Antioxidants

What are antioxidants? How antioxidants work? How much is enough? Questions like these are just so common for those who are experts in this field of study. The answer to those questions greatly varies for there is greatly vast information about antioxidants. To know some of those, read on.

Antioxidants are particularly nutrients that are located in the human body and in plants, like the fruits and vegetables. These nutrients are vital in the proper functioning of our body and so they help in maintaining health by slowing the destructive aging of cellular molecules. The antioxidants then act as cell protectors.

As the cells function normally in the body, they absolutely produce damaged molecules which are called free radicals. These free radicals are largely wobbly and steal components from the other cellular molecules like fat, protein, or DNA, which caused the spreading of the damage.

Since these damages will largely cause some other damages on the system, the antioxidants help prevent the widespread of the cellular destruction by means of willingly giving components to stabilize free radicals. Essentially, the antioxidants return to the surface level of the cell to steady rather than to cause some damages on the other cellular components. However, if those free radicals are left unchecked, they can cause heart damage, cancer, cataracts, and a weak immune system.

In addition, the antioxidants are important in improving the immune responses and vaccine recognition in dogs and cats. Many experts have considered that such may be especially serious for young animals that are being vaccinated while their immune system is still improving. And aside from that, antioxidants are significant that they can reverse the reduction in immune-cell function for the senior dogs and cats. It is then noted that a mix of many antioxidants in average amounts may be more likely to be effective than high levels of one antioxidant.

The antioxidants, as nutrients that are found in the body and in plants, come in different types. These include vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and particular compounds that are known as carotenoids like the lutein and beta-carotene.

These nutrients are much beneficial in preventing heart disease for it prevents the spreading of the free radicals. In particular, vitamin E which is a common kind of antioxidants may protect against cardiovascular diseases by means of defending against the LDL oxidation and the artery-clogging plague development. Numerous studies also considered antioxidants to be helpful in lowering the risk of cancer. It is noted that the vitamin C intake will lower the rates of cancer, specifically the cancer of the mouth, larynx and esophagus.

The good sources for antioxidants are composed largely of fruits and vegetables. The highest concentration is said to be found in the most deeply and brightly pigmented vegetables and fruits like the spinach, carrots, red bells, and tomatoes.

However, even though antioxidants are considered a vital component for good health, still no one knows if the nutrients should be taken and how much is enough. Also, there is a very little information about the long term consequences of mega-doses antioxidants. Taking the chemicals without the aid of the experts or without the absolute comprehension of their effects may just damage such balance.

Flavonoids

You’ve probably heard of antioxidants before. Antioxidants act as cell protectors. The air we breathe contains Oxygen which is an essential element of life. However, Oxygen can also be damaging to our body. It creates by-products, called free radicals, which can be damaging during normal cellular metabolism. If left unchecked, free radicals may cause anything from heart damage, cataracts, and even cancer because they can weaken our body’s immune system. To counteract these free radicals before they can do damage to the cell, antioxidants bind with them.

Antioxidants come in several forms – Vitamin C, Vitamin E, carotenoids, and flavonoids. Next to Vitamin C, flavonoids are the most important antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables. But what exactly are flavonoids?

Flavonoids: An Introduction

In organic chemistry, flavonoids are described as polyphenolic compounds possessing 15 carbon atoms; two benzene rings joined by linear three carbon chain. So flavonoids are carbon-based elements. That means they’re organic. No wonder flavonoids constitute one of the most characteristic classes of compound sin higher plants. You can easily recognize many flavonoids as flower pigments in most angiosperm families or flowering plants. However, flavonoids do not only occur in flowers, but in all parts of the plant, namely, the fruit, stem, seeds, leaves, and even roots.

How are Flavonoids Good for You?

More and more researchers are beginning to probe into the once-hidden depths of foods and they’re discovering that vitamins and minerals aren’t all there is to it. Flavonoids, they discovered, or bioflavonoids as some like to refer to them, are perhaps one of the largest group of “other” nutrients Researchers have identified more than 4,000 of these organic substances in plants.

Like carotenes, flavonoids are plant pigments. They are the substances that give plants their various colors. And like carotenes, many flavonoids are antioxidants and they help protect plants from damaging free radicals. One distinct difference is that flavonoids are water soluble while carotenes are oil soluble.

Flavonoids and the French Paradox

If you still haven’t figured out how flavonoids can do for your health, then take the “French Paradox” as a clue. The paradox of the French is that they eat almost four times more butter and three times more lard than Americans do. This means that compared to Americans, the French have higher cholesterol levels and blood pressures. Yet, the French are 2.5 times less likely to die of coronary heart disease than the average American. Now why is that?

