If you have taken a more active role in managing your diet, you may have noticed the talk surrounding antioxidants.
However, there is also a good chance that you may not have heard of them or are unaware of what they are and why you need them.
WHAT ARE ANTIOXIDANTS?
In a nutshell, antioxidants are compounds found in food and produced in the body to prevent or delay damage to our cells.
While our body typically produces its own antioxidants, such as coenzyme, Q10, and glutathione, the level of intracellular antioxidants depends almost entirely on the food we ingest. Selenium, vitamin C, beta-carotene, and phytochemicals are all antioxidants we can find in plants. Antioxidants can either be water or fat-soluble and reside in various parts of our body that are either watery or oily. To illustrate, vitamin C is a water-soluble antioxidant found in watery-filled compartments of the body. On the other hand, vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant that can be found in our cells' fat-rich or lipid-rich areas, such as the cell membrane. Our antioxidants communicate and work to support one another despite working in different parts of the body. That said, antioxidants work together to defend the body against destructive unstable molecules called free radicals.
Health Benefits Of Taking AntiOxidant Dietary Supplements
Research has shown that people who eat generous amounts of food rich in antioxidants have increased protection against diseases. In part, the protection antioxidants afford us is the body’s ability to fight off free radicals and reduce oxidative stress.
Unfortunately, there are innumerable instances wherein the food we eat is not enough to supply us with the antioxidants our body needs. For this reason, taking dietary supplements with oxidants can form part of your adjunctive nutritional regimen. So, what are the health benefits of taking antioxidants?
Read on below:
1.) Fight free radicals
We have glossed over how antioxidants protect our cells from damage caused by free radicals. But what are free radicals, exactly? Briefly, free radicals are highly reactive and unstable molecules that are trying to become stable. They are dangerous as they steal what they do not have to stabilize themselves. As an example, they attack any molecules close by, such as lipids and proteins, to steal an electron. If this goes on uninhibited, it creates a chain reaction that creates damage to our cells and DNA. If it causes enough damage, we may develop diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and heart diseases. It also causes premature aging.
Unfortunately, free radicals are a natural occurrence created when we breathe, exercise, or convert food to energy. Free radicals are also present in air pollution, sunlight, and cigarette smoking. It is, therefore, up to us to find ways to mitigate their spread, and one of those ways is to take supplements rich in antioxidants. We do not aim to eradicate free radicals completely as they serve a purpose, but we need to ensure that our body is not overwhelmed with them. Supplements rich in antioxidants help your body do just that.
2.) Help mental health
Our brain is highly susceptible to free radicals which leads to oxidative stress. This kind of stress reduces neurogenesis and kills cells in the hippocampus, which is an area of the brain responsible for learning and memory.
Research has posited that smaller hippocampus tends to suppress learning and memory and is associated with mood disorders such as depression. That said, antioxidants as an adjunctive treatment for any neuropsychiatric disorders look promising. Researchers believe that depression and anxiety symptoms may be managed or reduced by consuming foods rich in antioxidants.
3.) Support healthy aging
Aging and inflammation have been closely related to oxidative stress. In fact, there is a theory proposed that chronic oxidative stress alters our regulatory systems (nervous, endocrine, and immune systems) as we age. Chronic oxidative stress and inflammation incite one another and result in an increase in the probability of age- related diseases and mortality. By eating plenty of antioxidant-rich food or taking supplements rich in antioxidants, we can delay age-related diseases by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation.
4.) Reduce oxidative stress
Oxidative stress happens when we lack balance which damages both our body and brain. It has also been associated with cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, age-related macular degeneration, mental stress, memory loss, and depression. Increased stress, mood disorders, and chronic disease increase oxidative stress, which creates a vicious cycle.
When our body does not have enough antioxidants, free radicals build up and cause oxidative stress. Antioxidants serve to address this. While the body works and does its best to stop oxidative stress, the body’s antioxidant system alone is not enough to counter it. That said, your diet must be rich in plants, or you should have an adjunctive nutritional regimen such as supplements with antioxidants to limit free radicals successfully.