Anti-Oxidants

When we grew up, we learnt through various stages of education, that we inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. We learnt that Oxygen is our lifeline and that we would die if we didn't get enough of it.

And suddenly after all those lessons, we come across a term called anti-oxidants, and we hear the world saying we need anti-oxidants to remain healthy. Surprising, isn’t it?

Anti-oxidants and their supposed benefits have become quite popular in the last few years. We find scores of articles mentioning benefits of anti-oxidants, dozens of brands selling anti-oxidant supplements, and a whole lot of dietitians prescribing an anti-oxidant rich diet.

Here is an attempt to simplify the concept of anti-oxidants, an analysis of the different schools of thought on anti-oxidants, and my view of what a common man could do.

Oxygen, Oxidants and Anti-Oxidants

Before we get into anti-oxidants, let’s discuss a few basics. We all rightly know that the body does require oxygen for its survival. What happens to this oxygen that we inhale? It gets into the lungs, from where through the bloodstream it reaches the heart and then to the different body tissues.

Each of these tissues is an ensemble of cells. When the blood reaches these cells, through a process called metabolism, the cells consume this oxygen to produce energy. And in completely normal circumstances, during this process the oxygen gets converted into water, and a few other products are created as well. Some of these products are categorized as Free Radicals or Oxidants because of their chemical structure. Let’s not worry yet about their structures and how many of them get produced each day. 

Well, there are a few other sources of oxidants in the body as well, but we would not get into those to keep the discussion simple. There are a few external sources of free radicals like Pollution and cigarette smoke.

 Oxidants or Free Radicals in Action

Now, let’s first understand what these supposed villains called free-radicals or oxidants can do, and then we would discuss whether we really need to worry about it. These free radicals are highly reactive and can potentially react with cell membranes, our DNA, proteins, enzymes etc. you may choose to ignore these seemingly heavy words in the last sentence. Effectively the free radicals, due to their reactive nature, may lead to disruption of normal cell activities, or aging or in a few cases even cancer or heart diseases.

Fighting Free Radicals 

One thing that we must know is that our body was designed to be self-protective. And thus, the body does have the capability to fight these oxidants. Cells produce enzymes to counter the oxidants while the body itself has the capability to make up for all lost cells quite rapidly. But the body, in most cases, is unable to cope with the number of oxidants generated and their effects. More so as we grow older.

Thus, the body needs food rich in a certain set of nutrients. Vitamin C and E are known to be most effective in fighting oxidants.

 The Buzz 

The buzz-word doing rounds of late is Supplements. Be it  multi-vitamins or proteins or even Anti-Oxidants. The most common ones for Anti-oxidants are  the ones rich in Vitamin C and E, and substances like selenium and beta-carotene.

A Few Facts

1.  There are conflicting and inconclusive studies about benefits of supplements.

2. A few studies indicate harmful effects of supplements as well. When taken in higher quantities, these can become oxidised themselves. And finding the right amount is a tough job.

3. There is some data indicating that increased intake of Vitamin E helps overcome oxidative stress induced by exercise.

Bottom Line

Seemingly cliched yet a relevant piece of advice:

1. Exercise regularly. Excessive exercising only over weekends is not the best approach. Regular Exercise ensures body can fight the increased free radicals generated due to exercise.
2. Vitamins, taken in their natural state, along with other ingredients, are known to be more effective. Hence it is best to eat fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins A, E and C.
Examples: Tomatoes (even ketchup), lemons, oranges, spinach, cabbage, sunflower seeds, vegetable oils, carrot juices, peanut butter
3. Try eating these foods raw as far as possible.
4. Eating a Balanced diet is the best policy. In simple terms, a combination of all foods mentioned above should be eaten across different diets.
Salads with lunch and dinner, and fruits between meals is a useful approach.
5. Doctors do prescribe supplements in certain cases if required.

References
http://www.supplements-for-digestivehealth.org/antioxidants.html
http://intelegen.com/nutrients/free_radicals_and_aging_1.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/

http://healthcave.com/why-antioxidants-are-good-for-your-health-and-where-to-get-them/

http://www.healthier-harvest.com/news_articles/nutritional_information/free_radicals.htm

http://www.rice.edu/~jenky/sports/antiox.html

http://www.bsherman.net/freeradicals.htm