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- Clarinol CLA - Green Tea - L-Carnitine - Progen - Sida Cordifolia - Thermo Fusion Anti AgeingDid you know that antioxidants have anti ageing benefits? They have a positive anti ageing effect because of their ability to stabilise free radicals. Free radicals are one of the causes of premature ageing.
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Antioxidants
Antioxidants neutralize free radicals. These free radicals cause damage and harm within the body and have been linked to cancer, arthritis, arteriosclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes and ageing. The anti ageing effects of antioxidants are well known.
These free radicals also aid in scavenging for and destroying foreign bodies such as bacteria, fighting illness, inflammation and a process known as apoptosis. Although free radicals are integral for these functions it is still important to limit the production of free radicals for longevity and health. It is important to understand what a free radical is and furthermore how to reduce their effects. To understand free radicals, it is important first to understand some basic chemistry about atoms and the stability of ions. Within the body there are varying types of cells made from varying compounds which at a smaller level are made from atoms. An atom is made from neutrons (no charge), protons (positively charged) and electrons (negatively charged). An atom is usually made up of the same number of protons, neutrons and electrons. Neutrons and protons are situated in the centre of the atom known as the nucleus, and the electrons circle this. An atom is seen as stable when its electrons are all paired and the rings (known as orbitals) are full. A free radical is formed when the orbitals of an atom contain an unpaired electron, for instance 3 electrons equalling one pair and one odd electron; this causes the atom to be unstable. Because atoms strive to be stable, this unstable form scavenges electrons from other atoms. By doing so, the free radical sets off a chain reaction causing cell damage, leaving the atom or cell it scavenged from, unstable. In turn this newly unstable atom creates another free radical and seeks a further electron to steal and so on. An antioxidant is a compound that is able to lend an electron to the unstable atom whilst still remaining stable itself. The principal defence against free radicals are body enzymes which convert free radicals into harmless compounds. For example one compound is H2OO2 which will be converted to the harmless product H2O (water) and O2 (oxygen). Free radicals cause what is called oxidative stress, this is why they are natural enemies. In recent years, there has been much attention given to antioxidants and the role they play in combating oxidative stress in the athlete, ageing, sedentary and clinically ill individuals. Furthermore, as free radicals are catabolic in nature, the more free radicals are reduced the more an individual’s ability to recover is increased. Antioxidants such as vitamin E can be purchased relatively cheaply and are supported by research which shows positive capability in reducing free radical damage after 3 weeks use. Glutamine is a substance which is easily depleted by exercise. It is integral to the immune system and is also one of the body’s own antioxidants. |
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