Antioxidant seems to be the "in" word at the moment, and probably will be for some time to come. Everywhere we turn we see products claiming to have antioxidant properties, more people are changing their diets to include additional antioxidants, etc. Antioxidants, skin care and anti-aging definitely go hand-in-hand, as aging is due to free radicals--antioxidants fight free radicals. Free radicals occur from the environments pollutants, refined foods, the lack of eating the right foods, as well as others.
Those who are interested in proper skin care and anti-aging must find ways of fighting free radicals by increasing the amount of antioxidants. There are several products and supplements on the market today that could keep you looking and feeling younger. One such product, Resveratrol, is reported to be not only an antioxidant but also very beneficial to the heart.
Resveratrol is the main dietary source in wine and more particularly in the skin of the red grapes. It is also found in various edible species of plants, peanuts, raspberries, mulberries, blueberries, cranberries, plums and some pines. Studies show that the French who drink a lot of red wine have less heart disease, however the rates of cirrhosis are much higher due to the alcohol intake, compared with Americans. The great news about resveratrol is that everyone can benefit without the calories or alcohol.
Much research has been conducted in regards to resveratrol in the beneficial effects to humans. As well as being proven beneficial for the heart it also reduces the formation of blood clots, it opens arteries, helps prevent cancer, is an antioxidant, has anti-inflammatory properties, and stops the oxidation of bad cholesterol.
Although there are no known side-effects of resveratrol at this time, research is ongoing worldwide -- prior to taking any new medication or supplement, you should consult with your doctor.
Resveratrol can be taken as a supplement to help you maintain overall health as well as an antioxidant for anti-aging and healthy skin.
Coenzyme Q10 is a vitamin–like substance that is present in all human cells and is responsible for the production of the body's own energy. Food energy converts energy in each cell with the help of CoQ10. It is an important antioxidant, as it protects the cells from free radicals. Free radicals cause aging and are generated in the mitochondria; CoQ10 plays a key role in the respiratory system, and for that reason is located side-by-side with the area generating free radicals.
As we age, our bodies are not able to produce enough Coenzyme Q10, therefore a supplement can be taken to compensate. These supplements help the production of energy in all cells of the body and serve as a protection for cells from free radical damage. It is a vital supplement because this nutrient supports healthy aging. For example, cholesterol-lowering medications can deplete natural CoQ10 nutrient levels in the body, therefore, causing premature aging; supplementation of this nutrient will not interfere with these cholesterol-lowering medications and will provide the necessary energy to the cells to fight free radicals.
Aside from being an antioxidant which helps in the battle against aging, this nutrient has also:
*proven beneficial to migraine headache sufferers, although research is still being conducted;
*been studied for cancer treatment and relief from cancer treatment side-effects;
*shown that it protects the brain from debilitating diseases, such as Parkinson's;
*shown positive results in lowering blood pressure;
*helped in the recovery of cardiac arrest patients;
*shown positive results in gum disease.
Coenzyme Q10 is sold as a dietary supplement and not a drug, therefore it is not regulated by the US Food and Drug Association. Always check with your doctor before taking any medication or supplement to ensure it will not interfere with any medical condition or medication(s) you are taking.
Try
Super Co-Q-Max Plus Green Tea Not only will you benefit from the CoQ10, but the polyphenols found in the green tea which have strong antioxidant properties and has shown to support healthy circulation and vessel health.
The importance of vitamins cannot be undermined. We as human beings cannot possibly ingest all the vitamins required to maintain our health and fight aging, especially in this modern world we live in.
Our work schedules, the pollution, the toxins and the types of foods we eat all prohibit us from getting the proper vitamins in our systems. Although we must do our best to eat as best we can, supplements play a huge role to complete the vitamin intake we require.
Do your best to include supplements in your diet. Whether you prefer a multi-vitamin or several individual vitamins, choose what's best for you, your needs and your age. The types of supplements we need change with age and are different for everyone due to lifestyle and foods ingested. For instance, if you are one that doesn't like to eat or cannot eat leafy green veggies due to a health condition, then you need to make up the difference with a supplement that will "replace" those vitamins.
Selenium is a trace mineral that is essential to good health but required only in small amounts. Selenium is incorporated into proteins to make selenoproteins, which are important antioxidant enzymes. The antioxidant properties of selenoproteins help prevent cellular damage from free radicals. Free radicals are natural by-products of oxygen metabolism that may contribute to the development of chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease and they help regulate thyroid function and play a role in the immune system [4-7].
