Antioxidants and Aging

What causes aging?

What can we do to prevent it?

How can antioxidants help?

In biological systems, the normal processes of oxidation are what lead to aging. Oxidation causes the creation of substances called free radicals which are highly reactive. These free radicals can readily react with and deteriorate other molecules. Note that it says molecules so that means free radicals don't know the difference between foreign bodies and healthy cells. And when free radicals start attacking the body's own cells, the results are Aging.

What are antioxidants?

They are the vitamins, minerals and enzymes in your food that help to fight free radicals. The function of antioxidants is to destroy harmful free radicals, counteracting the damaging of tissues and in effect, treating aging or causing its retardation.

Antioxidants are plentiful in more common vitamins such as retinol or Vitamin A, ascorbic acid or Vitamin C, tocopherol or Vitamin E, and selenium. They can be nutrients (vitamins and minerals) as well as enzymes (proteins in your body that assist in chemical reactions). Research now confirms a balanced diet rich in whole grain cereals, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables provides essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other nutrients that reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Antioxidants are believed to play an important role in preventing the expansion of such chronic illnesses as heart disease, stroke, cancer, Alzheimers disease, Rheumatoid arthritis, and cataracts.

Although antioxidants cannot completely rid our bodies of free radicals, they can however work to retard or minimize the damage caused. Antioxidants block the process of oxidation by neutralizing free radicals. By neutralizing, they themselves become oxidized. For this reason, our bodies are always in need of a steady source of antioxidants.

How antioxidants work is a two-way process. First is the chain-breaking. This is where the antioxidant comes in to shatter the chain reaction of free radicals turning other molecules into free radicals like them. Chain-breaking is also called Stabilization.

The other aspect is more on the preventive side. Antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase prevent oxidation by reducing the rate of chain initiation. This time, instead of waiting for the free radicals to make a long chain of free radicals, antioxidants scavenge initiating radicals and destroy them before oxidation is set in motion.

Thus, aging is delayed and not only that, diseases and other illnesses caused by harmful free radicals are avoided.

Are Supplements Necessary?

We live in a time when dietary supplements are essential. Antioxidants scavenge free radicals generated by pollution, chemicals, drugs, alcohol, and excessive eating of processed foods. The food we eat can contain chemicals such as preservatives, additives, colorings and pesticide residues. We breathe in car fumes and fumes from resins, paints, aerosols and indoor chlorinated pools. We absorb chemicals through the skin from skin care products, shampoos and conditioners, make-up and sunscreens. Some of these chemicals are toxic even carcinogenic. In the body they contribute to the free radicals which studies have shown to cause chronic degenerative diseases and cancer.

Synergy and balance is vital in antioxidant activity. Vitamin E for example, prevents lipid peroxidation, but in the process it becomes oxidized into a damaging tocopheroxyl radical. This process, however, can be reversed by vitamin C. Vitamin C regenerates vitamin E and glutathione regenerates vitamin C. Glutathione and vitamin E both require selenium for their action.

There is now concern about safe doses of antioxidant supplements. Vitamins and minerals are good for us, but too much of anything can be harmful. Although there is no solid evidence that high doses of single antioxidant vitamins are really harmful, it is common sense not to take too much of any one on their own.

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