Nutritional Supplements Can Deliver Many Antioxidants

By Better Health Research News Desk

You probably know antioxidants are good for your well-being. If you've looked for foods and nutritional supplements that contain them and had trouble finding any, you're not alone. It can be tough to track them down, much less to know what they are.

Basically, an antioxidant is any compound that prevents oxidative damage in your body, typically by absorbing highly charged ions called free radicals.

Here are some of the most important, antioxidant-delivering vitamins and nutrients to look for in the herbal supplements and multivitamins you buy:

- Vitamin C: This compound is important for boosting immunity and helping your cells grow and divide. What you may not know, though, is that it is also a powerful antioxidant. Both the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) and the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) recommend consuming plenty of it each day.

- Vitamin E: Found in nuts, sunflower oil, wheat germ, spinach and other kinds of produce, vitamin E can help prevent oxidative damage, the ODS states.

- Quercetin: This is a compound that gives certain fruits and vegetables their color. It can also be found in dietary supplements.

- Selenium: This element is an antioxidant, too. Most vitamin supplements contain some selenium.

Source

---

Panasonic DMC FZ 150 Review
Enjoy the Rich Flavor of Antioxidant Coffee

The New Science of Antioxidant Synergy

By Dave Saunders

Since the initial discovery of antioxidants, science continues to move forward with new developments and new understanding into how these important molecules work to protect the body from oxidative stress and even prevent the progression of certain disease processes. New scientific developments also show that different antioxidants can actually positively synergize with each other or in some cases cancel each other out. Laboratory methods of measuring these synergies have become the buzz in the research world and amongst informed authors as the only viable method of comparing apples to apples, or at least antioxidants to antioxidants.

Effective laboratory tests are also essential in the study of antioxidants as well as antioxidant supplements because many manufacturing practices expose antioxidants to heat and oxygen and thus render them useless in the final product.

The first laboratory tests to measure the potential of an antioxidant was developed in 1993 and called the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity test, or ORAC. Known as a chemical assay, this test provided an efficient means of measuring the effective amount of water-soluble antioxidants in a sample. However it did not test fat-soluble antioxidants and could not test the synergy of antioxidants when combined with each other. Because this assay is also based on fluorescence, a sample could provide a misleading reading if it contained other compounds that were fluorescent but were not antioxidants.

A newer assay known as ORACo was designed to add the ability to test fat-soluble antioxidants, allow for the testing of synergistic combinations of antioxidants and minimize the possibility of false positives that limited the effectiveness of the older technology.

These types of tests are known as in vitro studies. This means the tests are not done inside of a life form. To maximize the effectiveness of any antioxidant, so-called in vivo studies are performed on the body to measure the delivery of the antioxidants to the blood serum after the antioxidant has been ingested. Such testing is of extraordinary importance because antioxidants are ineffective unless they make it into the areas of the body they're intended to go.

Any study-data on antioxidants that does not include both in vitro and in vivo verification that the antioxidant supplements are effective and being delivered to the blood serum is inherently flawed and untrustworthy.

Any antioxidant supplement should therefore meet the following criteria.

1. The antioxidants in the supplement should come from natural food sources and not inexact, synthetic counterparts.
2. The supplement should be manufactured against an in vitro chemical assay, publishing the ORACo value per standardized serving, to show the antioxidant effectiveness of both water and fat-soluble antioxidants in the supplement.
3. The supplement should also be measured in vivo and verified by independent laboratory analysis to demonstrate that the antioxidants are actually being delivered to the blood serum where they can be used by the body.

Any product that meets these criteria can be trusted to effectively deliver the benefits of antioxidants in the manner we would expect to receive them from fresh fruits and vegetables being eaten directly off the vine from a living plant.

As most antioxidant supplements do not meet any of the above criteria, care should be taken to select a supplement that meets these basic quality standards.