The major foods that provide selenium are plant foods. This depends on the selenium content of the soil, however. In the U.S., North and South Dakota and northern Nebraska have very high levels of selenium. Selenium can also be found in some meats and seafood and some nuts.
Selenium content in foods always vary due to the soil.
Brazil nuts should only be eaten occasionally because of the possibility of very high selenium content. Other foods that are good sources of selenium are:
Tuna, canned in oil
Turkey breast, roasted
Chicken breast, roasted
Beef
Cod
Spaghetti and meatsauce
Egg
Cancer and Selenium
Several studies have shown links between cancer and selenium deficiency. A study conducted on the effect of selenium supplementation showed a significantly reduced occurrence of total cancers. Dietary selenium prevents chemically induced carcinogenesis in many rodent studies. Selenium may help prevent cancer by acting as an antioxidant or by enhancing immune activity. Not all studies agree, however, on the cancer-fighting effects of selenium.
One study of naturally occurring levels of selenium in over 60,000 participants did not show a significant correlation between those levels and cancer. One study concluded that low-dose supplementation* resulted in a 31% reduction in the incidence of cancer and a 37% reduction in all cause mortality in males, but did not get a significant result for females. Selenium has been proven to help chemotherapy treatment by enhancing the efficacy of the treatment, reducing the toxicity of chemotherapeutic drugs, and preventing the body's resistance to the drugs. One of the studies showed that in just 72 hours, the efficacy of treatment using chemotherapeutic drugs with selenium yeast is significantly higher than the treatment using the drugs alone. The finding was shown in various cancer cells (breast, lung, small intestine, colon, liver).
In humans, selenium functions as a partner for reduction of antioxidant enzymes. It also plays a role in the functioning of the thyroid gland by participating as a partner for thyroid hormone deiodinases.
Selenium comes from nuts, cereals, meat, fish, and eggs. Brazil nuts are the richest ordinary dietary source (though this is soil-dependent, since the Brazil nut does not require high levels of the element for its own needs). High levels of selenium are found in meats of kidney, crab and lobster, in that order.
*(with 120 mg of ascorbic acid, 30 mg of vitamin E, 6 mg of beta carotene, 100 mg of selenium, and 20 mg of zinc)
Human Growth Hormone or HGH, for short, is a synthetic human growth hormone. Roughly in our 40s, our pituitary gland (located in your brain) gradually reduces the amount of the natural growth hormone it produces. It is believed that this reduction in the level of natural growth hormone is the aging culprit.
HGH research shows that there are many setbacks involved, the most frightening being that long-term research has not been conducted. So, if we started taking HGH at age 40 until for 20 years, we are not certain of the side effects we will suffer at age 60. Scary, isn't it? Also scary is the fact that some doctors promise you reversal of aging with HGH, if you are willing to pay big bucks for it.
Although you can find HGH widely available on the internet and other places in the form of vitamins or what have you by ingesting it, the truth is you can only really obtain the synthetic human growth hormone with a doctor's prescription and is in the form of injection. All other forms that are ingested are absorbed by the stomach and have not shown any proof of working.
HGH is federally approved for medical reasons only showing positive results in adults suffering from growth hormone deficiencies with regards to: increased bone density and muscle mass; improved mood and motivation in subjects; boosted the heart's ability to contract; and reduced body fat.
Due to the incredible results for those who required it for medical purposes only, it has led many to believe that HGH can work for those looking for the fountain of youth.
Risks of taking HGH when not medically required:
carpal tunnel symptoms;
swelling in arms and legs;
diabetes;
high blood pressure;
headaches;
arthritis-like symptoms;
hardening of the arteries;
muscle pain;
abnormal bone growth;
abnormal organ growth;
bloating.
Studies of healthy adults taking HGH have been short-termed, and it is therefore difficult to judge whether these side-effects subside over time or worsen.
While we are all in this anti-aging battle, we must consider the pros and cons of new products on the market and how much damage they may cause us.
In the meantime, studies have shown that regular exercise has many of the positive results that HGH can have, so (upon consulting your doctor) start a workout routine and stick to it; you will feel better, look better, you'll be more energetic and build muscle mass, among others. One other major benefit of exercise: you'll be healthier naturally without chemicals. Without frowning upon HGH, perhaps more studies should be conducted before taking the plunge.
Is there a magic pill that could help anti-aging? Researchers, led by Dr. David Sinclair of Harvard University, claimed in the Cell, a medical journal, that there is a possibility that the magic pill could not only fight aging by helping your body create more anti-aging defenses, but that the same pill could cure several diseases simultaneously.
Their studies showed that animals lived longer while fed very low calorie diets. Therefore, their research was trying to duplicate, in the form of a pill instead of fasting, this low calorie diet.
