All About Antioxidant Nutrients

"It is important to get vitamins and minerals from wholesome foods. However, even people with the best intentions of eating a healthy diet sometimes fall short of their daily nutrient intake."

Consuming a healthy diet is important to ensuring optimal intake of all essential vitamins and minerals. All vitamins and minerals have important functions in the body. Special attention should be paid to antioxidants because of their role in disease prevention.

What are antioxidants and why are they important to the body?

Antioxidants are specific vitamins and minerals that contribute to good health and protection against the onset of certain health problems. Antioxidants receiving the most attention include beta-carotene (which forms vitamins A in the body), vitamin C and vitamin E. Some trace minerals also act as antioxidants. These include selenium, copper, zinc and manganese. Antioxidants work alone and in teams to protect the body. Antioxidants help protect healthy cells from damage and help the body counteract the effects of free radicals. Free radicals are oxygen by-products that are produced when the body cells burn oxygen. Free radicals are also formed in the body by environmental factors such as cigarette smoke, burns, pollution and ultraviolet light. Free radicals can damage or attack healthy body cells and tissues. Normally the body will break down free radicals. If free radicals form faster than the body can break them down, damage to cells and tissue may occur. They also are capable of damaging DNA, which is your body's master plan for reproducing cells. Once free radicals damage these healthy cells and tissue, the body is more susceptible to the onset of certain health problems. Antioxidants help the body clean up the free radicals, which cause damage in the body, and convert them to harmless waste products that are eliminated before they do any damage. Research indicates that antioxidants may even help to reverse some of the damage already done.

What health problems can antioxidants help to protect from?

Antioxidants can help protect the body from many health problems. These include certain types of cancer, artery and heart disease, cataracts, arthritis, stroke, osteoporosis and some deterioration that goes along with the normal aging process.

How much is needed of each of these antioxidant vitamins for optimal health and protection?

The best approach to making sure you get all of your antioxidants is to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet. A well-balanced diet should include plenty of fruits and vegetables (at least five servings per day). Fruits and vegetables provide essential vitamins, minerals, fiber and other important nutrients, including antioxidants. A well-balanced diet should also include at least three servings per day of whole-grain foods. Whole grains also provide essential nutrients including antioxidants. Following the food guide pyramid offers a reliable and easy-to-use plan to make sure you receive the necessary servings of all the food groups needed for optimal health. Each separate antioxidant comes from a different source of healthy food and requires diverse amounts for optimal health and protection.

Beta-caroteneis not toxic in any amount, but large amounts of vitamin A supplements in other forms can be. The body gets vitamin A in two forms. In the form of retinol, it comes from animal products such as liver, fish oil, eggs and milk. In the form of carotenoids, it comes from plant foods and is considered an antioxidant. Beta-carotene is a carotenoid, and is found in red, yellow and orange fruits and vegetables. It is also found in some dark-green leafy vegetables. The Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for vitamin A is 5,000 IU (International Units) for healthy adults.

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin. Vitamin C is found in plant foods. All citrus fruits are excellent sources. Other good sources include other fruits and vegetables such as berries, melons, peppers, many dark-green leafy vegetables, potatoes and tomatoes. The RDI for vitamin C is 75 milligrams for women and 90 milligrams for men. People who smoke need an additional 35 milligrams per day. It is recommended not to get more than 2,000 milligrams per day for adults.

Vitamin Eis a fat-soluble vitamin. Vitamin E works to protect vitamin A, beta-carotene and vitamin C in foods from destruction by oxygen. The mineral selenium enhances the antioxidant capabilities of vitamin E. Vitamin E is found in vegetable oils such as soybean, corn and safflower oils. It is also found in margarine, salad dressings, nuts, seeds and wheat germ. Leafy-green vegetables contribute a small amount. The RDI for vitamin E is 15 milligrams for both men and women. It is recommended not to get more than 1,000 milligrams per day for adults. Food sources of selenium include seafood, liver, meat and grains.

Should I take a supplement to ensure I get enough antioxidants?

It is important to get vitamins and minerals from wholesome foods. However, even people with the best intentions of eating a healthy diet sometimes fall short of their daily nutrient intake. If you take a supplement, choose a vitamin-mineral combination; take the supplement in the recommended doses; don't be lured by extra ingredients like choline, inositol, lecithin, PABA, herbs and enzymes (they add to the cost but offer no proven nutritional benefits); and ensure that the amount of nutrients is close to 100 percent of the RDI. It is also important to remember that no dietary supplement provides the full compliment of vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients found in food. If you use a supplement, use it to supplement only and not to replace foods or food groups!

There is still not enough research to prove whether adding additional amounts of antioxidants through supplements is beneficial. There are also questions as to the side effects of taking supplemental antioxidants over long periods of time. Mega or large doses of these vitamins is not recommended. Healthy people should not routinely exceed upper intake levels of any vitamin and/or mineral. The recommended doses should be followed.

Natural anti-aging therapies

Most people over age 40 who consult me have been told by other doctors that their physical ailments are just aging. Although anti-aging therapies are widely available, these people were offered no remedies or preventive strategies for their discomforts.

