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Posts tagged ‘antioxidant’

Acetyl L-carnitine: Powerful Stuff!

Healthy fatty acids from plants

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One of the nutrients that has been used to improve memory is acetyl L-carnitine, a vitamin-like nutrient that is derived from L-carnitine. It plays a major role in the healthy functioning of the mitochondria, the energy powerhouse of the cell. Acetyl L-carnitine also acts as a transport mechanism for free fatty acids as well as act as an acetyl-group donor for energy metabolism. It is primarily found in skeletal and cardiac muscle.

Among the many different functions of acetyl L-carnitine are: it improves concentration, memory and focus; supports nerve cell function; enhances cardiovascular health; enhances sperm cell health in men; and supports antioxidant defenses to promote healthy aging.

A typical starting dose is 500 mg/day, taken on an empty stomach. The usual maximum dose is 2000 mg/day, taken in divided doses. It is generally safe to take but caution should be exercised if a person’s pregnant, nursing, has a history of seizures or taking prescription drugs. Always consult with a nutritionally-minded physician before incorporating this into your healthcare program.

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Antioxidants: Your Defense Against Premature Aging

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ORAC what? Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity is a test developed by USDA researchers at Tufts University in Boston to measure the antioxidant levels of foods and supplements. Why is this important? First, let’s explore what antioxidants are. These, in a nutshell, are substances that destroy free radicals. What are free radicals? Free radicals are unstable molecules that have a free electron. What free radicals do is that they steal electrons from other molecules such as our cells to make themselves stable. In the process, they damage our cells and their components. One of the most vulnerable parts of our cells is the mitochondria, the energy powerhouse of our cells. No wonder, once there’s mitochondrial damage (which is another cause of aging), one of the earliest symptoms a person could experience is fatigue or weakness. Antioxidants should ideally be coming from our food. Other sources include nutritional supplements such as vitamins, minerals and therapeutic-grade essential oils. Rich food sources of these antioxidants include prunes, wolfberries, acai berries, blueberries, pomegranates, apricots, kale, etc. Among the essential oils, clove scores the highest at 1,078,000, followed by myrhh at 379,000 and citronella at 312,000.

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I Hate Radicals!

The lipid peroxidation mechanism shows a singl...

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Free radicals, that is! Free radicals are highly unstable atoms or molecules that have unpaired electrons. In order to maintain stability, they steal electrons from other molecules such as our cells thereby causing cell damage. A good analogy would be a codependent/clingy person. He or she always has to be with someone to thrive or even survive. That ain’t fun! Anyhow, excessive free radical formation leads to premature aging and nobody wants that. To fight against free radicals, we need to take antioxidants. Antioxidants are molecules that basically donates electrons to free radicals which then neutralize them and prevent them from damaging other cells. Antioxidants come in the form of vitamins (Vitamins A, C and E), minerals (zinc, selenium), amino acids (glutathione), herbs (ginkgo), essential oils (clove essential oil) and other nutrients (resveratrol). Antioxidants typically turn into free radicals once they donate their electrons. That’s why it’s always a good idea to take a good mix of antioxidants rather than just taking an isolated one. Among the antioxidants by the way, glutathione is the only one that doesn’t turn into a free radical. Neat, huh?

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Resveratrol what?

Wine grapes.

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That’s a tongue twister! What is resveratrol anyway? Well, let’s just say that  if there’s any one supplement I would recommend, this is it! Intake of this nutrient mimics the effects on healthy aging seen in caloric restriction studies. That’s the benefits of longevity “without having to starve yourself to death”. Resveratrol, for those of you who are not familiar with it, is a very powerful antioxidant. It’s produced by some plants to protect themselves against the elements (strong rays of the sun and fungal infections). It is abundant in red wine (since it’s primarily found in grape skins) and is primarily the reason behind the French paradox. I would recommend taking it in a pill form if possible. For those wine lovers, red wine is what I would recommend, always in moderation of course. I myself can’t do it. I react weirdly to wine or any form of alcohol.

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