Learning the Role of Antioxidant Enzymes in Better Health

Author: Gert Strand AB

Key among the ingredients in any antioxidant formula is the antioxidant response elements that help regulate how well the antioxidants perform their job. In addition to the complex mechanisms that help the products remove free radicals from the body's system the role of antioxidant enzymes is to insure they work as planned. As the body goes through countless chemical actions every day, there are certain parts of the cells that break down and release radicals into the system. These free radicals, with the use of antioxidant enzymes would float around, drawing on healthy cells for their livelihood, leaving destruction in their wake.

The antioxidant enzymes also produced naturally by the body, help regulate the natural antioxidants as the reign in the potential for terror created by the existence of the free radicals. While new products are introduced nearly every week that claim to help rid the body of the harmful effects of free radicals, without the inclusion of antioxidant enzymes to regulate how they work, the products will not work as efficiently as designed.

While no product reproduced in a laboratory can replace the body's natural system to keeping everything running smoothly, the use of antioxidant supplements as well as supplements of antioxidant enzymes offers humans a better chance of maintaining as well as improving their health.

How to Combat Free Radicals

Everyone wants to get rid of free radicals; the way to do this is by consuming antioxidants. You can do this by eating antioxidant and mineral rich foods. However many people don't have the time to make sure that they are eating antioxidant rich foods, let alone a healthy balanced diet.

If you are constantly on the go and rely on restaurant meals and convenience foods then you need a way to include antioxidants in your diet. One way to do this is by using an antioxidant dietary supplement. An antioxidant dietary supplement can give you the amount of antioxidants that you are supposed to have in your body daily.

Every Cell Requires A Little Outside Help

The body is a very complex and wonderful thing as it has the ability to keep every system running efficiently. However, there are things that can go wrong and the existence of too many free radicals can lead to cell destruction and when systems resultantly fail, the remaining cells can use a little help. The use of antioxidant enzymes has been studied over the years since the need for antioxidants was established.

The use of any antioxidant product will most likely have certain benefits but more importantly, they should also include antioxidant enzymes to make them work better and perform as they were designed. Some of the most common antioxidant enzymes include glutathione reductase, catalane and dismutase, ingredients often included in many antioxidant formulas.

These antioxidant enzymes are used in formulas as antioxidant response elements to help the antioxidant round up the free radicals, group them together and help make them more water soluble for faster, more efficient expulsion from the body. By using formulas that include the enzymes along with the antioxidants, the product will be able to perform more effectively.

About the author:
Webmaster Ann Nelson who is the author of Learning about antioxidants provides her audience with facts about antioxidants and free radicals. By knowing the human anatomy and antioxidants and its process better, people can improve their health.

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Why Aren't You Using Antioxidant Skin Care Products?

Author: Charlene McCracken

The use of antioxidants skin care products is recommended by many sources to retard the damage caused by external and internal forces to our skin. External forces such as sun, pollution, harsh winds and extreme temperatures undermine the beneficial natural processes our body automatically undertakes to rejuvenate our skin cells. Additionally, internal forces such as our emotions, individual metabolism and body chemistry need to be accounted for and managed. Antioxidant skin care is essential to support cell renewal.

Substances that protect cells by neutralizing these forces are referred to as antioxidants. Comprehensive antioxidant skin care is used to combat the free radicals, more on them later, formed when the body uses oxygen for the millions of actions we perform each day. Common antioxidants include vitamins A, C, and E. Beta carotene is another example of a beneficial element to slow the chain reaction caused by those naughty free radicals.

Antioxidants skin care products interrupt the weakening of the skin cell structure that occurs when free radicals attempt to gain an electron from natural proteins in our skin to acquire stability. Don't you wish you paid more attention in high school chemistry? Never mind. http://ificinfo.health.org/antidox.htm. The evidence is conclusive.

Free radical waste products damage your skin. You want to take them out before that happens. Antioxidant skin care will help. Limiting exposure to sunlight, cigarette smoke and alcohol are other simple ways to protect your skin from those dangerous, destructive free radicals.

Much has been written recently about the need to wear sunscreen, drink water and wear protective clothing if your work or play necessitates long hours exposed to the elements. Hot, drying winds and, cold dry air are equally difficult for the skin to accommodate. Rough, coarse, damaged skin is an occupational hazard for many. Using preservative free lotions and creams with additional high concentrations of antioxidants will increase the benefit of these other reasonable measures. Look for products rich in vitamins such as A, C, and E derived from natural sources with no toxic synthetic oils or waxes.

You might be surprised to read what unappetizing chemicals can be found listed on products from major name brand companies in the skin care field. Some of these chemicals are linked to cancer, birth defects and may even be used to etch concrete floors. Do you want your skin attacked by similar ingredients? The point is to care for your skin not damage it further. Read the labels. Become an informed consumer and make wise choices. Antioxidant skin care does improve the look and feel of skin. Even if you have neglected this important part of a healthy life-style, or maybe especially if you have neglected good skin care, the results when you change the bad habits will be outstanding.

