Why Do You Need Antioxidants?
We’re always told about antioxidants and that we should get plenty of them - but, why?
Antioxidants neutralize free radicals. Free radicals are formed mostly while you eat, or when you come into contact with harmful environmental factors like pollution, smoke, radiation, or chemicals.
Free radicals, or reactive oxygen species, are essentially unstable atoms or molecules with an uneven amount of electrons. When an atom is lacking in the proper amount of electrons, it will scavenge and search throughout the rest of the body for another atom to pair with. While free radicals scavenge, they can cause cell damage and even death.
When you have a higher number of free radicals than neutralizing antioxidants, you enter what’s referred to as oxidative stress. Oxidative stress can lead to low-grade inflammation and diseases like cancer, arthritis, dementia and more.
Worse, oxidative damage occurs directly to cell membranes, proteins and DNA within the cell.
Antioxidants are able to give these free radicals the missing electron, thus neutralizing them and preventing further damage. Some antioxidants are also able to increase levels of your own natural antioxidant enzymes.
How To Increase Antioxidant Production
Your body naturally produces various antioxidants to help fight free radicals and lower levels of oxidative stress. Some of these antioxidants include Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA), and glutathione.
However, antioxidants are only able to neutralize one free radical, and because the body’s natural antioxidant levels decrease as we age, you’ll want to supplement your antioxidant levels through diet.
Eating a diet that’s high in fruits and vegetables can increase your antioxidant levels. Meanwhile, reducing your intake of red meat, processed foods, and most processed seed oils can decrease your oxidative stress levels.
These are some of the reasons that Dr. Meredith Warner is a big advocate of the Mediterranean Diet. This diet focuses on fish and seafood, whole grains, extra-virgin olive oil, fruits and vegetables. It also includes a moderate amount of red wine, which includes the antioxidant resveratrol. It’s important to note that alcohol in moderation is much different from drinking heavily. It’s still important to exercise restraint when consuming alcohol, because large quantities of alcohol can actually produce the opposite effect of what you’re looking for and increase your oxidative stress.
Other important antioxidants you can find in a healthy diet are vitamin E, vitamin C, flavonoids and omega-3 fatty acids. And while you can get quite a bit of these from diet, you won’t always be able to reach ideal levels through diet alone.
Antioxidants Found In Well Theory
Dr. Warner created several antioxidant supplements to help reduce your risk of disease from oxidative stress.
Dr. Warner developed her CoQ10 Plus Gummies because she knows that your natural CoQ10 antioxidant levels decrease as you age. These gummies also contain Tart Cherry Extract and Chaga Mushrooms - two more powerful antioxidants that can fight free radicals. These gummies also reduce your LDL Cholesterol levels and muscle pain commonly associated with taking statins.
Your body also produces Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) naturally, although it too decreases as you age. ALA helps reduce nerve damage and pain associated with free radicals. Not only is it an antioxidant itself, but it helps promote your own antioxidant production. Dr. Warner’s single-ingredient capsules of this antioxidant include 600mg of ALA.
As part of her Longevity Series, Dr. Warner created a single-ingredient capsule of Resveratrol. Resveratrol is that antioxidant found in the skin of grapes and in red wine. This antioxidant is also an anti-inflammatory and increases your AMPK production - allowing your cells to reach energy homeostasis.
You can also find resveratrol in Dr. Warner’s Nervous System Multi. Not only does this multivitamin contain resveratrol, but it also has omega-3 fatty acids. These can be good to supplement with if you’re not particularly fond of fish, a more common source of omega-3. This powerhouse supplement not only fights oxidative stress, but it also relieves pain and provides cholesterol and blood pressure support.
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