As a National Speaker and Holistic Health Consultant, Dave Saunders has dedicated his life to helping others understand how the body is capable of restoring, protecting and defending itself against the effects of injury and disease to achieve better health and a better quality of life. You can learn more today by visiting http://www.glycowellness.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dave_Saunders

---

Other posts

Antioxidants and Anti Aging Wrinkle Cream

Herbal Green Tea

Useful link

How To Increase Website Traffic

---

Antioxidants and Health

Antioxidants and Secondhand Smoke

Smoking cigars or cigarettes is not only bad for the health of the smoker but also for the non-smoker who is exposed to secondhand smoke.

Sources of secondhand smoke:
-Smoke from the burning end of a cigarette.
-Smoke exhaled by the smoker.

Chemicals identified in secondhand smoke:
-More than 4,000 but could reach 10,000.
-More than 50 of these are carcinogens.
-Metals that catalyze the direct oxidation of cellular proteins.

Risk of respiratory tract diseases ranks high when we are exposed to secondhand smoke.

Concentrations of NNK, a cancer causing toxin and a biomarker for exposure to secondhandsmoke, are found in non smoking employees of bar and restaurants which allow smoking. Read this article.

Exposure to secondhand smoke also depletes the vitamins in your body. Antioxidant vitamins like Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and Vitamin A are not spared from the harmful effect of secondhand smoke.

If you are a smoker or a non-smoker but is frequently 'surrounded' by smokers, the best you can do to maintain your health is to replenish the depleted vitamins in your body especially Vitamin C which aside from being an antioxidant is also an immune booster.

Sources for vitamins and antioxidants:
- Fruits and Vegetables
- Green Tea
- Antioxidant Vitamin Supplements

Reference: National Cancer Institute

---

You may also want to read:

Antioxidants and Exposure to Radiation
Aging - Antioxidants and Cognitive Brain Function
Antioxidant Lycopene Can Treat Many Diseases
Meditation Can Give You a Lift
ORAC

---

Antioxidant Supplements Does NOT Increase Mortality

The Bad News

Last February this year, a review published in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggested that some major antioxidant supplements increase mortality based on a review and meta-analysis of clinical trials.

The press picked it up and the news spread like wildfire. You have probably read about it in blogs and forums. The alarming news stirred confusion especially to the people who take antioxidant supplements.

The Good News

Experts have criticized and cited flaws in the meta-analysis. One such flaw is that the majority of the clinical trials analyzed were people who were already sick.

Statistics have shown that not one have died because of Vitamins in 2005.

Click here to read the full article.

Antioxidant supplements are safe and is good for your health. No need to be alarmed by the flawed meta-analysis.

Watermelon has more Lycopene than Tomatoes

Watermelon not only quenches your thirst! It also contains lycopene - a potent carotenoid antioxidant.
A 1 cup serving may contain 7 to 10 mg of lycopene, tomatoes contain less.

Lycopene is known to be an effective quencher of singlet oxygen(a free radical). Frequent intake of this phytochemical is associated with the lower risk of acquiring diseases caused by free radicals like cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis and even male fertility.

Next time you eat watermelon, don't forget that it also gives your body the added protection from radicals.

---

If your lifestyle does not permit you from eating fruits and vegetables, consider taking antioxidant supplements.

---

Related Posts:

Australia May Join the Market for Superfruits
Alcohol Can Boost Antioxidants in Fruit
Antioxidant Lycopene Can Treat Many Diseases
Antioxidants in Juices
ORAC
Black currant is no. 1 superfruit

---

Antioxidants Help Maintain Healthy Eyesight

How important is your sight to you?

As we age, antioxidants in the areas of the eyes begin to deplete. The proteins in the lens of our eyes begin to be more susceptible to oxidative damage. Cataracts and AMD(Age related Macular Degeneration) are some major results of oxidative damage.

If you are over 30, you must have experienced the stage where you begin to move the reading material further away from your eyes to get the desired focus. We readily say "I think I'm getting older". That's right, as we age, our eyes deteriorates more and more because of oxidative damage.