Many people have suggested that the answer lies in the French liberal consumption of red wine, a substance rich in beneficial antioxidants such as flavonoids that protect against coronary heart disease and apparently lowers down cholesterol levels. In addition, flavonoids in French red wine can also prevent abnormal blood clots, thus reducing the risk of heart angina or atherosclerosis. In fact, at least eight medical studies have found that a glass or two of wine daily protects against heart disease.

Flavonoids for Long Life

Ever wonder why Asians have apparently longer lifespan than Westerns? Most attribute it to the Asian’s propensity to drink tea. The Chinese especially are fond of herbal teas, such as the common green tea and black tea. Apparently, these two teas contains about 25-30 per cent flavonoids, including quercetin and gallic esters. Like those in grapes and other fruits and vegetables, they also protect against heart disease.

Lycopene

We have always been told that fruits and vegetables are good for our bodies. Yet for years, the reason behind it lay just beyond our grasp. Fortunately, the patience and diligence of many scientists and nutrition experts has finally uncovered the mystery of the health benefits of fruits and vegetables.

Now, science has gained a better understanding of why fruits and vegetables should be part of a healthy eating plan. Not only do we enjoy the many flavors and bright colors, but we also benefit from eating these wonderful food sources. This eating pattern is packed with plenty of beneficial nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Fruits, especially, are rich sources of antioxidants, such as vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene and lycopene.

What is Lycopene?

Lycopene is a carotenoid, a substance commonly found in tomato products. It is responsible for giving the red color to tomato products. Lycopene in plants is similar to any other carotenoids. They serve as light-absorbing pigments, playing a vital role in the food-giving process of photosynthesis.

As an antioxidant, lycopene has garnered much attention especially when medical research led to the discovery that antioxidants have disease-fighting properties. Antioxidants are substances that protect cells from damage by neutralizing damage-causing elements, called free radicals.

Health Benefits

There are many reported health benefits of lycopene. Recent studies attribute most of its benefits on its ability to protect cells against damage caused by free radicals, which are elements formed during oxidation. Compared to other dietary carotenoids, there is less research focused on lycopene. Yet, despite this, the studies conducted all share the mutual suggestion that lycopene is one of the more potent scavengers of oxygen radicals.

According to a recent study published in the October 1998 issue of Lipids, lycopene helps prevent oxidation of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, considered to be “bad” cholesterol found in the body. Also, lycopene can reduce the risk of developing atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease.

The antioxidant actions of lycopene have triggered many scientists to examine all the benefits the substance can bring. Evidence based on human intervention studies show that lycopene has anti-cancer effects in that it can successfully inhibit the formation of cancer cells or retard their development.

Two large case-control studies show a link between lycopene and reduced digestive tract cancer. One study in northern Iran, where esophageal cancer is common found that consuming tomato can actually reduce cancer risk up to 40%. Also, more recently in Italy, another study found that seven or more servings of tomato products per week are associated with a 50% reduced cancer risk compared to less than two servings of tomato per week.

Lycopene is associated with preventing various types of cancer. According to recently published study in Italy, lycopene can significantly lower down the risk of getting colon cancer. Animal studies on rat tumors also found that the substance can deter the formation of tumor. The relationship between prostate cancer and lycopene has also been thoroughly examined. In one prospective study, a group of Seventh Day Adventist men showed that those who consumed more tomatoes had less possibility of getting cancer of the prostate.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is known for its capacity to enhance vision. It was first isolated in 1930. The body gets its supply of vitamin A through animal fats. The rest is synthesized in the intestines form beta-carotene and other carotenoids which can be found in a number of fruits and vegetables. Vitamin A is stored in the liver. Small amounts can be found in human tissues called retinoids coming from the vitamin’s effect on vision especially retina.

Vitamin A offers a number of health benefits of the body. Among them are:

- Undoubtedly it is the best nutrient for healthy eyesight. It helps in the proper functioning of retina of the eye. And is vital for the mucus membrane surrounding the eyes. It is essential in preventing night blindness.

- It prevents infections such as colds, flu and bronchitis. Since it maintains healthy mucous membranes, Vitamin A helps in fighting colds and other common infections. It also helps in healing the damaged lung tissue in chronic bronchitis and prevents recurrences.

