Twenty One Days of Healthy Skin: Antioxidants (Day 17)
In all the healthcare industries we banter around the words free radical and anti-oxidants to the point of boredom. We all know that free radicals are bad for you and anti-oxidants are good. What I do however find – even in conversations with skincare professionals – is that we really do not know and understand the relevance of these terms. What are free radicals actually, why are they bad? What on earth to anti-oxidants have to do with free radicals? Are questions I ask and very few know the answer.
In this short blog, I would like to share the answers to these questions.
What is a free radical?
In short, it is an unstable molecule.
The aim of this molecule is to become stable. In this stabilising reaction, it will ‘steal’ an electron from other molecules – a molecular reaction. This then creates injury or damage to the structure that the molecule was stolen from. In essence, this is neither bad nor good, it is the nature of science and biology. The challenge is that the reaction is not limited to these two molecules but will trigger a cascade of molecular reactions. In this way, a whole area of a cell wall or DNA could be damaged. These reactions happen all over our bodies, constantly.
What is an anti-oxidant?
It is a molecule that is able to stabilise a free radical.
Anti-oxidants either share an electron with the free radical or they react with the molecule through an enzymatic reaction. This stops the cascade of free radical reactions and stops the damage to the structure. This is how free radicals protect you from cellular and DNA damage.
Where do free radicals come from?
You are the biggest source of your own free radicals. The way in which our bodies ‘burn’ nutrients during the process of metabolism produces free radicals. The sun, ionising radiation, smoking, pollution and inflammation load the body with even more free radicals. The implication of metabolism being the biggest source of free radical is that even if you are not a smoker and live on an unpolluted mountain, you might be in a state of oxidative stress – where there are more free radicals in your body then anti-oxidants to stabilise them.
And the source of anti-oxidants?
Our bodies manufacture anti-oxidants (not all of them though – see our blog on Vit C), however out bodies get the biggest source of antioxidants from the fruit and vegetables in our diet. There are two challenges with this though. Firstly we are overexposed to free radicals and secondly, our diet is lacking in the fruits and vegetables that we need to balance free radical activity. In the skin, the added challenge is that it gets what is left of anti-oxidants after major organs use that they need. This is even true with supplementation.
The best most effective way to protect your skin from free radicals? Apply potent anti-oxidants ono your skin where you need them most. Combine this with a super anti-oxidant in an oral supplement and don’t discontinue the supplementation with anti-oxidants that you are already taking.
Ultimate protection right where you need it.
The products containing anti-oxidants in the Lamelle range:
All the Lamelle products contain some anti-oxidants. The most potent anti-oxidants are however found in the Nourish range of products. Here they are also combined with an enzyme that can find and fix DNA damage. Ensuring that if you use the Lamelle Nourish range of products you will be perfectly protected and will stop all the damaging processes that trigger aging of your skin – This range will keep your skin looking young and vibrant.
Written By:
Training Specialist Karen Bester