Anti-Aging Skin Care Secrets

Anti Oxidant

Zinc - the Brain's Anti-oxidant

Although dietary zinc has been known since the 1960s to play an important role in human health, it was not until as recently as 1990 that its role as an important ant-oxidant was identified. Perhaps not surprisingly, early attention focussed on zinc's role as an essential mineral for sexual and reproductive health, particularly in the male; but it is now known that its functions are much more numerous. Indeed some nutritional practitioners go so far as to claim that plentiful supplies of dietary zinc are vital for the proper functioning of every cell in the body.

Initial laboratory experiments appeared to show two ways in which zinc discharged its anti-oxidant functions. The first is that dozens of vital enzymes within the body contain zinc and in these enzymes the zinc molecule acts directly as an anti-oxidant, protecting the biochemical structure of the enzyme from free radical attack. Secondly, zinc acts to stabilise proteins which may otherwise react with highly unstable minerals, particularly iron and copper, to form free radicals.

These experimental demonstrations of zinc's anti-oxidant activity have now been amply confirmed by studies of the effects of zinc deficiencies and supplementation in live humans; and some researchers have given particular attention to zinc's activity within the brain.

Zinc is found in higher concentrations within the brain than any other essential mineral except iron and is believed to be particularly important in preserving the effectiveness of the so-called "blood brain barrier" (BBB). The purpose of the BB is to protect vital brain and nervous system tissue from the toxins which it might otherwise absorb through the blood supply. The potential problem is that the BBB is made of a highly sensitive and fragile membrane, largely comprised of fatty acids, which is particularly vulnerable to the oxidative damage caused by free radicals.

The supposition is therefore that oxidative stress upon the body may lead to reduced effectiveness of the BBB, with a consequently increased likelihood of degenerative health problems within the brain and nervous system; the best known of these being Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. This supposition has been borne out by laboratory experiments on rats, which have also shown that zinc deficiency in these animals significantly reduces the strength of the BBB.

It is perhaps not surprising, therefore, that zinc deficiency in humans has long been associated with brain pathologies including schizophrenia, multiple sclerosis, dyslexia, Huntington's disease, various dementias anorexia and depression. The logical corollary of these well-established findings should be that adequate supplies of dietary zinc will protect against these pathologies, perhaps especially those degenerative ones most closely associated with long-term oxidative stress.

Unfortunately, however, it appears that zinc is one of those minerals which it is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain from the daily diet. Soil depletion, environmental pollutants and diets high in refined carbohydrate diets are all implicated in dramatically reducing the amount of zinc active within our bodies; and the problem is especially acute for the elderly, whose less efficient digestive systems often struggle to absorb adequate amounts of the mineral, even supposing that these are present in the diet in the first place.

And these problems are compounded by the fact that the functions of zinc are by no means confined to brain and nervous system health. Adequate zinc is also necessary for the effectiveness of the immune system and wound healing, for reproductive and sexual health, the prevention of degenerative eye disease, the regulation of blood sugar and the maintenance of skin health to name but a few.

Not surprisingly, therefore, nutritional therapists make a strong case for routine zinc supplementation, particularly for the older population, and commonly recommend a daily protective dose of 15-25 mg of zinc per day. Both the US and EU authorities suggest a Recommended Dietary Amount (RDA) of 15 mg, and a good quality multi-mineral product will commonly provide around half this quantity. Higher doses of the single mineral are of course available when required for tackling the conditions detailed above, but more than 200 mg of zinc daily should not be taken for extended periods because this may interfere with the absorption of other minerals.

In this context it should be remembered in any case that the body functions holistically and that all supplements of zinc, of whatever quantity, should be taken together with comprehensive multi-mineral and multi-vitamin preparations.

About the Author

Steve Smith is a freelance copywriter specialising in direct marketing and with a particular interest in health products. Find out more at
http://www.sisyphuspublicationsonline.com/LiquidNutrition/Information.htm

What is the strongest oxidant in North American diets? What do the anti-oxidants fight?

Isn't fluoride a stronger oxidant than oxygen or even ozone.

Antioxidants fight the free radicals in our bodies. with each and every breath you take you generate free radicals, the uncontrolled oxidants that damage cells. Antioxidants act as scavengers but with a twist. They are the soldiers that go in there and give up their lives to regenerate the mutated cells ~ free radicals ~ to give them health and vitality again.

Antioxidants will retard the ageing process;
Lower cholesterol levels;
Decrease risk of atherosclerosis;
Help protect against heart disease and stroke;
Reduce the risk of all types of cancer;
Help slow down progression of Alzheimer's disease;
Aid in supressing the growth of tumors;
Help the body detoxify carcinogens;
Protect eyes from macular degeneration, a disease that causes vision loss;
Aid in defending the body against damage from cigarette smoking;
Offer protection against environmental pollution.

The older you get, the less natural antioxidants your body produces to keep these destructive molecules in check. As they accumulate, health deteriorates and aging accelerates ~ leaving you more susceptible to everything from wrinkles to serious degenerative diseases.

The major vitamins that act as antioxidants are vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin E. The major mineral free ~ radical scavengers are selenium and zinc. These two enhance each other's effectiveness meaning that they are synergistic. zinc is another potent antioxidant ~ a potent fighter of the common cold by increasing the level of infection ~ fighting T cells and thus enhancing the immune system.

To increase the levels of antioxidants in your body simply eat more foods rich in these vitamins and minerals.

Vitamin A ~ fish liver oil, carrots, dark green and yellow vegies, eggs, milk and dairy products and yellow fruits.

Vitamin C - leafy and green vegies, citrus fruits such as lemons, limes and oranges, tomatoes and potatoes, red and green peppers.

Vitamin E - Wheat germ, soybeans, vegetable oils, nuts, brussels sprouts, leafy greens, spinach, enriched flour, whole wheat, whole grain cereals and eggs.

Selenium - Seafood, kidneys, liver, wheat germ, bran, tuna fish, onions, tomatoes, broccoli, garlic and brown rice.

Zinc - Meat, liver, seafood (especially oysters), wheat germ, brewer's yeast, pumpkin seeds, eggs and ground mustard.

Cheers♥

good health to you & yours♥

Glutathione: The Mother Of All Anti-oxidants

Tags: -, anti, anti-oxidant, antioxidant diet, antioxidant foods, antioxidant fruits, antioxidant supplements, antioxidants, health, oxidant

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 26th, 2009 at 9:02 pm and is filed under anti-aging skin care. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.