also very important for boosting the immune system (which itself can help to fight age-related diseases), because its cells are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, making them especially vulnerable to being oxidised.
In summary, to boost the amount of antioxidants in your body and ensure the effectiveness of its own, the following supplements are very helpful: vitamins E, C, the B vitamins, coenzyme Q-10, folate, beta-carotene, and the trace elements selenium, manganese, copper, zinc, chromium, vanadium and boron. Make sure the multivitamin supplement you take has all of these. For optimal levels of vitamin E, it’s best to supplement with 400 IU per day, and for vitamin C, at least 1 gram 3 times per day (you can absorb up to 3 grams at a time). Vitamin C regenerates vitamin E, as does coenzyme Q-10, so it is best to use them together. Taking these supplements daily is one of the best things you can do for your health; they can do much more than just prevent deficiency-diseases such as scurvy, by helping to protect your entire body from the oxidative damage that manifests as age and disease. While it is true that a healthy, balanced diet contains enough of these substances to prevent immediate life-threatening diseases, it is very hard to get the optimal amounts of them just from the diet alone.
|
