Antioxidants – Discover the most popular dietary supplements containing antioxidants that help protect cells from oxidative stress. You will find a wide choice of the best quality antioxidant products on the market: whether they are preparations with one or more antioxidants combining high-quality ingredients.
What are Antioxidants?
Antioxidants are chemical compounds that look after the body’s cells against oxidative stress. This stress occurs when oxidants – or free radicals – enter the body or are produced during various metabolic processes.
These oxidizing substances can contain chemicals, preservatives, or dyes, for example. They also enter the human body through drugs, polluted air or food, radiation, and cigarette smoke.
The growth of free militants in the body can disrupt the functioning of cells. Antioxidants oppose it. Due to their function, they are also often referred to as radical scavengers.
Natural antioxidants include:
- Antioxidant vitamins such as vitamins B2, C, and E.
- Minerals include selenium, zinc, copper, and manganese.
- Secondary plant compounds such as flavonoids, including quercetin and resveratrol, and carotenoids, include beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, and astaxanthin, which is said to be one of the most potent antioxidants.
How can I fill up on antioxidants?
There are many ways to incorporate antioxidants into your diet. First, make sure you have a varied diet. It will give you a reasonable basis for the intake of antioxidants. These can find in the following food (groups):
- Fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of vitamin C.
- You can get vitamin E from nuts and vegetable oils such as wheat germ, safflower, or canola oil.
- Foods rich in vitamin B2 include dairy products, whole grains, and meat and fish.
- Zinc is mainly found in seeds and cheese, and legumes.
- Selenium found in Brazil nuts, cabbage, onions, mushrooms, and lentils.
For the best tips for getting more antioxidants into your diet and for more information, check out our article on Antioxidants. If you want to know how many antioxidant vitamins and minerals you need to absorb, consult the recommendations of the French Food Safety Agency.
If your antioxidant intake is too low, antioxidant supplements can help. First, get regular blood tests to determine the condition of your supply. In case of deficiency, we recommend that you consult a doctor to find the best antioxidant product that suits you. When taking dietary supplements, you should also follow the manufacturer’s instructions. You will find all the necessary facts on the product packaging. Also, be sure to adjust your diet accordingly.
What are the benefits of antioxidants?
They act everywhere:
- They help prevent skin aging and thus act against the firmness and wrinkles on the skin.
- On the heart, they preserve the arteries’ flexibility, help lower the level of bad cholesterol, and thus prevent the development of cardiovascular diseases.
- On the eyes, they prevent cell degeneration and thus participate in the prevention of cataracts and AMD
- However, On the body: by preserving the youth of the cells, they play a role in the prevention against cancers, diseases, inflammatory
Food supplements: when to supplement?
Antioxidants exist in the form of food supplements. Available in pharmacies and drugstores, they make it possible to overcome a lack of food. But their effectiveness is not so clear. “The bioavailability of antioxidants is higher when they consume naturally (present in food and not in the form of tablets),” indicates our expert—an opinion confirmed by studies. In 2012, scientists looked into their usefulness. They showed that they had not found any evidence of the effectiveness of antioxidant supplementation in primary prevention (in healthy people) and secondary (in sick people).
Too many antioxidants: what are the dangers?
An overdose of antioxidants can be dangerous for the body. While the body will eliminate the extra vitamin C via the urine, vitamins A and E took exposed you to an increased risk of cancer in the long term. So before taking any, seek the advice of your doctor or pharmacist.
