What are antioxidants, really? In t...

What are antioxidants, really? In the simplest seasons antioxidants neutralize excess free radicals -- unstable and many times harmful chemicals formed in the carcass through normal metabolic processes and in reply to exposure to environmental toxins like air pollution.

The top four antioxidant vitamins

Perhaps the best-researched area of antioxidants is in succession the vitamins C, E and beta-carotene (provitamin A). These antioxidants have been shown to waste harmful free radicals in the material part increase immunity, decrease the risk of cancer and heart disease, and may uniform help convert cancer cells back to normal cells

a great quantity [i]or[/i] amount of focus of late has been in succession the carotenoids. Beta-carotene, in particular, has shown a great quantity [i]or[/i] amount of promise in preventing degenerative illness, including cancer. And carotenoids, in general, have been shown to increase mental alertness -- on the same level minor deficiencies of carotenoids can dull mental functioning, while adequate amounts of carotenoids can improve cognition (learning and memory).

As a pre-cursor to vitamin A, beta-carotene is crucial to boosting immunity, lowering the rate of infection, and offering a protective meaning against environmental pollutants, including second-hand failure carbon monoxide, and chlorofluorocarbons. Beta- carotene, transposeed in the liver into vitamin A, has been shown to increase the body's protective T-cell in immunity.

The primary virtue of vitamin C lies in the realm of immune enhancement. High doses of vitamin C can stimulate white life-blood cell production and boost overall immune function. forward the other hand, a deficiency of vitamin C has been associated with lowered resistance to infection. Additionally, vitamin C can dramatically spe healing: patients recovering from surgery or injuries healed 50 to 70 times faster with a daily intake of 400 to 3000 mg of vitamin C

Vitamin E has been shown to enhance immunity from protecting white blood cells, and may retard the decline of immunity that accompanies aging. In seasons of cancer prevention, a 1988 consideration found that men with the highest posterity levels of vitamin E had the lowest risk of cancer -- about 70 percent les than those with the lowest vitamin E flats Vitamin E is also powerful in preventing heart disease. single in kind study of more than 87000 American women showed that the risk of heart disease was two-thirds lower in women who took more than 100 IU/day of supplemental vitamin E

The newly-researched and novel antioxidants

* Milk thistle: An article which appeared in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute in succession April 16, 1997, found that silymarin, a flavonoid isolated from milk thistle, can provide significant protection against melanoma-type skin cancer. (See Botanical Medicine row this issue, p. 30.)

* Bilberry: Bilberry has been shown to treat a variety of disorders of the view including glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration, night blindness, and nearsightedness. It also helps increase the flexibility of capillaries.

* undecayed tea Green tea and one other teas can inhibit cancer expansion and have a heart-protective effect

* Turmeric, curcumin, and curcuminoids: Curcuminoids, the active intermingles in turmeric, have anti-viral properties, help inhibit cancer bourgeoning and can reduce cholesterol plains by almost 30 percent. Curcumin can also dramatically change into pain from rheumatoid arthritis.

* Grape kernels grape skins, and pine bark: Oligomeric proanthocyandins (OPC's) and other intermixs such as resveratrol, found in grapes and pine bark have shown excessively powerful antioxidative effects.

* Mushrooms: Shiitake mushrooms can help lower cholesterol Maitake mushrooms have been shown to experimentally stiffen cancer cell growth, and shown an promising results with AIDS and immune function enhancement. Reishi mushrooms help preclude certain cancers and may lower life-current pressure and cholesterol levels.

* CoQ10: This nutrient can help bring to the risk of cancer and heart disease, treat inflammatory joint disease, cut short blood pressure, and enchance mental function.

* Alpha-lipoic acid: This metabolic antioxidant is important for what it can do, itself, and what it can do in helping recharge vitamins C and E -- valuable for helping stop the onset of diabetes mellitus.

Other promising antioxidants include: L-cysteine (which, in cause to deviate produces the free-radical-fighter, glutathione); ginkgo biloba; selenium; superoxide dismutase (SOD); zinc; cayenne; and jiaogulan, a Chinese herb.

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