You may have heard the term. But do you know how important antioxidants play in our overall health? They have many benefits in supporting our health. All the brilliantly colored foods such as fruits and vegetables, contain antioxidants. They come from man-made or natural substances. They help to prevent or delay certain types of cell damage. Some good choices include blueberries, raspberries, apples, broccoli, cabbage, spinach, eggplant, and legumes like red and black beans. They are also found in green tea, black tea, red wine and dark chocolate, onions and carotenoids (plums, kale, tomatoes, sweet potatoes) and many more.
The key here is variety. Some reports believe we need 6 to 7 or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Sometimes difficult to obtain and time consuming to eat all that. Soups and salads are a great way to get many different foods. Supplements can help, but food is always the best choice. If you can digest vegetables raw do so. Otherwise lightly steam your vegetables. Never fry them! See my article on frying foods on my website.
Antioxidants are important in fighting what is known as free radicals. Whenever you are exposed to any form of toxin such as air pollution, tobacco smoke, even sunlight, and X-rays, industrial chemicals and stress create unstable molecules, known as free radicals, are created. They lack an electron, so they charge around, trying to steal one from other molecules and wreaking havoc in the process. Left to their own devices, free radicals damage tissues and can be the catalyst for serious illnesses like heart disease and cancer. Free radicals can cause damage to parts of cells such as protein, DNA and cell membranes by stealing their electrons through a process called oxidation. This is why free radical damage is also called “oxidative damage.” When free radicals oxidize important components of the cell, those lose their ability to function normally, and the accumulation of such damage may cause the cell to die. Numerous studies indicate that increased production of free radicals causes or speeds up the nerve cell injury and leads to disease.
A role of oxidative stress has been seen in many conditions, including anthersclerosis, inflammatory condition, certain cancers and other illnesses. Oxidative stress is now thought to make a significant contribution to all inflammatory diseases such as arthritis, vasculitis, glomerulonephritis, lupus erythematous, adult respiratory disease syndrome. acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, emphysema, organ transplantation, gastric ulcers, hypertension and preeclampsia, neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, muscular dystrophy, alcoholism, smoking-related diseases, and many others. An excess of oxidative stress can lead to the oxidation of lipids and proteins, which is associated with changes in their structure and function.
Heart disease continues to be the biggest killer, responsible for about half of all deaths. The oxidative events may affect cardiovascular diseases therefore: it has potential to provide enormous benefits to the health and lifespan. Polyunsaturated fatty acids occur as a major part of the low density lipoproteins (LDL) in blood and oxidation of these lipid components in LDL play a vital role in atherosclerosis. Effective amounts of B-carotene or vitamin E play a vital role in the prevention of various cardiovascular diseases. Selenium and CoQ10 should also be taken. Both CoQ10 and vitamin E are absorbed better by taking selenium 200 mcg with each should be adequate.
The term antioxidant originally was used to refer specifically to a chemical that prevented the consumption of oxygen. Early research on the role of antioxidants in biology focused on their use in preventing the oxidation of unsaturated fats, which is the cause of rancidity. Antioxidant activity could be seen on a sliced apple. As it turns brown that is oxygen turning the apple brown.
Antioxidants can decrease oxidative stress induced carcinogenesis by a direct scavenging of reactive oxygen species by inhibiting cell proliferation secondary to the protein phosphorlyation. B-carotene may be protective against cancer through its antioxidant function, because oxidative products can cause genetic damage. Thus, the photo protective properties of B-carotene may protect against ultraviolet light induced carcinogenesis. Immunoenhancement of B-carotene may contribute to cancer protection. B-carotene may also have anticarcinogenic effect by altering the liver metabolism effects of carcinogens. Vitamin C may be helpful in preventing cancer. The possible mechanisms by which vitamin C may affect carcinogenesis include antioxidant effects, blocking of formation of nitrosanimes enhancement of the immune responses, and acceleration of detoxification of liver enzymes. Vitamin E, an important antioxidant, plays a role in immunocompetence by increasing humoral antibody protection, resistance to bacterial infections, cell-mediated immunity , the T-lymphocytes tumor necrosis factor production. Vitamin E may be useful in cancer prevention and inhibit carcinogenesis by stimulation of the immune system. The administration of a mixture of the above three antioxidant reveled the highest reduction in risk of developing cardiac cancers.
The compounds in antioxidants are able to give up an electron to stabilize free radicals. They come in all kinds of forms, vitamins such as A, C and E, minerals (selenium is a notorious antioxidant). Beta-carotene, lutein, and lycopene are others.
Even these have side effects especially in supplement form. High-dose supplements of antioxidants may be linked to health risks in some cases. For example, high doses of beta-carotene may increase the risk of lung cancer in smokers. High doses of vitamin E may increase risks of prostate cancer and one type of stroke. High doses of vitamin E is also a blood thinner.
Antioxidant supplements may also interact with some medicines. To minimize risk, talk to your health care providers about any antioxidants you use.
Other great articles are on the NIH: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.
