What is an antioxidant, why are they important, and how they play a role in oxidative stress?
/What is an antioxidant, why are they important,
and how do they play a role in reducing oxidative stress?
Antioxidants help protect the DNA, proteins and membranes in the cell. Your cells are constantly metabolizing and releasing their own “waste” or byproducts. Those byproducts can be harmful. There are two types of damage that are constantly just happening in your body by simply just being alive, Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and Reactive Nitrogen Species (RNS). These both cause damage to your DNA which can “break” genes at random, this process happening over and over for a long time could eventually lead to cancer. Antioxidants protect the cells from free radicals. Free radicals like the two listed earlier, when accumulated, can cause oxidative stress. Oxidative stress happens when the body has a hard time detoxifying the harmful effects of free radicals.
Antioxidants are compounds that help reduce oxidative stress in the body. They can be made in the body or consumed through dietary needs. Antioxidants that are made in the body are Glutathione, CoQ10, and Superoxide dismutase. Required dietary antioxidants that our body needs through dietary needs are Vitamin E, C, & A.
Studies have shown another way to help reduce oxidative stress within the body is by fasting.
The fasting mimicking diet by Dr. Valter Longo has shown to have many benefits such as reducing blood glucose, blood pressure, total cholesterol, c-reactive proteins, and IGF-1. It has also been shown to reduce inflammation, enhance autophagy, elevate stem cell production, and increase cellular maintenance and protection! The 5-day fasting mimicking diet is known as the longevity diet. Get yours today! Click here and use code “blaizefit” for 10 percent off at check out.
Sources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgiZufI0oS8
