How Antioxidants Work
August 20, 2009 by Erica Aveeno
Filed under Diabetes
Antioxidants are alleged to be effective in helping to avert cancer, heart ailment, stroke and a variety of other diseases coupled with natural aging. In particular antioxidants prevent ailments by destroying free harmful radicals inside the human body.
There is a set of organic compounds that helps destroying the harmful free radicals. The collections include vitamins ” C and E, minerals ” selenium, pigments ” beta-carotene carotenoids. The carotenoids are the reason behind the pulsating colors of different fruits and vegetables.
The free radicals, when left unmanaged, can damage cell walls, genetic material within cells and other cell structures. Over a period of time such damage may lead to disease. Again, antioxidants are believed to assist in preventing disease by destroying free radicals before they get the chance to do harm to your body.
After undergoing tons of biochemical research studies, results have exposed that smokers with diets high in carotenoids have a lower risk of developing lung cancer relative to smokers whose diets are low in carotenoids. Additional research has suggested that diets high in carotenoids may help lower the risk of breast cancer. Vitamin C has been shown to prevent the formation of N-nitroso compounds cancer-causing substances from nitrates found in some foods.
Among the different types of enzymes produced in the human body, some enzymes are antioxidant in nature. Superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase are antioxidative enzymes that wipe out the detrimental free radicals. For oral administration, enzymes supplements are obtainable.
In spite of supplying the human body with the oral supplements of the enzymes, supplementing the organic compounds and elements the body needs for producing these enzymes is much successful. Superoxide dismutase requires manganese, copper, and zinc and selenium is essential for glutathione peroxidase.
Numerous vitamins and minerals also show antioxidative traits such as vitamin C, vitamin B2, vitamin E, lutein, lycopene, amino acid- cysteine, and coenzyme Q10. Bilberry, green tea, milk thistle, turmeric, grape seed, and ginkgo are some herbs showing antioxidant charecteristics.
With aging, free radical accumulation quickens and antioxidant activity wears out. The specialist of health care homes thus strongly recommends of having antioxidant supplements regularly, particularly the elderly, usual smokers, serious drinkers, everyday aspirin takers, and low food consumers. Lofty level of antioxidants in the body can be enormously beneficial to fight against grave ailments.







