The Truth About Anti-oxidants

So what are Anti-oxidants really all about? The following report includes some fascinating information about Anti-oxidants --info you can use, not just the old stuff they used to tell you.

Anti-oxidants scavenge free radicals. Today the processed diets that we eat produce free radicals therefore it is essential that we take anti-oxidants to counteract the harm that is being done by the affluent diet.

Today there is concern about safe doses of anti-oxidants. As we know vitamins and minerals are good for us. However, anything taken too big a quantity can be harmful. Because vitamins and minerals do not work alone in nature they also do not work alone in our body. They actually work together. A good example of this is Vitamin E. It is regenerated by Vitamin C and supported by selenium. This process of working together is called synergy. This is how a balance of these vitamins is produced.

Actually if we can learn to take our supplements in balanced doses than they in turn will be more effective in lower doses.

Recently there have been levels set that are acceptable and safe to take. This has been done by the Institute of Medicine who were advising the National Academy of Medicine on minimum and maximum supplement levels.

They recommend that we take no more than 1500 I.U.'s of Vitamin E, 2000 mg of Vitamin C and 400 micrograms of selenium per day. Research has confirmed that these levels of vitamins and anti-oxidants are safe for us to take.

The Cambridge Heart Association did an anti-oxidant study on 2000 people and found that 400 to 800 I.U.'s per day is optimum to protect against heart disease. 150 to 300 micrograms of selenium is optimum per day and 1000 to 2000 mg of Vitamin C is optimum per day.

Some reports in the news have said that high doses of anti-oxidants are harmful to your health. The fact is that too high a dose of Vitamin C can only cause a laxative effect. Vitamin E can thin the blood and selenium if taken to much can cause hair loss.

We are living in times when anti-oxidants are essential. Anti-oxidants scavenge free radicals that are produced by: pollution, chemicals, drugs, alcohol, as well as excessive eating of processed foods.

The food we eat today can contain any of the following chemicals: additives, preservatives, colorings and pesticide residue. We then add the things we breathe in like: car fumes, paints, aerosols and chemicals from indoor pools.

We also absorb chemicals through the skin from our skin care products, shampoos, make-up and sunscreen. Research has shown that some of these chemicals are toxic to our bodies.

Inside our bodies these toxic chemicals add to the free radicals that are inside of us. Research has shown that the free radicals add to degenerative diseases and cancer.

If you've picked some pointers about Anti-oxidants that you can put into action, then by all means, do so. You won't really be able to gain any benefits from your new knowledge if you don't use it.

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