What are the benefits of antioxidants? Antioxidants
Chemicals that inactivate free radicals are called antioxidants, such as vitamin A, beta-carotene (precursor of vitamin A), vitamin C, vitamin E, bioflavonoids, anthocyanins, lycopene, etc. Antioxidants can protect our body from oxidative damage, thus achieving the purpose of preventing and treating diseases. The role of antioxidants includes:
Step 1 Delay ageing
Stopping aging is no longer a secret. Experiments on feeding animals with low-calorie, high-antioxidant nutrients have achieved good results. This feeding method only gives the animals the nutrients they need, reducing their "oxidative stress" and maximizing their antioxidant capacity. The animals fed in this way not only lived 40% longer, but also were more active in their daily lives. Although long-term experiments have not been completed, there is no doubt that the same principle applies to humans. The results of large-scale surveys have also shown that people with high levels of antioxidants in their blood or daily dietary intake of antioxidants have lower mortality rates.
2. Disease control
More and more studies have proved that the most common diseases in the 20th century are related to the lack of antioxidant nutrients. Diseases that may be caused by the lack of antioxidants include: Alzheimer's disease, retinal degeneration, cataracts, cancer, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, respiratory tract infections, infertility, rheumatoid arthritis, measles, periodontal (dental) diseases, diabetes, mental diseases, etc. If these nutrients are supplemented, it will be of great help in the treatment of diseases.
(1) Alzheimer's disease
Low levels of vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E in the human body have a lot to do with Alzheimer's disease. The level of vitamin E and beta-carotene in the blood of Alzheimer's patients is half of the normal level for the same age. In such a study in the United States, 633 subjects were all 65-year-olds without disease. Researchers divided the subjects and gave each group a large dose of vitamin C or vitamin E. It is expected that after 5 years, a few people in each group will show symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, but no one will eventually develop the disease. Another study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that people with high dietary vitamin E levels were 67 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than those with low vitamin E.
(2) Cataract
Those with low blood levels of vitamin C are 11 times more likely to develop cataracts than those with high levels. Similarly, the elderly with low blood levels of vitamin E are twice as likely to develop cataracts, while those who consume up to 300 mg a day are half as likely to develop cataracts.
(3) lung cancer
People with lung cancer have lower levels of vitamin A. In fact, low levels of vitamin A in the body double the likelihood of developing lung cancer. Eating more fruits and vegetables rich in beta-carotene can reduce the risk of lung cancer in non-smokers. In one experiment, patients with early-stage oral cancer (mucosal leukoplakia) were given a daily supplement of 30 mg of beta-carotene, and 71% of the patients improved their condition; while a daily supplement of 200,000 international units of vitamin A, 57% of the patients fully recovered. However, if you smoke, it may be unwise to supplement beta-carotene alone.
(4) Cardiovascular diseases
Supplementation with vitamin E and vitamin C can reduce the risk of heart disease by half. In a large study of nurses, those who consumed 15 to 20 milligrams of beta-carotene daily were 40 percent less likely to have a stroke and 22 percent less likely to have a heart attack than those who consumed only 6 milligrams of beta-carotene daily. Those with the highest beta-carotene intake in the diet were half as likely to die from cardiovascular disease. Supplementing with an additional 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C daily also lowered blood pressure.
(5) Enhance human immunity and anti-infection ability
Antioxidants also improve the body's immunity and ability to fight infections. Regular vitamin A supplementation in children can significantly reduce respiratory infections. Antioxidants can reduce the symptoms of AIDS, and in a small number of cases, even improve the condition. Antioxidants can also improve fertility, relieve arthritis, and play a key role in the treatment of diseases such as the common cold and chronic fatigue syndrome.
In short, antioxidants are so important that the medical community has even started to include them in the research scope. In the future, when we test blood, we may not only measure blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure, but also measure the level of antioxidants in the blood. Your antioxidant nutritional status may be the most important data that can predict your biological age and life expectancy.
