ANTIOXIDANTS - AN OVERVIEW

Antioxidants improve endurance and explosive performance; improve oxygen utilization and volume in blood plasma; protect against muscle cell destruction; speed recovery time; slow down the ageing process and may even reduce your risk of developing cancer.

Occasionally, research reveals something that has a profound effect on health and performance enhancement. Such a discovery is the role of antioxidants. Published research data about antioxidants shows the vital role that antioxidants play in health and athletic performance. The following text provides simplified information about the role of antioxidants.

ANTIOXIDANTS- WHAT ARE THEY?
Antioxidants are nutrients. The most commonly known are Vitamin C, & E and b-Carotene. They are often called "Free Radical Scavengers" for a reason which will become clear later.

Another way to describe antioxidants is anti-ageing or anti-destruction agents. Recent studies indicate that antioxidants work best as a group. Together, they protect body cells against damage from oxygen-free radicals.

Free radicals are able to target important molecules in the body, ie. DNA, RNA, Proteins..... and latch on to them. This action causes cells to degenerate more rapidly, resulting in a significant adverse effect on athletic performance and premature degeneration (more rapid aging and destruction) of body cells.

OXIDISATION - WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

Oxidisation comes from the word oxygen. Oxidisation, or degeneration of organic matter, an apple for example, is seen by a rapid discolouration to brown, when cut open. The apple's degeneration could be slowed down by adding lemon juice. Similarly, antioxidants prevent the degeneration of body cells by stabilising harmful, free radical molecules responsible for the destructive process.

Oxygen is essential to support life. But, it can also be harmful in some forms, inside the body. For example, a good molecule of oxygen is one which has its electrons paired up, and is therefore stable. However, a bad, or potentially dangerous oxygen molecule has a missing electron and is unstable, creating what is termed a 'Free Radical'. These volatile molecules are destructive because they rapidly move around in search of another electron in an effort to become stabilised. So, they grab onto body cells in an attempt to become stable.

We have discovered that this action damages cells and causes problems with the function of the cell to which the free radical has become attached. Research has established that it is this interference with healthy cells which is responsible for a catabolic effect on muscle and other cells and is also responsible for accelerating ageing. Free Radicals are also a primary cause of cancer.

Antioxidants are called 'Free Radical Scavengers' because they become attached to the Free Radical and stabilise, ( neutralise) it. Free Radicals are all around us, in the air we breath, the food we eat, and as a consequence of normal metabolism (which increases significantly during exercise). Free Radicals are now recognised as a great threat to society because of the significant increase in environmental pollutants This threat is made worse by stress and inadequate diet.

WHAT CAN ANTIOXIDANTS DO FOR YOU?

Antioxidants assist, biochemically, in protecting your health and in so doing, also assist in optimising athletic performance. Antioxidants also play a significant role in recovery after training, ie. Physiological Stress (PS).

Physiological Stress experienced during intense exercise will cause a rapid increase in the production of Free Radicals, if left unchallenged, they could cause the breakdown of muscle tissue, (atrophy). This is obviously most undesirable. Those involved in serious training know how much effort it takes, week in, week out.

It is a great motivation booster to know that all the hard work, enduring the Physical Stress (PS) involved in training, is not being undermined by Free Radicals.

Stress cannot be avoided, therefore we must adopt strategies to manage it and minimise the adverse effects of stress. Antioxidants are used by the bio-system to assist in the production of anti-stress hormones, and also to support immune defence reactions.

Depending on the intensity of training (PS), athletes may require up to 5 times the amount of antioxidants than that of a sedentary person. During PS the body is forced to produce adrenaline. The down side to this is that there is a huge increase in the formation of Free Radicals and a significant suppression of the immune system takes place.

WHEN SHOULD AN ANTIOXIDANT BE TAKEN?

Ideally, daily however, it is important to increase the daily amount for at least two days before and two days after PS. It is also believed beneficial to increase the daily dose of antioxidants during other periods when there is a greater demand on the immune system and other bio-functions, ie. periods of illness, convalescence and when pharmaceutical substances are prescribed.

*All information in this article relates to Antioxidants generally, and should not be taken as implying medical claims for any specific Vydex products.