Today, anti-aging is a 'hot' topic: It's the subject of dozens of best-selling books and hundreds of popular Web sites. The therapies most often promoted include drugs (e.g., Deprenyl, BHT and Procaine); hormones (human growth hormone or HGH, DHEA, pregnenolone, testosterone and melatonin); and numerous vitamins, minerals, herbs and amino acids.

The long-term consequences of using these drugs and hormones are either unknown or worrisome. For example, using HGH in fully developed adults with AIDS and muscle wasting is safe and effective. Conventional doctors even prescribe it. But here's the key question: Does human growth hormone trigger long-term problems like cancer and organ failure when used by healthy adults to reverse aging? Nothing has been proven on this safety issue one way or the other.

At this time, I advise you to err on the side of safety. With few exceptions, avoid anti-aging drugs and hormones. Stick with safe and well-documented natural therapies. There are many superb remedies for you to consider.


Antioxidants that Resist Aging

Coenzyme Q10 is an antioxidant that protects the heart and entire circulatory system. It's made in the body but the liver loses its ability to synthesize this nutrient as one gets older. CoQ10 is effective in lowering high blood pressure, clearing periodontal disease, eliminating angina, reversing some cases of congestive heart failure, boosting energy and fighting breast cancer.

Animal studies reveal that CoQ10 can increase lifespan up to a Êwhopping 50 per cent without any side effects. CoQ10 is a key player in the function of the mitochondria, the part of the cell involved in energy production. Without adequate CoQ10, energy becomes scarce and cells age more rapidly. Recommended dosage: 400 to 600 mg daily.

Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALC) boosts energy and reduces the high catabolic cortisol levels in the blood after intense exercise. It enters the bloodstream and penetrates cell membranes more effectively than regular L-carnitine. ALC also improves cognitive function in both normally aging individuals and those with Alzheimer's. It strengthens the heart muscle and prevents the decline of mitochondrial function, which scientists believe may be a cause of aging. ALC may well be the single most important supplement you can take to maintain and improve overall neurological function. Dosage: 1 to 2 grams before you work out and at bedtime.

Alpha Lipoic Acid is a highly potent antioxidant that counteracts cell-damaging free radicals in the mitochondria, thereby preventing aging. Alpha lipoic acid also recycles other antioxidants, such as vitamin E, back into their original form after they detoxify free radicals. It reduces the damage from excess glucose in the blood, which may play a role in aging, especially the accelerated aging that is common with diabetics. Dosage: 600 to 1,200 mg daily.

Lycopene is one of 600 plant pigments called carotenoids. It's considered the best anti-aging carotenoid (twice as potent as beta carotene) because it's the most efficient quencher of an especially dangerous free radical called singlet oxygen. Lycopene, unlike other antioxidants, is regenerated after quenching singlet oxygen. It can therefore detoxify hazardous molecules without being destroyed.

Lycopene levels tend to drop off as we age, despite eating fruits and vegetables that contain it (tomatoes, guava, rosehip, watermelon and pink grapefruit). Animal studies show that lycopene increases survival and decreases the incidence of both cancer and heart disease. Research also suggests that daily lycopene intake prevents macular degeneration, a common cause of blindness in older people. Dosage: 540 mL or approximately two glasses of tomato juice daily.


Vitamins that Help You Stay Young

Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) supplements can increase lifespan as much as 19 per cent, according to animal studies. B5 fights aging because it's a constituent of coenzyme A, which is involved in many chemical reactions essential to life, including detoxification of dangerous substances. Dosage: 1,000 mg or more daily.

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) is vital for metabolizing the amino acids tyrosine and phenylalanine. It's an essential co-factor (along with vitamin B12 and folic acid) in the body's defence against elevated homocysteine levels, which are linked to arteriosclerosis, heart disease and stroke. Animal studies show that B6 supplements can extend lifespan by at least 11 per cent. Note: If you start taking isolated B vitamins, it's important to also take B-complex to prevent an imbalance. Dosage: 100 mg or more daily.

Vitamin C helps virtually every cell in your body to resist aging. Animal research indicates that regular supplementation can increase lifespan as much as 20 per cent. Dosage: 1,000 mg or more daily.

Vitamin E is the major defender of our cell membranes against oxidative damage and thus aging. It works with selenium to boost immune function, reduce the risk of heart attack in both men and women, and protect us from several types of cancer. Dosage: 400 IU daily.

Selenium is a trace mineral with powerful preventive and therapeutic effects for all types of cancer. In fact, it is helpful for just about any disease associated with aging including arthritis, diabetes, heart disease and chronic infection. Dosage: 200 mcg daily.


Grapeseed Extract and Green Tea

Grapeseed extract contains bioflavonoids known as procyanidolic oligomers. These PCOs have been reported to be 20 times more potent than vitamin C and 50 times mightier than vitamin E as free radical scavengers (antioxidants). Like vitamin B-complex and vitamin C, PCOs are water soluble and have a long half-life, up to seven hours after a single dose. Dosage: 300 mg daily.