- It fights cancer. Since Vitamin A boosts the immune system then it is valuable in treating breast and lung cancer. And in increasing survival of leukemia patients. Also, protects from melanoma.

- It treats skin disorders such as acne, eczema, psoriasis and rosacea. This is due to the fact that Vitamin A is essential for healthy skin.

- It controls cold sores because of its anti-viral properties.

- It corrects hair and scalp problems which is often a sign of Vitamin A deficiency.

- It encourages healing of minor burns, cuts and scrapes.

- It protects against certain gastrointestinal problems because it protects the lining of the digestive tract thus relieving inflammatory bowel disease and ulcers.

Vitamin A is available in various formulations: tablet, suppository, softgel, ointment, liquid, cream and capsule. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for Vitamin A is 5000 IU daily for men and 4000 IU daily for women. For those who have vitamin A deficiency symptoms include lesser resistance to infection, flaky scalp, heavy or prolonged menstrual periods, night blindness or even complete blindness. For those that have more than enough, this can cause serious health problems. It is impossible though to get excessive Vitamin A because the body only makes what it needs. Caution should be exercised when taking ‘performed’ vitamin A because it has been synthesized already. Symptoms due to toxicity of Vitamin A include: dry skin, brittle nails, excessive hair loss, bleeding gums, weight loss, irritability, nausea and fatigue.

As a special reminder when buying vitamin A products, keep in mind that some manufacturers use retinol equivalents (RE) instead of international units (IU). To get the recommended daily allowance, one RE is equivalent to 3.3 IU. Vitamin E and zinc helps the body in using Vitamin A. So take a daily dose of both vitamin and mineral in order to get the desired RDA.

To improve resistance to colds, flu and other viral infections, take 50,000 IU twice daily for five days. Reduce it to 25,000 IU a day for not more than 10 days. Do not take vitamin A with isotretinoin or other acne drugs as they can cause high blood levels of vitamin A which leads to side effects. Do not use more than the recommended dosage. And if pregnant, do not take more than 5,000 IU of vitamin A daily. Higher dosage than that could cause birth defects.

Arnica: The Wonder Herb

Arnica, which is also called as leopard’s bane, is an herbal plant that has a light yellow, daisy-like flower that basically blooms around July. But arnica is more than just a beautiful flower. Some preparations are made from its flowering heads for homeopathic medicine for hundreds of years.

Arnica is widely used from different places around the cosmos, and it establish its original place in Germany where arnica herb is so popular with over hundred drug preparations are created from the whole plant itself. Arnica is such a perennial plant that is protected in parts of Europe.

The arnica plant has particularly active components known as sesquiterpene lactones that are highly beneficial in reducing inflammation and are known to decrease pain. It also has other active principals like the thymol, which is an essential oil, flavonoids, inulin, carotenoids, and tannins. Aside from that, arnica has also a bitter yellow crystalline principle, arnicin and phulin. It is noted by some experts and researchers that the arnica flower contains more arnicin than the rhizome, but no tannin.

In some European countries where arnica is indigenous, arnica has long been a very popular remedy for some illnesses. For example, in the North American colonies, the arnica flowers are widely applied in preference to the rhizome. It is also largely considered that the flower of this wonder herb has a tincture that is useful for external use such as for sprains, bruises, and wounds and also as paint for chilblains when the skin is unbroken.

There are also some reports which show that arnica functions through stimulation. It stimulates the activity of the white blood cells which do a lot of digestion of heaving blood. It also works by means of dispersing the trapped and messy fluids from bumped and bruised tissues, muscles as well as joints.

Due to its great potential for healing various illnesses, this particular herb also acquire its reputation for stimulating blood circulation and can raise blood pressure, most especially in the coronary arteries. Aside from such uses, the arnica herb is also applied to treat for arthritis, ulcers, burns, eczema, and acne. And it is found out that this plant has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial qualities that are potential for reducing the pain and swelling, as well as for fast relief on wounds. Arnica is also good for chapped lips and irritated nostrils.

However, in applying the arnica herb, one must know that repeated applications may make serious inflammation. The arnica is also not often applied internally due to its irritant effect on the stomach. Many experts have noted that the arnica is stimulant and diuretic, as well as chiefly applied in low fevers and paralytic affections. Aside from that great and extra caution should be exercised though, as arnica is sometimes not applicable for some people especially those who are particularly sensitive to the plant and many serious cases of poisoning have came out from its use, especially to those who take it internally since the internal use of arnica can cause vomiting, weakness, nervous disturbances and increased heart rate.