Conversely, a lower level of vitamin A and vitamin E is associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Sufferers have half the blood levels of vitamin E and beta-carotene of those people who do not have Alzheimer’s. Elderly people with low blood levels of vitamin C have 11 times the risk of developing cataracts compared to those with high blood levels of vitamin C. continue reading »
Co-enzyme Q10 (Co-Q10) is not classified as a vitamin because it can be made in the body. Co-010 is a vital antioxidant which helps to protect cells from carcinogens and also helps to recycle vitamin E. It is particularly important because of its ability to improve the cells’ use of oxygen. In the final and most significant stage of catabolism, when hydrogen is released during the Krebs cycle to react with oxygen, the actual reaction occurs at an atomic level. continue reading »
The amino acids cysteine and glutathione also act as antioxidants. Cysteine is often supplemented as N-acetyl-cysteine; the body can use cysteine to make glutathione which is the key ingredient in the antioxidant enzyme, glutathione peroxidase, which is itself dependent on selenium. continue reading »
Anthocyanidins, from the flavonoid family, are powerful antioxidants found in a wide variety of foods. They account for the different colours of many plants — for example, purple, red, orange, yellow and green plants all contain different types of anthocyanidins. (So you can be sure of a good intake by eating a naturally colourful diet.) continue reading »
This is a sulphur-containing vitamin-like substance which has very effective antioxidant properties. It is sometimes known as thioctic acid and plays an important role in the conversion of carbohydrates to energy. As an antioxidant, it is particularly useful because, like anthocyanidins, it is one of the few that is both water- and fat-soluble which means it can protect a wider range of molecules than, say, just vitamin C or vitamin E. In Germany, lipoic acid is an approved drug for the treatment of diabetic neuropathy (a condition which affects the nerves of diabetic people) and, in one study, it was shown to improve the levels of various beneficial substances in the blood of HIV- infected people. Foods said to be high in lipoic acid are liver and yeast. Because of the chemical structure of lipoic acid, it is particularly easy to absorb in either a capsule or tablet form. As a general antioxidant support, a dose of 20-50mg is recommended.
This is one piece of the jigsaw that will make up your personal supplement programme.
Given the unquestionable value of increasing your antioxidant status, it is wise to make sure that your daily supplement programme contains significant quantities of antioxidants, especially if you are older, continue reading »
There is no question that more vitamin C means better immune function. These are some of its key roles in boosting your immunity: continue reading »
Zinc deficiency causes shrinking of the thymus (the master gland that makes T cells and is a key component of our immune system) possibly due to the fact that zinc is needed for release of vitamin A from the liver, continue reading »
Calcium
The mineral calcium is vital for the immune system. It is needed by all phagocytic cells in order to perform their job of attaching to and gobbling up foreign material. Cytotoxic T cells need calcium in order to make the enzymes which they produce to kill foreign cells. continue reading »
This root of the plant Echinacea purpurea is probably the most widely used immune-boosting herb. It possesses interferon- like properties and 1s an effective anti-viral agent against flu and herpes. continue reading »
