Antioxidants - Can
They Halt the Ravages of Time and Disease?
Antioxidants have become a popular buzzword and depending
who you listen to these compounds are credited with everything
from curing cancer to reversing the body clock as well as
other more outlandish claims.
So what are antioxidants? And in what ways (if any) can they
help the human body to heal or strengthen itself?
The theory of how antioxidants work is not hard to understand.
However, as we will see their efficacy, especially in the
form of dietary supplements is still somewhat controversial.
The human body metabolizes oxygen in order to produce energy
and free radicals are a natural by-product of this metabolic
process. Free radicals are atoms or groups of atoms with unpaired
or unbalanced electrons. These volatile particles steal electrons
from cells and other molecules within the body and may cause
cell damage in the process. This cell damage manifests itself
as aging and disease.
It is quite normal to have free radicals in the body. However,
excessive quantities have the potential to do significant
harm. Exposure to excessive sunlight, smoking, pollution,
alcohol and radiation are all known to exacerbate the effects
of free radicals and lead to premature aging and/or serious
illness.
Free radical damage has far reaching consequences and is
implicated in:
Speeding up the aging process
Cardiovascular disease including arteriosclerosis (hardening
of the arteries) - Free radicals react with Low Density Lipoprotein
(LDL) cholesterol causing it to stick to the walls of arteries.
LDL or bad cholesterol is a major contributor to Coronary
Heart Disease.
Failing eyesight caused by deterioration in the lenses of
the eyes.
Diseases such as Parkinson’s and Dementia resulting
from breakdown in cells of the nervous system
Certain cancers which are related to changes in cell DNA
Arthritis caused by joint inflammation
Antioxidants are compounds that mop up free radicals and
neutralize their impact on cells. Antioxidants are present
naturally in the food we eat in varying degrees. Some of the
most commonly known antioxidants are Vitamin C, Vitamin E,
the mineral Selenium and Beta-carotene which is a precursor
of Vitamin A. There are however countless other compounds
which function as antioxidants. Some such as lycopene and
anthocyanins are classified as non-nutrient antioxidants which
provide little or no nutritional value but are still valuable
for their antioxidant properties.
Tests with animals have shown a clear link between antioxidant
use and reduction in the incidence of disease. The connection
in humans is not quite as clear cut. There is anecdotal evidence
that men who eat large quantities of tomatoes which are rich
in lycopene have a lower rate of prostate cancer while consumption
of tea (high in flavenoids) is hypothesized to be the reason
for lower heart disease among Japanese. However, results of
recent clinical studies have been inconsistent and inconclusive.
One of the first large studies on antioxidants and cancer
found a sharp reduction in gastric and other cancers among
Chinese men and women at risk of gastric cancer when treated
with a combination of Selenium, Vitamin E and beta carotene.
On the other hand a 1994 study on male Finnish smokers found
that beta-carotene significantly increased incidence of lung
cancer while vitamin E supplements had no impact. Similarly
a 1999 study on cancer and cardiovascular disease among women
found no benefit from beta carotene supplements. The lack
of conclusive results from the supplementation studies seems
to suggest that antioxidants may be most effective when derived
from a healthy and balanced diet rather than in the form of
supplements.
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Author: Eric Choong
Please visit my website at: http://www.health-beauty-care.com
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