Antioxidants
If you’ve noticed how an apple turns brown when it’s cut or how iron rusts when exposed to the elements, you’ve seen the effects of oxidation. Oxidation causes similar damage to the cells of the body. But unless you have discovered how to live without breathing, you cannot escape the consequences of oxidation. It takes place whenever you breathe, digest food, exercise, or even sleep – and produces potentially harmful agents called free radicals.

Free radicals are unstable molecules that trigger chain reactions that eat away at the cells of the body and damage the genetic material they contain. Countless free-radical chain reactions take place in the body each day. In addition, emotional stress, ultraviolet light, air pollution, and cigarette smoke also generate free radicals that can put your health at risk.

Fortunately, nature provides antioxidants – factors which have been shown to be helpful in minimizing the effects of free radicals. The most important antioxidants include:

• Certain vitamins and carotenoids

• Glutathione, L-cysteine, alpha lipoic acid

• Certain minerals such as Zinc and Selenium

• Components found in plants, such as ginkgo biloba, bilberry, resveratrol and green tea

While fruits and vegetables provide a source of natural antioxidants in the diet, in this modern age additional supplementation is desirable to help achieve optimal intake.

Recent research suggests that combinations of antioxidants work better than isolated antioxidants, and that alpha lipoic acid in particular helps to recycle the antioxidants.

Minerals
Minerals are the inorganic elements which comprise part of the body. They contribute from 60% to 80% of all the inorganic material in the human body. The trace elements make up the remainder. Minerals and trace elements serve as vital catalysts for the biological reactions that take place within the body. They are found, for example, in bones, teeth and soft tissues. They are needed for the production of blood, hormones and enzymes, thus serving a life sustaining function.

The absorption of minerals and trace elements (excluding electrolytes) is generally less efficient than that of other nutrients. The term “bioavailability” refers to the degree to which a particular nutrient is available for use in the body. There are many factors which influence bioavailability including the compound form of the mineral or trace element.