We hear a lot about the benefits of antioxidants, especially to combat free radicals, the source of unhealthy oxidative stress. But what do all those terms really mean? Bottom Line Personal asked Lise Alschuler, ND, to help make sense of this word salad.
Everything you do—moving, eating—and more—generates free radicals. Think of them as by-products of normal cellular metabolism. The body even needs some free radicals—they’re necessary for the immune system to kill off bacteria.
On a molecular level, a free radical is basically a molecule within a cell that is missing an electron. When this happens, the molecule becomes very unstable and will do anything it can to fulfill its own need by literally grabbing an electron from a neighboring molecule…but then that molecule is missing an electron. This starts a chain reaction called oxidative stress. The affected cells stop functioning appropriately, and the body’s tissues made up of these cells are at risk for inflammation.
We know now that inflammation underlies almost every chronic disease—cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, even cognitive decline. Addressing the oxidative component of disease can go a long way toward fortifying our tissues so they function better and better withstand whatever other inflammatory insults your body might be facing.
Simply put, antioxidants are nutrients that combat free radicals and protect against oxidative damage. They’re electron-donating molecules—they give up electrons to stabilize free radicals and stop their damage.
There should be a balance between free radicals and antioxidants. Picture a seesaw—if free radicals outweigh your body’s capacity to quench them, the seesaw will tip toward disease. Your body can produce some key antioxidants, such as glutathione (the body’s most prevalent antioxidant), on its own, but if you don’t eat enough foods rich in natural antioxidants, production can fall short.
You may experience an antioxidant deficit for many reasons. One of the most common is being under significant stress, which can create more inflammation in the body—inflammation generates a lot of free radicals. The environmental toxins we face on a regular basis also can have this effect.
There are many kinds of antioxidants, and a varied diet ensures that you get a good amount. Eating fresh foods is key to having enough glutathione. A plant-based diet, including some raw fruits and vegetables, is especially helpful because plants are full of healthful compounds, such as polyphenols, that directly quench free radicals and increase your antioxidant defenses. More than 4,000 polyphenols have been identified, all with beneficial effects. One important category of polyphenols is flavonoids, the pigmented compounds that give fruits and vegetables their vibrant colors. That’s why we are told to “eat the rainbow”—the more colors you have on your plate, the broader the array of flavonoids, and the more antioxidant protection you get. Here are some specific food standouts…
For antioxidant support, you need to eat between five and seven servings of vegetables and fruits every day. If you’re not meeting that goal or if you’re living with a lot of stress, you may benefit from supplementing with antioxidants.
The most helpful and available supplement is simply 500 milligrams of vitamin C. If you want to supplement with vitamin E, keep in mind that it’s actually a whole family of chemical molecules called tocopherols and tocotrienols, so an E supplement with only alpha tocopherols isn’t as good as a full-spectrum one. Glutathione also is available as a supplement.
Though it’s hard to overdo water-soluble antioxidants, consult with an integrative health-care practitioner, naturopathic doctor or a qualified nutritionist to see if antioxidants supplements are indicated and which ones might be most beneficial for you.
Important: Antioxidant supplements may need to be avoided in some situations, such as when undergoing chemotherapy or radiation or in advance of surgery. Always check with your doctor in these situations.
Boosting antioxidants is not only about what you eat but also about how you live. Unhealthy habits like smoking and drinking alcohol generate more oxidative stress.
On the other hand, sleep is in many ways an antioxidative action. The main hormone that regulates our circadian rhythm is melatonin, which is also an important antioxidant. If your circadian rhythm is off —perhaps you’re staying awake well into the night and getting up before the sun’s up—your melatonin production will be lower, and your antioxidant capacity will decline. Enhance your antioxidant status by being in better alignment with your circadian rhythm. Get good rest at night. Have an overnight fast of at least 12 to 13 hours—don’t eat two hours before you go to bed…and wait an hour after you get up to eat.
Oxidative stress tends to increase with age, so these steps become even more important as you get older. The older you are, the more likely you are to have a compromised antioxidative response and a possible glutathione deficiency.
