Antioxidant Supplements

Antioxidants are essential to human health. There are two main sources of antioxidants that we rely upon to maintain a healthy metabolism and physical structure, which are endogenous and exogenous. That is, antioxidants we synthesize within our body, such as glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase, and antioxidants that we ingest through food or supplements, respectively. The enzymatic antioxidants that we synthesize within our own body’s also need important cofactor nutrients. An example of this is superoxide dismutase requires zinc, copper and manganese. Antioxidants help to reduce the burden of oxidative stress, which, if not quenched by antioxidants, can cause damage to proteins, lipids and DNA, contributing to many diseases and perhaps hastening the aging process.
 

Antioxidants are found in abundance in some common foods, which are assessed by the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC). Some of the highest foods on the ORAC scale are dark chocolate, pecan nuts and elderberries. Two to three squares of dark chocolate (ideally fair-trade and organic) each day can actually be quite a helpful antioxidant boost, and a great source of minerals, such as magnesium.

These foods help to reduce the burden of ROS, protecting the cells of our body and keeping us healthy. Therefore, as you have no doubt heard before, a good quality diet containing a broad range of antioxidant-rich foods is a must for optimal health. It is a good idea to try to include a broad range of different coloured foods in your diet, as different phytochemicals are responsible for different colours, with differing effects in the body.

Some antioxidants have a very close relationship with each other, in that they support the regeneration of each other. This is one reason why taking a broad range of antioxidants, rather than one single antioxidant in high doses, is generally a good idea. A classic example of this is the regeneration of glutathione sulfhydryl, which essentially requires, both indirectly and directly, Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Lipoic Acid.

Therefore, if we were to supplement with a lot of glutathione without support from these other antioxidants, we will end up with a lot of oxidised glutathione, which is basically glutathione that has "done its job". There is a natural synergism inherent within the biochemistry of the body, which means the sum of two are greater than the total of them separately. For example, 1 + 1 (antioxidants taken individually) = 3 (taken together). A little bit of synergism goes a long way when it comes to antioxidants. Some other great sources of antioxidants are green tea, olive leaf extract, quercetin (a bioflavonoid), astaxanthin (found in krill oil) and COQ10.