What you need to know about antioxidants

To ensure normal life processes, the human body needs a varied and nutritious diet. The beneficial properties of products are determined by their content of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and trace elements.

There are several lists of recommendations that reflect the average calculated daily intake of various substances necessary to maintain a healthy state of the body:

• The recommended daily intake is defined by the Division of Food and Nutrients of the US National Academy of Sciences as the average amount of essential vitamins and minerals for a person to consume per day. Designed primarily to cover human physiological needs rather than to prevent changes caused by stress;
• The daily requirement is a measure of the daily nutrient requirements of a healthy adult on a diet of two thousand kilocalories. The indicator is a global standard and is indicated on the labels of vitamin preparations, as well as some food products. The disadvantage of these recommendations is the lack of consideration of individual calorie needs related to gender, age, and physical activity of a person;
• The percentage daily requirement indicates what percentage of the daily requirement is covered by a particular food product or drug. So, if the label on your multivitamin says it only provides 30% of your daily vitamin E requirement, you should get the other 70% from another source. Avoid consuming more than 100% of your daily requirement unless specifically directed by your doctor.

When it comes to synthesized food additives, there are very different opinions about acceptable and safe doses of their consumption.

Nutrient deficiency

In developing countries, malnutrition is usually associated with poverty. However, disturbances in the supply of nutrients due to poor nutrition are also observed in developed countries and can develop in representatives of certain social groups, for example, in women who are overly keen on restrictive diets. After all, one thousand calories a day is not enough to meet the body's needs. Therefore, protein and soup diets, fancy separate nutrition schemes, unbalanced vegetarianism or veganism should be avoided: thus, the exclusion of animal proteins without adequate compensation with plant proteins leads to a serious deficiency of essential nutrients, antioxidants and vitamins.

Severe nutritional deficiencies can be caused by conditions such as anorexia, as well as by smoking and drinking alcohol. The skin of anorexia is very thin, dry, containing no subcutaneous fat, pale and wrinkled, prone to redness and irritation.

Oxidative stress and antioxidants

Nutrients are extremely important for eliminating the effects of oxidative stress in the skin, which adversely affects the metabolism of proteins, lipids and nucleic acids contained in the cell, leading to functional failures in their work and possible death. When too many free radicals occur, the body triggers the work of antioxidants aimed at combating reactive oxygen species. Antioxidants can be of enzymatic or non-enzymatic nature, for example, stress proteins, as well as exogenous substances that enter the body with food.

It is important to understand that there is a strong synergistic interaction between the endogenous free radical scavenging enzyme system and food-derived antioxidants. Many enzymes simply cannot perform their functions without the presence of antioxidants - vitamins, carotenoids, trace elements and polyphenols.

This explains the need for a varied and balanced diet: along with fruits, vegetables and animal products, molecules of antioxidants and enzyme cofactors enter the body. Let's remember that nutritionists recommend that their patients eat five fruits and vegetables a day - just enough to cover the daily dose of antioxidants.

Antioxidants from food

The amount of antioxidants needed depends on many factors. Nutrient requirements are generally proportional to daily energy expenditure and depend on a person's age, gender, stress exposure, environment (pollution, UV exposure, etc.), and physical fitness.

Antioxidant molecules can be organic (vitamins) and inorganic (microelements), do not play an energy role and act in extremely small quantities (mg, mcg), which in no way reduces their important function in the body. Most of these molecules (except vitamins D and K) are not synthesized by the body and must come from outside.

Vitamin A is metabolized in the skin under the influence of UV radiation. Vitamin K is synthesized by intestinal cells. Nutrition has a decisive influence on the skin and, in particular, on its detoxification functions.

Vitamin A (retinol)

Vitamin A was discovered first ⎼ in 1913, which is why it received the name of the capital letter of the alphabet. As a growth factor, it was discovered in milk in 1931 and synthesized in 1947. Responsible for our vision. Night blindness - a sharp deterioration of vision in low light, associated with a lack of vitamin A, was mentioned in ancient literature (Chinese, Hindi, Greek and Roman).

This vitamin is fat soluble and comes in two forms:

• retinol is directly absorbed in the digestive tract;
• Provitamin A, or beta-carotene, which is a precursor to vitamin A, is converted by intestinal cells into the vitamin as needed by the body. A very interesting fact is that a molecule of retinol is equivalent to six molecules of beta-carotene, meaning six molecules of beta-carotene are needed to produce vitamin A.

