Antioxidants neutralize oxidants to prevent damage to our body
Antioxidants “sacrifice” themselves to preserve our body parts from damage by oxidants
To better understand the function of antioxidants in the body:
Antioxidants for “Oxidant Damage Control
How do we obtain antioxidants?
From food and/or supplements:
- The vitamins: Vitamin A, Vitamin B, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, and Vitamin K
- Phytonutrients:
- Carotenoids. E.g. beta-carotene (in carrots, pumpkin, sweet potatoes), lycopene (in tomatoes)
- Polyphenols. E.g. resveratrol (in grapes, red wine), anthocyanins (in berries) curcumin (in turmeric), epicatechins (in dark chocolate, green tea)
- Other antioxidants. E.g. CoQ-10; alpha-lipoic acid;
Produced “In-house” by the body.
- E.g. Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT), Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx), Glutathione (GSH), CoQ10 (production decreases with age)
Antioxidants are water-soluble and/or fat soluble:
- Fat soluble. Protect cellular plasma and nucleic membranes (housing DNA) from lipid peroxidation. (Canfield et al, 1985). Fat soluble vitamins can be stored in the body (except K storage is minimal). Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, CoQ-10, alpha-lipoic acid;
- Water Soluble – Provide oxidant damage control in the blood and cell plasma. Water soluble vitamins can NOT be stored in the body. Include: Vitamin B, Vitamin C, alpha-lipoic acid.
The Antioxidant “Team”Antioxidants need optimal amounts of certain MINERALS to function properly | ||
|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant | Water or fat soluble? | Example foods |
| Vitamin A (Beta-carotene) | Fat | Liver, some cod liver oil, “grass-fed” butter, cream, cheese, whole milk Highly colored fruits/veg. esp. carrots, pumpkin, cantaloupe |
B Vitamins: B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin) B3 (niacin) B5 (pantothenic acid) B6 (pyridoxine), B7 (biotin) | Water | Meat, eggs, dairy; also spinach, legumes, whole grains, asparagus, potatoes, bananas, chili peppers |
| Vitamin C | Water | Pomegranate, blackcurrants, kiwi, mango, lemon, orange, cantaloupe, red pepper, red cabbage |
| Fat | Sunshine; High vitamin cod liver oil; Oily fish; Butter, eggs, milk from outdoor livestock | |
| Vitamin E | Fat | Nuts, wheat germ, palm oil |
| Vitamin K | Fat | Kale, spinach, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, natto, sauerkraut, aged cheeses |
| Lipoic Acid | Fat/Water | Kidney, heart, liver, spinach, broccoli, and yeast extract |
| CoQ10 | Fat | Beef, herring, chicken, trout |
| Polyphenols | Water | Red wine (2 glasses/day), cocoa / dark chocolate |
| Carotenoids | Mostly water | Carrots, pumpkin, cantaloupe |
Supporting trace minerals / vitamins for body’s “in house”- produced antioxidants:Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT), Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx), Glutathione (GSH) | ||
| Supported AOX | Food(s) containing Mineral | |
| Selenium | GPx, GSH | Brazil nuts |
| Zinc | SOD | Pumpkin seeds |
| Manganese | SOD | Whole grains, nuts, chickpeas |
| Copper | SOD | Whole grains, beans, nuts, potatoes |
| Iron | CAT | |
| B6, B12, Folate | GSH | Required for methylation and transulfuration pathways – See SAMe |
References
Canfield LM et al (1985) Anti-oxidant/pro-oxidant reactions of vitamin K.
