Antioxidants

The most popular antioxidants that are used for skin care products are the vitamins A, C and E.

Scientific research has shown that they help to improve the condition of the skin and reduce additional damage occurring that causes the aging effect that we are seeking to eliminate.

The damage to the skin is caused by free radicals and antioxidants help to fight off these free radicals and thereby improve the condition of the skin. Antioxidants are in no way harmful to the skin and not only can they protect the skin from damage but they have been to shown to actually reverse some of the damage that has already occurred to the skin of many people.

This has an anti aging effect and the publicity that has surrounded the discovery of this information has resulted in antioxidants being included in almost all skin care products to meet the demands of the consumer.
Sun damaged skin in particular has been shown to improve in condition when antioxidants have been applied directly to the affected area.

There are various different sources of antioxidants and some of the more popular ones are grape seed extract and green tea extract. Grape seed extract has shown to reduce inflammation of the skin and in addition it helps to strengthen the capillary walls. Because of these benefits it’s a common product used in skin care creams.

Green tea on the other hand has shown to reduce the size of pre-cancerous skin lesions in various tests due to the active ingredient catechins.

With the use of these naturally occurring antioxidants the damage that is caused to the skin by the free radicals that degrade the collagen and elastin is reduced and the positive effect that they have in assisting the skin to renew damaged cells has the desired anti aging effect that people are looking for.

Anti Aging Oxidants

The cells of the human body have been shown to divide for a specific number of times in the lifetime of each individual. By the time a person leaves their teenage years behind almost half of their cell division quota has been used up.

This causes the physical changes in the body that are represented by aging and anything that we can do to slow down this process of cell division will increase life expectancy. As we continue to age and move towards our early forties almost another half of the remaining cells are used up leaving only 25 – 30 percent available for the rest of our lives.

Obviously when the final set of cells are used up the outcome is death.

So what can we do to slow this down and extend our years?
The main cause of the speed by which the cells will degenerate is from free radicals and fortunately scientific research has determined that this rate can be slowed with the introduction of more antioxidants which reduces the free radicals. The more free radicals we have the faster the rate the body ages.

What are free radicals?
They are the harmful substances that are the result of oxidation and occur naturally in the body. It is only when they attack the healthy cells in the body that they cause a problem however they are unable to distinguish between which cells are good and which ones are bad.

It is the destruction of healthy cells that causes the aging process and if more pronounced they can cause other more serious disorders and diseases. By reducing these free radicals with the help of antioxidants the body clock is slowed down and we are able to look and feel younger for longer.

While the body is unable to produce its own antioxidants without help we must get a sufficient supply in the foods that we eat as it is the distinct function of antioxidants to act on these free radicals and maintain the necessary balance to maintain optimum health.

The best sources of antioxidants are found in foods such as berries, broccoli, carrots, garlic, red grapes, soy, spinach, tea, tomatoes and whole grains. By adding these to your diet on a regular basis you should be getting sufficient in your body to maintain a healthy balance and reduce the aging process.