The main place of accumulation of the vitamin is the liver (90%), in smaller quantities it is also stored in the kidneys, adipose tissue and adrenal glands. In the blood, vitamin A combines with special transporter proteins that ensure retinol solubility, protection against oxidation and transport to various tissues. Therefore, in the case of an unbalanced diet and a deficiency in protein intake, a person will also experience a vitamin A deficiency. The absorption, metabolism and transport of vitamin A are affected by zinc deficiency, since this element is necessary for the synthesis of transport proteins. Secondary vitamin A deficiency is associated with chronic impairment of lipid absorption, bile formation, and chronic exposure to oxidizing agents such as cigarette smoke and alcohol.

Animal food sources of vitamin A:

• dairy products (butter and whole milk);
• chicken liver, fish, pork and veal;
• fish oil and fish liver (halibut, cod, tuna);
• yolk.

It is very important to understand that vitamin A of animal origin can perform antioxidant functions, so it is preferable to take the vitamin in this form. Vitamin A, especially beta-carotene, is very important for good skin condition. Unfortunately, vegetarians may experience vitamin A deficiency.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C must be obtained from food daily. Its effect on the body is truly unique, including playing a huge role in nutrition and dermatology. But, being one of the most important vitamins, it is also the most fragile - sensitive to water, heat and light, and destroyed during cooking.

Scurvy was known back in the 5th century BC. uh, and in 1932 it was proven that it is caused by the lack of ascorbic acid in the human diet. In the Middle Ages, sailors who spent many months at sea suffered from scurvy. First of all, scurvy is characterized by fragility of blood vessels with the appearance of a characteristic hemorrhagic rash on the body and bleeding gums. This is due to the fact that collagen, in the synthesis of which vitamin C participates, is an important component of the vascular wall. It took a long time before doctors realized that it was necessary to treat this disease with the help of vegetables and fruits, especially citrus fruits - oranges and lemons.

Vitamin C was first isolated in its pure form in 1928. This vitamin is water soluble and cannot be stored for a long time. It is one of the main substances in the human diet, necessary for the normal functioning and synthesis of connective and bone tissue, performs the biological functions of a reducing agent and coenzyme of some metabolic processes, and is an antioxidant. Therefore, daily intake of vitamin C is absolutely necessary for every person.

Many foods are rich in vitamin C. It is mainly present in plant foods: citrus fruits, strawberries, kiwi, black currants, cabbage, turnips, red peppers, parsley, tarragon, sorrel, rose hips, sea buckthorn, guava. Heat, chemical processing and storage lead to the destruction of most of the vitamin, and the sooner after picking you eat fruits and vegetables, the more vitamin C enters the body. It is important to remember that frozen fruits have a higher vitamin C content than jams and confitures made from them, since the products cannot be cooked, which allows them to better preserve their beneficial properties.

Food sources of vitamin C of animal origin are animal liver and fish fillets - salmon, tuna and eel.

The need for vitamin C increases during intense physical activity, alcoholism, tobacco smoking, and exposure to other sources of exogenous cell damage (such as smoke and smog). To combat oxidative stress caused by tobacco, smokers, for example, need to increase their daily dose of vitamin C by 20%.

Vitamin E (Tocopherol)

It is not for nothing that Vitamin E is called the vitamin of youth and fertility, since being a powerful antioxidant, tocopherol slows down the aging process in the body, and also ensures the functioning of the reproductive gonads in both women and men. The vitamin was first synthesized in 1936⎼1938. Eight tocopherol compounds are known, of which alpha-tocopherol is the most abundant and biologically active. Sensitive to light, oxidation and heat.

This fat-soluble vitamin is stored in the liver and adipose tissue, and due to this storage property, there is no urgent need to consume it every day. As noted, it has antioxidant activity ⎼ particularly in the skin, in combination with vitamin C and glutathione. Often used as a preservative: additives E 306 and E 309 on labels are used to prevent oxidation (rancidity) of products.

Food sources of vitamin E:

• products of animal origin: meat, eggs, fish, liver, milk and its derivatives, such as butter;
• Plant-based foods: all vegetable oils and margarines (except olive oil, which contains very little vitamin E), soybeans, corn, peanuts, wheat germ, tree nuts and almonds.

People who eat little fat are at risk of being deficient in vitamins A, D, E and K.

Beta-carotenes

Beta-carotenes are part of the carotenoid family - pigments that are synthesized by higher plants, fungi, bacteria, and algae. Carotenoids provide the red, yellow and purple color of fruits and flowers, are not destroyed by heat, and are excellent antioxidants. Let us remember that synthetic retinoids are used in cosmetics and are absolutely not used in the food industry.

Beta-carotenes are fat-soluble, their bioavailability reaches 50% in the presence of fat and is significantly reduced with a low-fat diet. Contained in large quantities in pumpkin, carrots, green onions, sorrel, spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, red peppers, broccoli, grapefruits, plums, peaches, melon, apricots, persimmons, gooseberries, blueberries, black currants.