Not to worry.

You can decrease the damage done by oxidative stress by eating more fruits and vegetables. They contain the necessary defense nutrients to combat oxidative damage like Vitamin C, lutein and other bioflavonoids.

You can also take antioxidant supplements if it is more convenient for you.

With a healthy eyesight - you can read without eyeglasses, drive a car, move around freely and of course, appreciate beauty! Let's be thankful that we have eyes to see. Let us also keep them healthy!

---

LASIK video

Bioflavonoids

Bioflavonoids are water soluble pigments found in plants and fruits. The color of tomatoes, grapes, apples etc. are those pigments. They are found in the surface areas of fruits and leaves mainly for protection.

Unlike humans, plants have no shelter nor clothing. They are exposed to all kinds of weather and harmful microorganisms. They also don't have shampoos or soaps to clean themselves from germs and other harmful microorganisms.

Nature has provided plants with defenses from all kinds of threats and it can be found in the areas of and near the skin. Different colors or pigments have different compositions.

Humans can also benefit from the protections these pigments give to the plants. Bioflavonoids contain antioxidants like quercetin which can protect LDL(low level density lipoprotein) or 'bad' cholesterol from oxidative damage. Aside from that, other micronutrients which the human body can benefit are also present.

The following are some characteristics of bioflavonoids when ingested by mammals.
- it strengthens capillaries and other connective tissues.
- tissues are protected from inflammation.
- they are anti-histaminic
- they are anti-viral agents
- they have anti-tumor properties

Some health conditions can benefit from these like:
- chronic venous insufficiency
- hepatitis
- hemorrhoids
- skin ulcers
- allergies
- atherosclerosis
- bruising
- cataracts
- diabetes
- glaucoma
- macular degeneration of the eyes

Knowing these, you can enjoy a lot more from eating fruits and vegetables. Others suggests that eating 4 to 5 servings of different fruits and vegetables in a day can provide you with the antioxidants you need as well as other micronutrients that these bioflavonoids possess.

If you cannot have these four servings because of your work schedule or activities, you may consider taking antioxidant supplements.
I recommend Advanced Antioxidant with Red Wine Extract because it combines water soluble and lipid soluble antioxidants in one formula. The active content with bioflavonoids of this product is Red Wine Extract.

Antioxidants and Women's Health

By: Steven Godlewski

Women have a great number of potential health issues to be concerned about. This doesn't mean that men don't have concerns of their own; it just means that women seem to have a lot more things that can go wrong with their bodies than men do, including natural processes, such as pregnancy and menopause.

Breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and osteoporosis are just a few of the major concerns - but there are many more. While we have become more aware of women's health issues, and the prevention of many diseases and illnesses, the health problems that plague women persist, and seem to grow even greater and more urgent. This isn't surprising since over 40,000 women will die in the United States alone in 2006 from breast cancer.

Then, there are the other health issues that seem to plague women. These other issues may not be as deadly as others, but they are just as important. Depression and weight issues are at the top of that list. Women struggle with depression at an alarming rate. Again, men also get depressed, but studies have shown that this is a condition that affects women more commonly. Men also struggle with their weight, but they are traditionally better able to get and keep weight off then women are.

What many women don't realize is that depression and weight issues are often tied in with toxins in the body. These toxins cause numerous health problems, and they prevent other health issues from being resolved - including depression and the loss of excess weight. Unfortunately, these toxins tend to make matters worse, because the problems are not resolved even when treatment is sought. Women often start to think that something is seriously wrong with them when they don't respond as expected to treatment, when toxins in the body are the culprit all along!

Even though the body produces natural antioxidants that cleanse these toxins from our systems, the natural antioxidants simply can't keep up with the demands in the toxic world that we live in. Therefore, we must help the body rid itself of these toxins by using antioxidant products, and eating foods that contain natural antioxidants.

