Antioxidants

The term ‘antioxidant’ refers to a substance that protects against free radical or ‘oxidative’ damage.  Many substances in our food can act as antioxidants in our body.  These include some vitamins and minerals and many different plant extracts or ‘phytonutrients’.  

Antioxidants work together in the body.  One way in which they do this is by regenerating each other: ...Read more when individual antioxidants neutralise a free radical, they can themselves turn into an oxidant (free radical) – other antioxidants can help to regenerate or recycle them.

Antioxidant vitamins and minerals include:

•    Vitamin C.  Thought to be the body’s most important antioxidant. It can also recycle vitamin E. See also the individual Vitamin C category for more information.
•    Vitamin E.  As a fat-soluble vitamin, vitamin E is thought to be particularly protective of fats in the body, including our cell membranes.  It is also thought to help prevent oxidation of cholesterol, so may be protective of heart health. See also the individual Vitamin E category for more information.
•    Selenium. This mineral forms part of one of our body’s own antioxidant enzymes called glutathione peroxidase, but also has antioxidant activity on its own.  See the Selenium category for more information.


Other substances or nutrients that can act as antioxidants include:

•    Co Enzyme Q10.  Like vitamin E, Co Q10 can help to protect against damage to fats and prevent oxidation of cholesterol.  It works together with vitamin E.
•    Alpha Lipoic Acid.  Thought to be a particularly powerful antioxidant as it is both water and fat-soluble, so can work against a broader range of free radicals than other nutrients such as vitamin C or E.
•    N-acetyl cysteine (NAC).  NAC works mainly as an ‘indirect’ antioxidant, in that it can increase levels of glutathione in the body, which is itself a potent antioxidant.
•    Superoxide dismutase (SOD).  This is one of the body’s own antioxidant enzymes, but can also be found in supplement form, usually in the form of the patented extract ‘GliSODin’.

Plant or fruit extracts (phytonutrients) that are thought to have antioxidant activity include:

•    Grapeseed extract
•    Pine bark extract – commonly found as the patented extract ‘Pycnogenol’.
•    Green tea extract.  Provides flavonoids such as epigallocatechin gallate.
•    Beta carotene or other carotenoids (e.g. lutein, lycopene, zeaxanthin). Found mainly in orange coloured vegetables and fruits, and dark green vegetables.
•    Turmeric
•    Quercetin
•    Resveratrol
•    Other flavonoids from fruits and vegetables such as bilberry or blueberry, acai berry, citrus fruits, onions or any other bright or dark coloured fruits and vegetables.

Many of these substances or nutrients can be taken in individual supplements, however we often advise antioxidant complex supplements. This is because as mentioned above, antioxidants work together in the body.