Polypherols

Polyphenols are plant pigments that are powerful antioxidants. More than eight thousand polyphenolic compounds have been isolated from various plant species. Scientific research convincingly shows that a long-term diet rich in plant polyphenols provides protection against cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and neurodegenerative diseases.

There are several groups of polyphenolic compounds:

• flavonoids are pigments that give various colors to plant tissues. There are many of them in citrus zest, green tea, onions, sea buckthorn and dark chocolate;
• tannins, responsible for the astringency of various fruits and grape seeds, are present in red wine;
• anthocyanins, responsible for the color of red fruits of cherries, black currants and strawberries;
• catechins ⎼ found in green tea (100 ml of tea can contain 200 mg of catechins) and grapes;
• quercetins ⎼ are found in apples, onions (from 35 to 120 mg per 100 g of raw weight) and tea.

The sources of polyphenols are exclusively products of plant origin. Consuming about 1 g of fruits and vegetables per day provides the body with about 1 g of polyphenols, which is ten times more than vitamin C and one hundred times more than carotenoids and vitamin E. There are currently no recommendations for daily intake of polyphenols.

Lycopene

Lycopene, a carotenoid pigment found in the red-orange parts of many plants, is the precursor to all other carotenoids, including beta-carotene. It is not synthesized by the human body and comes only with food. For us, its main source is tomatoes. Lycopene content usually correlates with the intensity of the red color of the fruit. Heat treatment has a slight effect on the lycopene content, but evaporation and frying lead to its concentration in the final product: fresh tomatoes contain much less of the substance than ketchup or tomato paste.

There is also no recommended daily intake for lycopene because it is not an essential nutrient.

Microelements

The body uses zinc to produce sperm and male hormones and maintain normal prostate function; for vitamin E metabolism; synthesis of various anabolic hormones, including insulin, testosterone and growth hormone; necessary for the breakdown of alcohol in the body. Meat and liver, fish and oysters, grains and legumes are rich in zinc. Its deficiency may be due to alcoholism and smoking, diets (vegan, protein diet), laxative abuse. The recommended daily intake of zinc in the diet is 11 mg for men and 8 mg for women.

Selenium takes part in the metabolism of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, as well as in the processes of oxidation and reduction; is part of muscle tissue proteins, including myocardial proteins; is a synergist of iodine and vitamin E. Selenium is found in fish, crustaceans, shellfish, meat, liver and kidneys, eggs, garlic and broccoli grown in soil rich in this trace element, wheat germ, brewer's yeast, and whole grain bread. The daily human need for selenium is 70⎼100 mcg.

Manganese affects growth, blood renewal and the function of the sex glands. Found in foods of plant origin: rice, soy, avocado, green beans, spinach, nuts and olive oil, all cereals, bran and whole wheat, tea and mineral water.

Skin health

The skin is a vital organ whose cells are renewed every 28 days, which is much faster than liver or heart cells. Like all other organs, for its vital functions, as well as to perform its protective function, the skin needs biologically significant elements. Particularly important for our skin are omega-3 and -6 fatty acids, which play a significant role in the construction of cell membranes and the formation of a protective hydrolipid film. These fatty acids are not synthesized by our body and can only be obtained from food. In addition, the skin needs substances with antioxidant functions, ⎼ vitamins (A, C, E and beta-carotene), microelements (zinc, selenium and manganese), polyphenols and carotenoids.

In pathological conditions such as psoriasis, atopic dermatitis (eczema) and other inflammatory dermatoses, people need special dietary nutrition, in particular, the use of fish oil and omega-3 and -6 fatty acids. The skin, like any other organ, must be well nourished. It’s not without reason that they say: “We are what we eat,” and the beauty of our skin directly depends on what’s on our plate.

Finally

As a conclusion, we can say that for the health of our body in general and our skin in particular, it is, of course, advisable to adhere to the recommendations for the daily intake of nutrients. Ideally, for this it is necessary to form a balanced and varied diet, which will include products of animal and plant origin (meat, eggs, fish, vegetables and fruits).

But what in reality? In reality, we must, of course, take into account the way of life we lead. Let's take a modern woman who, without looking up from her work in the office, eats some semi-finished products for lunch. Naturally, in this case, insufficient vitamins and microelements will be supplied with food. This diet needs to be adjusted.

We do not always take into account WHO recommendations regarding nutrition and consumption of all the nutrients the body needs. Considering physical and environmental stress, pollution, UV exposure, allergic reactions and taking into account the effects of aging caused by the natural phenomena of menopause and andropause, as well as an unbalanced diet, we are faced with an increase in the consumption of all nutrients required by the body and skin for normal functioning. This means that in addition to a balanced diet, it is correct to prescribe the patient to take nutritional supplements to replenish the nutritional deficiencies for the skin and the whole body.