Holistic Review O: oxidation fighting anti-oxidants for natural health.

    1. Artists easily can make dried apples to look like old people, because both are affected by the same rules of oxidation. 

"Anti-oxidants" are like preservatives. This is why antioxidants are so popular. The supplements recommended in every chapter of this book, and all natural health books, such as vitamin C, vitamin E and CoQ10, are usually antioxidants. The average human cell stops reproducing after a certain number of times. So the longer that each cell lives, the longer that you might live. The benefits of antioxidant supplements are especially obvious to the thousands of people who have used them for decades.

    2. However the benefits of some antioxidants may be exaggerated, especially beta carotene. 

Beta carotene is important, but enough usually is supplied in every multivitamin. Beta carotene is also plentiful in fish oil, algae and some fruits and vegetables. Excessive beta carotene may compete for receptors with other important carotenes such as lutein. Beware especially of eye support formulas that include high doses of beta carotene and relatively little lutein.

Also, antioxidant supplements are often implied to be a "fountain of youth" based on studies of animals or even worms. Humans are born with superior antioxidant systems. This is a major reason that we already live longer than most animals. Our benefit from additional antioxidants is not likely to be as great as for those creatures who had little to begin with.

Antioxidants deserve to be popular. However, if you took every dose suggested in every health book, this can cause a sore mouth, general irritation, and even increased oxidation. These side effects are temporary. However if this happens, be sure to discontinue temporarily, and then to reduce the dose.

    3. Perhaps the most under-popular antioxidants are lutein, carnosine and DHLA. 

Lutein is the leading natural defense against macular degeneration, the second leading cause of irreversible blindness. The amount in multivitamins is almost always too small. Lutein should be taken daily, or at least every other day. Bilberry is almost as important, helping not only the eyes but general circulation.

Carnosine is a major antioxidant that also protects against excessive antioxidants, and also is an anti-carbonylant. Carbonylation or "carbonizing" is a second aging process, separate from oxidation, and against which carnosine is the leading natural supplement. For carnosine, only one day a week might be enough. However to optimize the absorption pressure, it is necessary to take a total of 1000 mg. during that day.

DHLA (R-Dihydro-Lipoic Acid) is the new "right-sided" version of ALA (Alpha Lipoic Acid). This is the result of removing the less active components of ALA. The DHLA molecule is twice as effective, half the size and easier to digest. ALA or DHLA is more gentle than other super-antioxidants, and often called "the metabolic antioxidant" because of its support for the all-important blood sugar balance.

Product guide o1: the best of the most frequently neglected antioxidant health supplements.

    *   Lutein-Bilberry by Doctor's A-Z. 

The most convenient lutein and bilberry supplement. Without an extra swallow, this small pill converts any multivitamin into a comprehensive eye support supplement. However the ideal quality is obtained by using separate lutein and bilberry pills. These can be mixed in one bottle as if one supplement. See chapter V for more details.

    *   Mitochondrial Energy Optimizer with SODzyme by Life Extension. 

With carnosine, acetyl-L-carnitine, DHLA and SOD. (Also available without SOD for people with wheat allergies.)

    *   R-Dihydro-Lipoic-Acid DHLA softgels by Life Extension. 

DHLA is included in the Mitochondrial Energy Optimizer above. Its parent version ALA is also included in some good multivitamins. Therefore this separate softgel might not be needed. However some people find special benefit from substantial regular use of ALA. This is the best version. 150 mg. of DHLA equals 300 mg. of ALA. Also the capsules may be nipped open, with teeth or scissors, for use on the skin.

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