Sirtuins are the family of enzymes that are controlled by genes SIRT1, SIRT2, etc.
Mitochondria are tiny organs that provide cells with energy.
In layman's terms, aging is controlled by sirtuin genes SIRT3, SIRT4 which make proteins that keep us healthy and young but as we get older, these become less efficient. Says Sinclair, "They are also very important for keeping the cells healthy and alive when they undergo stress and DNA damage, as we undergo every day during the aging process.”
Their research showed that sirtuins helped to preserve the mitochondria and even when a cell is destroyed, as long as the mitochondria are alive, it can continue to function. Furthermore, fasting raises the levels of NAD, another protein which activates the sirtuin genes hence keeping the mitochondria young.
Sinclair and his team are aiming at a magic pill that would increase the NAD protein and/or the sirtuin genes in the mitochondria which would slow the aging process and age-related diseases such as cancer, osteoporosis, heart disease.
At this time, there is already an experimental pill that is currently being tested. So the question remains, is there really a magic pill that could help anti-aging? Well, it remains to be seen, but it seems as though they may be on the right track.
Are there really Anti-Aging Supplements? It’s a little disconcerting, all these vitamins we have to take, the food we have to eat, the diets we have to follow, etc. so that we maintain our weight and stay healthy and continue our anti-aging battle. There are ways to accomplish all this and the following article will give you some insight.
Anti aging natural supplements - do they exist? Is it possible that anti aging natural supplements can slow the aging process? Absolutely! Numerous clinical studies have shown and are still discovering the health benefits of many nutrients.
The foundation for good health is a lifestyle that includes a sensible diet with nutritional supplements, reasonable exercise and weight management. It is important to be aware of what NOT to eat as well as what you should eat. In general, if it comes in a packet or is processed, it's healthier not to eat it.
Slowing down the aging process includes providing your body all the nutrients it requires. These nutrients must work at the cellular level repairing your DNA and RNA. Ideally, you should be able to obtain the essential nutrients from your diet. However, that has not been possible for years. Numerous studies have found the overall nutrient value of foods has been declining for decades due to soil depletion.
Taking one of the high-quality, broad-spectrum anti-aging natural supplements helps fill in the dietary gaps that everyone will have. The essential nutrients that you need are extensive and complex. Your body also needs and will use a wide array of anti aging natural supplements - amino acids, antioxidants, bioflavanoids, neuronutrients, certain herbal extracts, enzymes and specialized substances such as L-Carnosine, alpha lipoic acid, acetyl L-Carnitine, ATP precursors and so on. And these nutrients have to be in the correct proportions to each other based on the latest research.
Even the best anti aging natural supplements cannot substitute for a poor diet. For example, the USDA food pyramid recommends consuming 2.5 cups of vegetables a day for women and 3 cups a day for men - most people simply do not. Consuming mostly junk food, sodas and sweets and taking anti aging natural supplements will not provide you with all the nutrients your body needs. Anti aging supplements should be considered supplements to, not replacements for, a reasonably balanced diet.
If you are serious about slowing down your aging process, remember that there is no single magic pill, supplement or hormone that on its own will help you achieve this objective. The best anti aging natural supplements aren't the one-a-day vitamin type. Why? One capsule or tablet simply cannot hold all that's needed in necessary quantities - it would be way too large to swallow. The minimal vitamins and minerals found in the typical one-a-day supermarket vitamins are only the beginning and probably a waste of money.
And on the other hand, when trying to design your own supplement plan, it's easy to end up with a dozen or more individual vitamins and minerals to take daily, which is both a hassle and expensive. Besides, if certain substances are out of balance, it's possible they can combine to produce other unwanted compounds that can be harmful. This is why buying a variety of supplements and taking them together can sometimes even be dangerous.
Another important consideration is that women need a different vitamin formula than men. Women's anti aging natural supplements should contain nutrients proven by clinical studies to support the balancing of female hormones in the years before, during and after menopause. And the best anti aging supplements for men should contain ingredients proven to support healthy male prostate.
Learn as much as you can about what finding the best anti-aging natural supplements really means. After all, your health, energy and wellness is the issue. Before spending your money, be informed about the products you'll be taking every day.
Copyright 2005 InfoSearch Publishing
About the Author
Read more about best women's vitamins and supplements at http://www.safemenopausesolutions.com/vitamins-for-women.html and best vitamins for men. David Buster is VP of InfoSearch Publishing and webmaster of http://www.safemenopausesolutions.com - a website of natural health articles and reliable sources of nutritional supplements.