Green tea or Camellia sinensis is another friend to keep handy if you want to put the brakes on aging. It can significantly boost immune function and prevent oxidative damage to all body cells. The Chinese have been using green tea for over 4,000 years to increase energy, treat headaches, body aches and pains, digestive problems and depression, as well as to prolong life.

Green tea contains polyphenols, especially 'epigallocatechin gallate' Ð believed responsible for all the health benefits. While green tea also contains a little caffeine, adverse side effects are rare to non-existent. (If you dislike the taste of green tea, try jasmine green tea, which I much prefer - Editor) Dosage: 1 to 3 cups of tea daily, providing 240 to 320 mg of polyphenols.


Safe, Not Flashy

Regardless of your health status, you can feel very confident using any or all of these natural anti-aging therapies. While they may not be as dramatic or flashy as the prescription anti-aging drugs and hormones, I can assure you there is no concern for long-term toxicity or side effects.

Antioxidants - Should You Consider a Supplement?

For the last 20 years there has been a buzz about antioxidant vitamins such as vitamins A, C and E. They have received considerable attention both in the news and in the medical community as a possible way to reduce your risk of heart disease and also cancer. Now we have had time to examine the results of several large scale studies, what have we found? Have they lived up to their promise and should you take antioxidant supplements to your diet?

What are antioxidant vitamins and what do they do?
Antioxidants are a large group of compounds which are identified by their actions, some of the more familiar antioxidants include vitamins A, C, E and beta-carotene (a precursor to vitamin A). Antioxidants all act upon another group of compounds called free radicals. Free radicals are by-products which come from many normal events in the body. However they are incomplete molecules ? they are missing an electron. This makes them biologically active ? they are desperate to get the electron they need, and will attack anything nearby causing damage to vital components of the body. Smoking is believed to lead to an increased production of free radicals above normal levels.

Antioxidants have been shown to act by neutralizing, or ?scavenging? free-radicals, making them inactive and harmless.

Three antioxidant vitamins in particular play an important role in scavenging free radicals and those are vitamins C, E and beta-carotene.

Free radicals have been proposed to play a role in diseases such as heart disease, artery disease, cancer, arthritis and cataracts. So it is easy to see why antioxidants have received such attention.

There has been particular interest in the damaging effects of free radicals upon cholesterol (LDL) molecules which is a step along the pathway to atherosclerosis.

What does the research show?
Unfortunately, that is not an easy question. There have been several large studies investigating the preventative effects of taking antioxidant supplements and more are still in progress. The results so far have been paradoxical and unexpected. However one thing is clear - a healthy diet should contain adequate amounts of antioxidants which you will get from eating 2-3 servings of fruits and 3-5 servings of vegetables every day.

The question of the benefits from taking supplements is still confusing. Some studies have indicated a benefit, but the problem is that the results we have so far come from studies which have been performed in different groups under different circumstances. Some investigators have looked at populations of people at high risk of cardiovascular disease, while some have looked at the normal population. Some have examined the role of a diet high in antioxidants, while others have looked at the benefits of taking supplements. Even the studies looking at supplementation have examined different antioxidants.

Still questions remain
So with most of the data still not in, there are several questions which remain unanswered: is taking supplements beneficial? and also if so, how much? and what groups of people should be taking them? For example is the benefit just for those at a high risk of cardiovascular disease, or will everyone benefit? Another important issue is whether taking too much in the way of supplements can actually be damaging.

What should I do ? should I consider a supplement?
One thing is clear ? it is very important to eat a diet which is rich in antioxidants. The best way to do that is to consume plenty of fruit and vegetables and to vary your intake. 2-3 servings of fruit and 3-5 servings of vegetables each day is recommended plus whole grains.

At present the evidence has not shown conclusively enough the benefits of antioxidant supplements to convince the American Heart Association to recommend that you take supplements.

If you do think that despite this recommendation that you wish to supplement your dietary supply of antioxidants, it is probably best to take a multivitamin which offers a range of antioxidants and nutrients, such as would be obtained from a healthy diet. This may be especially important if you are on a reduced calorie diet and do not feel you are getting enough from your diet alone.

Good dietary sources of antioxidants
The following are good dietary sources of antioxidants

Vitamin C

• Fruits such as: orange, grapefruit, cantaloupe, strawberries, kiwi fruit, guava
  
• Vegetables such as: red and green peppers, broccoli, potatoes, cabbage
  

Vitamin E Found largely in plants and plant oils (and margarines made from plant oils). Good sources include: corn oil, olive oil, peanut oil, sesame seed oil, nuts, seeds, olives.

Beta-carotene
Found in dark green or orange and yellow fruits and vegetables such as carrots, spinach, broccoli, turnip greens, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, red peppers, and mango, papaya, cantaloupe and apricots.

Summary
The research into antioxidants provides more evidence that an essential element to healthy living and disease prevention is to eat a healthy diet. Make sure to eat 2-3 servings of fruit and 3-5 servings of vegetables to ensure you are getting enough antioxidants in your diet. The evidence is still not strong enough to suggest you take antioxidant supplements, but if you are worried about your intake you may consider taking a multivitamin containing a balanced combination of antioxidants.