Antioxidants – How radical scavengers support you in everyday life

The hype about antioxidants is omnipresent - be it in recipes for fresh fruit and vegetables or as an argument for enjoying a glass of red wine.

These powerful compounds are often touted as essential for our health . But how does the human body really absorb these antioxidants from food? Are there effective alternatives that can make a noticeable difference? Although the term "antioxidants" is already widely known, many remain in the dark about their actual importance in the body.

In this blog post we will shed some light on antioxidants and their functions.

1. What are antioxidants?

Simply explained, antioxidants are chemical compounds that can slow down or completely prevent cell damage . These are usually caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS), also known as free radicals. Free radicals are highly reactive compounds with a lost, unpaired electron, which makes the free radical very unstable.

Antioxidants and free radicals

In an effort to neutralize its unstable charge, the free radical steals an electron from other healthy molecules. This leads to a chain reaction in which new radicals are formed. This process is called oxidative stress .

Free radicals are produced as byproducts of energy metabolism , so it is normal to have a certain amount of them in the body (1,2).

Oxidative stress

Oxidative stress can be caused by a variety of different factors, including environmental toxins , smoking , alcohol consumption , UV radiation , a diet high in sugar , or vitamin deficiencies (3-7).

An accumulation of free radicals and oxidative stress can damage important biomolecules in our body . They can also increase inflammation, lead to accelerated aging, and even be a precursor to the development of strokes or certain types of cancer (8).

Antioxidants, which act as radical scavengers, help here.

2. What are antioxidants good for?

There are antioxidants that our body produces itself and antioxidants that we consume through food. Both types fight free radicals and prevent cell damage .

3. Antioxidant effect in the body

Antioxidants are friendly molecules that are happy to donate an extra electron to the unstable free radical. This neutralizes it and prevents further oxidative damage .

There are many antioxidant supplements on the market. Beta-carotene is also known as a "catcher" of free radicals. Vitamin C also has a strong antioxidant effect .

4. Foods that contain antioxidants

These are some foods that are high in antioxidants. A healthy diet of plant-based foods is a good start to feeling the positive effects of free radical scavengers.

5. The most powerful antioxidants in liposomal form

Glutathion

Glutathione is one of the most important antioxidants in our body and is present in almost every cell.

The liver, our central metabolic organ, contains the largest amount of glutathione. Glutathione is an active radical scavenger and a cofactor for the regeneration of the antioxidant vitamins C and E (9).

In order for harmful compounds to be eliminated naturally, glutathione binds to the toxin. This makes the toxin water-soluble and can be excreted through the kidneys. This detoxification process eliminates xenobiotics (the body's own synthetic compounds such as pesticides and drugs), heavy metals and many other harmful substances (9).

Maintain glutathione levels

Helping the liver detoxify can lead to less inflammation and improved cellular function . Recent research shows that glutathione levels decline with age (10), so it's important to take extra antioxidants like glutathione as we age.

Liposomal Glutathione

Even though we produce glutathione ourselves, it can be beneficial to support the body with additional supplements . Dosage forms such as pills and powders have little effect on the overall glutathione levels in our cells. They are largely broken down in the digestive tract and not absorbed .

Thanks to liposomal technology, it is now possible to make glutathione easily absorbable orally for humans. This increases the glutathione level in the body.

Read more about this master antioxidant in our blog article about glutathione .

Quercetin

Quercetin is a naturally occurring plant substance from the group of flavonoids. Apples are particularly rich in this antioxidant. Colorful vegetables and fruits such as berries and red onions are also particularly rich in the antioxidant quercetin.

As a powerful antioxidant, quercetin can scavenge free radicals and reduce oxidative stress in the body (11). And as we know, antioxidants are radical scavengers.

Recommended by doctors

Some doctors believe that one of the most promising benefits of quercetin is its ability to naturally relieve allergy symptoms . Histamine plays a key role in inflammation and allergy symptoms such as sneezing, stuffy nose, watery eyes, or sore throat (12, 13).