By detoxifying the body, you will find that depression usually goes away. Antioxidants also serve as diuretics, bring blood sugar levels into the normal range, and oxygenate the cells properly. Libido is restored and thyroid hormone action, which controls metabolism and ultimately weight loss, is also promoted. By detoxifying the body, a woman also protects against fibroid cysts in the breasts, and helps to prevent breast cancer.

Antioxidants have also proven to be instrumental in preventing endometrial cancers as well, and also help to prevent osteoporosis. All of these issues are of great concern to women, and therefore, women should use antioxidants on a regular basis for good health.

About the Author

Steven Godlewski is a self-made millionaire and is currently working with the staff at PillFreeVitamins.com He has an extensive background in nutrition as well as other health related fields. For more health-related articles or a FREE bottle of Liquid Vitamins see their website at: http://www.pillfreevitamins.com

The Delicious Path Of Antiaging Nutrition

By: Rebecca Prescott

Plant nutrients play a key role in anti aging. Fruit, vegetables, and plant extracts have an array of chemical constituents, called phytochemicals or phytonutrients, that are hugely beneficial to skin health and beauty.

In plants, phytochemicals confer characteristics like color, which can help the plant by providing an attractive beacon to passing bees to help in pollination. Or they offer a protective effect to the plant to prevent insects from harming it, or repel grazing animals. But they have often been found to have benefits for human health when analyzed in laboratories. It is these chemicals in plants that make fruit and vegetables so much more valuable than simply the macro nutrients like vitamin C.

Antioxidants are one class of phytonutrients, though there are many. Antioxidants work by supplying an extra oxygen molecule to those molecules that are missing one, called free radicals. If antioxidants don't supply the missing oxygen molecule to free radicals, the free radicals will take an oxygen molecule from another compound in the body, making one that was previously healthy and intact itself a free radical. Free radicals are not 'baddies', simply unstable chemical molecules, but the effect they have on the body is negative, as they can damage cells. Free radicals are produced as a normal by product of the metabolic processes of our cells, as well as by our immune system as it counteracts the effects of pathogens and the environment.

The trick is to keep the balance in the body where there is enough of a supply of antioxidants to cope with the body's production of free radicals.

Free radicals affect the skin in three main ways. They can alter the fatty layers in your cellular membranes. These fatty layers provide structure to the cell, and control which nutrients and other agents can pass in and out. They can alter the DNA within cells, which aside from the potential to develop into serious illnesses, can make your skin inclined to wrinkles and sagging before its natural biological time. Altered DNA creates a blueprint for collagen and elastin fibers that don't function as healthy, normal ones would. And to compound matters, the skin's pores need healthy collagen and elastin fibers to stay tight and small. So another undesired result is open, large pores.

Free radicals also lead to a process called the cross-linking of collagen fibers. This occurs in the skin's dermis, as a result of collagen and elastin fibers becoming hard, thick, and then binding together. Cross-linked fibers create wrinkles, skin sag, and cause your regular expression lines to become etched in your face as a permanent fixture. With healthy collagen and elastin fibers these expression lines would simply disappear once you moved your facial muscles in a different way. And enzymes that metabolize collagen are encouraged by free radicals, which, given the importance of collagen in youthful looking skin, is best minimized.

Other phytonutrients in plants that are of importance to skin beauty are carotenoids and flavanoids. Flavanoids are great for the health of blood vessels. They strengthen the capillaries that supply important nutrients to the skin's cells, as well as supporting cellular membranes. Healthy cell membranes regenerate quickly, and slow the aging process. Carotenoids also strengthen cell membranes. It seems carrots are not just good for eyesight! And flavanoids help reduce inflammation, as well as increasing levels of glutathione, which is an antioxidant.

References: Erica Angyal, Gorgeous Skin In 30 Days (Lothian Books, 2005)

Article Source: Free Article Master

If acne is a problem for you, check out these acne nutrition tips and a selection of natural acne treatments for information on how to manage acne whilst supporting your health as a whole.