If you are serious about improving the health of your skin take the time to find a manufacturer of antioxidants skin care products that are proven scientifically to promote cell rejuvenation and provide 24-hour nutrition for your skin. Your skin is on duty 24/7. Antioxidant skin care can be there every minute as well. The long-term commitment will have huge rewards in smooth, supple, elastic kin. All over. Do yourself a big favor: start today.



About the author:
As I find info that leads to a healthy lifestyle I feel compelled to share it and products that I believe are condusive to that end. Please go to http://www.care-for-skin-and-body.com/ to see my recommendations for skin care.

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Are Antioxidants The Power Behind HEALTHY Dark Chocolate?

Author: Timothy Prahl

There has been a lot of publicity lately about the potential health benefits of quality Dark Chocolate. The primary area of benefit appears to be related to the extremely high concentrations of "antioxidants" in the raw cocoa bean, the source for chocolate.

An antioxidant is a molecule that is capable of slowing or preventing the oxidation process in other molecules.

Oxidation is a chemical process in which an electron is attracted from a stable substance and moves to an unrelated oxidizing agent. Oxidation reactions can be caused by "free radical" molecules, which by themselves, can cause harmful chain reactions that will damage otherwise healthy cells.

Healthy dark chocolate is an excellent source for providing your system with high concentrations of antioxidants, which can neutralize and thus limit the damaging effects of free radical molecules in your body

Let's take a look at this cell damaging villain ... the "Free Radical".

Free radicals are not the result of disease or injury. They are created naturally in our bodies as the result certain chemical reactions, such as generating energy to feed our cells during physical exertion. They can also be imported into your system through cigarette smoke and other airborne pollutants.

Free radicals are chemically imbalanced, missing one or more electrons and thus having a 'positive' charge.

These radical molecules will seek to balance their charge, and will attract or 'steal' electrons from other molecules, including the molecules that make up your body's DNA and the mitochondria in your cells.

The mitochondria creates the energy necessary to sustain the life of the cells. Damaged mitochondria are weak and have lower energy and less resistance to disease.

Your body's cellular DNA carries the blueprint necessary for duplicating and producing new cells.

When the DNA is altered as a result of the free radical, the new cells that are created are imperfect and possibly malignant with the potential to form tumors or cancers.

Free Radicals are linked as a significant cause of most degenerative diseases, including heart disease, premature aging, diabetes, high blood pressure, and the creation of cancer cells and tumors.

Enter Antioxidants! Antioxidants are molecules that have available one or more FREE electrons. They therefore have a "negative" charge, and attract wandering, positively charged Free Radical, rendering them neutral and removing the threat to healthy cells. This free radical is now chemically balanced, and is no longer a threat to 'steal' electrons from your body's healthy cells.

So, having established the vital importance of having free radical neutralizing antioxidant molecules in your body ... where do they come from?

The human body is an amazing organism. Much of what our body requires to sustain life can be generated from within. This also holds true for antioxidants; however, dietary supplementation is also required.

Vitamin C is a good example. Unlike most other animals, vitamin C is NOT created within the human body and must be acquired through diet.

Most people are well aware of the importance of a consistent source of vitamin C in their diet. Vitamin C is a monosaccharide antioxidant, and proper levels must be maintained either through diet or supplementation in order to maintain a healthy body.

So, what relationship do antioxidants have with a quality dark chololate?

Scientists have known for years that cocoa contains significantly high levels of antioxidants.

According to research cited in The New York Times, fresh cocoa beans are super-rich in the type of flavonoid called flavanols, which are very strong antioxidants. All 3 known flavanols are found in the cocoa bean at an amazing 10% antioxidant concentration level.

Another research study conducted by researchers of the Department of Food Science and Technology at Cornell University showed that flavanols in cocoa make blood platelets less likely to stick together and cause blood clots. They also prevented fatty substances in the blood stream from sticking together and clogging arteries.

So, simply eat chocolate and gain these healthy benefits? Well, it is not nearly that simple. Any product can technically be called chocolate if it is the result of processing of the cocoa bean; however, very few of these products would realistically qualify for a clinical definition of being 'healthy'.

An understanding of how the cocoa beans are processed and the type and quantity of additives in order to create a specific chocolate product is essential for determining potential health benefits.

The multitude of Health benefits certainly appears to justify doing some research and identifying a source for antioxidant rich, Healthy Dark Chocolate.


About the author:
The author lives in beautiful Hilo, Hawaii, enjoys pursuing his interests on the Internet, and became intrigued with the subject of Chocolate being referred to as "Healthy". For more information regarding what constitutes "HEALTHY" Chocolate, download the author's FREE report, "Healthy Dark Chocolate For Life" at ==> http://healthydarkchocolateforlife.ws

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