What is Anti-Aging?
Anti-aging is one of today’s most popular wellness pursuits. Life expectancy is increasing, and with the right lifestyle we can maintain peak quality of life as we age. Baby Boomers are leading the way with positive lifestyle changes, but health-conscious individuals in their 40s and even their 30s are pursuing anti-aging strategies, too.**
Nutritional supplements – especially antioxidants – are a major part of the anti-aging movement. In fact, according to one survey, 75% of consumers reported that nutritional supplements are their primary anti-aging tool. Anti-aging nutrients and antioxidants promote youthful wellness in a number of ways, helping to:**
- Revitalize youthful-looking skin**
- Promote peak energy levels**
- Support clear, healthy vision**
- Optimize joint comfort and mobility**
- Support strong, healthy bones**
- Improve memory and mental focus**
- Fight age-accelerating free radicals**
According to one recent study, antioxidants and other anti-aging nutrients might be even more effective when supplementation is started earlier in life. These anti-aging supplements are usually categorized as either antioxidants or replenishing nutrients.**
What are Antioxidants?
Antioxidants are among the most popular anti-aging supplements. But what are antioxidants, and how might antioxidants help us to maintain youthful vitality?
According to The Free Radical Theory of Aging, unstable atoms called “free radicals” smash against cell membranes and DNA, causing widespread damage. This cellular damage accelerates the aging process, contributing to dozens of age-related health issues, including vision loss, inflammation, heart problems, mental clarity issues and more. On the surface, free radicals’ impact can be seen in skin cell damage: Wrinkles, sagging, age spots, and blemishes.**
Antioxidants are compounds that neutralize or “quench” free radicals, ending their cellular damage. Antioxidants’ power in neutralizing free radicals is sometimes measured by a scale known as ORAC value. The higher the ORAC value, the more effectively antioxidants are believed to quench free radicals. Fruit extracts like acai berry, black cherry, and pomegranate are loaded with beneficial antioxidants and are known for their high ORAC values.**
There are hundreds of different antioxidants. While all antioxidants share the ability to neutralize free radicals, some antioxidants supply additional, targeted anti-aging benefits. For example, some antioxidants support youthful skin, other antioxidants promote youthful memory, while still other antioxidants help keep blood vessels flexible. Many experts suggest that these different antioxidants seem to work best within a network, as this may potentiate antioxidants’ ability to quench different free radicals.** Some of the most popular antioxidants for anti-aging supplements include:
Vitamin C: This superstar antioxidant promotes immunity, joint health, and cardiovascular health. It is popularly used as an anti-aging antioxidant in skin serums.**
Resveratrol: Derived from red wine grapes or Japanese Knotweed, this potent antioxidant may mimic calorie restriction, a bioactivity associated with anti-aging.**
Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA): The “Universal Antioxidant” that crosses the blood-brain barrier, ALA optimizes youthful focus, memory and mental clarity.**
Lutein: Lutein neutralizes free radicals in the eye, promoting lens clarity, macular wellness, and overall vision health. Lutein’s anti-aging power extends to skin, as well.**
Pycnogenol: This French maritime pine bark extract supplies dozens of antioxidants and is associated with anti-aging benefits for the skin and blood vessels.**
What is a Replenishing Anti-Aging Nutrient?
As we get older, our ability to produce, absorb, and utilize some nutrients declines. Plus, many medications interfere with nutrient absorption and deplete the body’s nutritional stores. With advancing age, the risk of nutritional deficiency – and all of its associated symptoms and health problems – may increase. Replenishing supplements may help to restore nutrition that declines with age. Some of today’s top replenishing anti-aging nutrients include:**
CoQ10 & Ubiquinol: With age we lose the ability to create, absorb and use CoQ10, an antioxidant that sparks cellular energy and promotes cardiovascular health. Statin drugs also deplete CoQ10. Supplementation can reverse CoQ10 decline. Ubiquinol may be a better form for older adults because it is easier to absorb.**
DHEA: DHEA is a building block of hormones that are associated with youthful vitality. Unfortunately, we start losing the ability to produce DHEA in our 30s. DHEA replenishment is a cutting-edge anti-aging strategy that has been associated with whole-body revitalization. 5-Keto is a DHEA metabolite, delivering all of DHEA’s benefits in a gentler form.**
Calcium & Vitamin D: As we age, calcium in bones declines and we lose the ability to synthesize and absorb vitamin D. Supplements can restore these nutrients to ideal levels, helping to optimize skeletal strength and youthful posture.**
Glucosamine & Chondroitin: Our bodies can create these building blocks for healthy joints, but by our 40s, we start to lose the ability to do so. By replenishing glucosamine and chondroitin via supplementation, we can support joint health, flexibility and mobility.**
Phosphatidylserine (PS): An important building block nutrient found in the brain, PS levels naturally decline as we age. Replenishing this important brain nutrient can help to energize the brain, promote sharp memory and enhance mental clarity, especially when it comes to cognitive issues associated with aging.**
Antioxidants/Anti-Aging Supplements
Antioxidants and anti-aging supplements can encompass a wide array of products, including blends of antioxidants, targeted anti-aging supplements (such as for memory, joint health, and hormone wellness), skin creams and antioxidant serums.**
Antioxidants/Anti-Aging Directions for Use
Contact your health care provider before taking antioxidants or beginning any anti-aging regimen, including regular intake of nutritional supplements. There is no standard antioxidants dosage. Antioxidant dosage can vary widely depending on the anti-aging product taken.**
