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Anti-Oxidants
Slow Down Aging Process
Contrary to what Juan Ponce de Leon thought when he searched
for it in the 16th century, the fountain of youth is made of anti-oxidants, not
water, and it's a lot easier to find than the famed explorer thought.
In a study published in January's American Journal of
Physiology, Christiaan Lecawenburgh, a professor in UF's College of Health and
Human Performance, found that anti-oxidant intervention, which can come from
taking vitamin supplements or from a steady routine of exercise, slows parts of
the aging process.
"Our most significant finding was that anti-oxidant
intervention slows down basal skeletal muscle oxidation, which causes the body
to age," said Leeuwenburgh, who did the study with researchers from the Washington
University School of Medicine. "This is the first evidence of this."
Aging
and
tissue and muscle loss
Regular exercise or a diet including plenty of anti-oxidants
such as vitamin E, vitamin C and beta carotene, all of which fight the tendency
of oxygen to slowly break down muscle mass, might protect against the type of
tissue and muscle loss that occur as individuals grow older, Leeuwenburgh said.
"We were surprised to see that regular exercise
training was about as effective in reducing levels of oxidation as a diet of
anti-oxidants," Leeuwenburgh said. "The combined effect of anti-oxidants
and exercise, however, didn't cause a significantly lower level of muscle
oxidation, which was interesting."
The study also was the first of its kind to show that levels
of oxidation in the body can be determined noninvasively, by using specific
markers in the urine.
Aging
and heart disease
Leeuwenburgh recommends daily anti-oxidant intake,
especially vitamin E, because it also has been proven to protect against heart
disease. Exercising more and eating less also will help people live longer, he
says.
"Anti-Oxidants and Aging"
Recommended
book:
Formula For Life;
The Anti-Oxidant, Free-Radical Detoxification
by Eberhard & Phyllis Kronhausen
Info/order this book
About The
Author
Reprinted from the University of Florida Focus, Univerity Of
Florida Alumni Association, PO Box 14425, Gainesville, Florida 32604-2425.
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