Treat inflammation naturally

A study conducted in Japan found that quercetin can inhibit the release of histamine (14). If quercetin reduces the release of inflammatory substances responsible for allergic reactions, symptoms can be reduced. Quercetin is therefore a good natural alternative for treating allergies during pollen season !

Learn more about the natural allergy remedy in our blog article: Allergies - the overreaction of the immune system: definition, symptoms and treatment .

Liposomal Quercetin

The bioavailability of quercetin-containing fruits and vegetables as well as quercetin-containing pills or powder is very low at 5.3% (15). ActiNovo's liposomal quercetin increases absorption in the body through its innovative liposomal technology .

Coenzyme Q10

The body's own substance coenzyme Q10 is found in all of our body cells , except in the red blood cells. The largest concentration is in the power plants of our cells: the mitochondria.

In these, the coenzyme is responsible for the process of cellular respiration and the formation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is the universal energy carrier of our cells and therefore also of our body.

During energy production, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are inevitably produced as byproducts. If these are not sufficiently buffered by antioxidants , they can cause cell damage.

Q10 for the heart

The organ with the highest number of mitochondria is our heart .

When we exercise in the aerobic range, our body requires an increased amount of ATP for cellular respiration . This can lead to excessive production of free radicals. Moderate physical exercise is important for the reduction of free radicals and the health of our cells.

Excessive exercise, on the other hand, can lead to increased production of free radicals. One study showed that Q10 supplementation during exercise reduced markers of oxidative stress and inflammation (16).

Increasing age = decreasing Q10 production

The body's production of Q10 can decrease as early as age 20. According to clinical studies, older adults have almost 43% less coenzyme Q10 in their bodies compared to young adults (17). Coenzyme Q10 is mainly found in animal products such as beef and sardines. This limits the absorption of the substance for people who follow a vegan or vegetarian diet.

Liposomal Coenzyme Q10

The bioavailability of coenzyme Q10 is very low (about 3%) when taken through food and conventional nutritional supplements in powder or tablet form (18). Liposomal technology enables improved absorption of the substance . This allows the nutrient to reach the cells directly and have a positive effect on the mitochondria.

Discover liposomal Q10 here .

Resveratrol

Resveratrol is a secondary plant substance with antioxidant properties. It belongs to the group of polyphenols and has various anti-aging effects . Therefore, such antioxidants are also used for skin care.

Resveratrol is one of the main factors behind the French paradox , which is an observation that despite high alcohol, fat and cholesterol consumption, people in France have a significantly lower rate of heart attacks than in other European countries (19).

Alzheimer studies

Studies have shown that resveratrol effectively protects cell membranes and DNA from damage caused by free radicals such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) (20,21). Due to its protective effects on cells, resveratrol is a potential candidate for the treatment and prevention of Alzheimer's disease .

A study with resveratrol in mice has shown that this antioxidant slows the progression of Alzheimer's disease (22). In human studies, there have already been promising indications that resveratrol could also help treat Alzheimer's disease in humans in the future . However, further studies are needed to demonstrate a clear effect in humans (23,24).

Anti-aging studies

Further studies have also been conducted on the cosmetic use of resveratrol. These showed that topical application of the antioxidant can help reduce fine lines and wrinkles on the skin, especially after UV damage (25). Oral intake of resveratrol can produce similar anti-aging effects .

Liposomal Resveratrol

Due to the poor bioavailability of resveratrol, the pharmaceutical industry has struggled to use resveratrol as a valuable dietary supplement. When the antioxidant is taken in pill form, it is rapidly broken down by the liver , resulting in a bioavailability of less than 1% (26).

Thanks to liposomal technology, resveratrol can enter our body directly and exert its powerful effects.

Learn more about the antioxidant effects of resveratrol in our blog article .

Sources

1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11948241/