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Free Radicals: Antioxidants To The Rescue?
 We have all heard of free radicals and know that they cause damage to our bodies. But
what are free radicals and how do they cause us harm? Wikipedia states, "Many
forms of cancer are thought to be the result of reactions between free radicals
and DNA, resulting in mutations that can adversely affect the cell cycle and
potentially lead to malignancy." So free radicals literally "eat away" the
major organs of the body.
There are three primary sources for free radicals relevant to the topic at hand: the
environment, internal production, and stress factors. The environmental factors
we are all familiar with: pollution, pesticides, herbicides, cigarette smoke,
drugs and even some foods can generate free radicals in our bodies. As a normal
part of our metabolic functions, our bodies are constantly producing free
radicals as well. Additionally, aging, disease, lack of sleep and "stress"
itself can all accelerate the bodies' production of free radicals by a factor of
eight times or more. So if we can't avoid free radicals, what do we do to stay
healthy?
Our bodies are constantly repairing damaged cells but daily living means that our bodies
are bombarded by more free radicals than they can handle. By supplementing with
antioxidants, we help our bodies keep up with the carnage.... sometimes we can
even get ahead and reverse the damage.
Antioxidants are compounds that render free radicals harmless and stop the chain
reaction formation of new free radicals. Most of us have heard of Vitamin E and
C but there are many other important antioxidants that are needed to support
your entire body. No single antioxidant works on all free radicals and in every
area of the body. Many antioxidants reinforce each other so getting a good
formula combination of antioxidants for effective defense is important for
overall health.
There is no such thing as an ultimate antioxidant, but do look for formulations with
these ingredients: Beta Carotene, Alpha Carotene, Lutein, Lycopene, Zeaxanthin,
Selenium, N-Acetyl-Cysteine, L-Methionine, Quercetin, Ginkgo Biloba, Curcumin,
Green Tea Extract, Bilberry, Alpha-Lipoic Acid, Superoxide Dismutase,
Tocotrienols, Grape Seed Extract, Chaparral Extract and Catalase. There are
other antioxidants worth taking but most others need to be taken separately in
order to get effective quantities of the antioxidants.
As Jon Barron states (author of Lessons From The Miracle Doctors), "The use of antioxidant supplments at a maintenance level may provide the ultimate defense
against premature aging and a compromised immune system. At therapeutic levels,
antioxidants may actually play a significant role in the effects of aging and
disease." Sounds like good advice we should all take...along with our
antioxidant supplements.
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