What Are Antioxidants and How do They Affect Aging?

Most people have heard the term antioxidants. Many of those people are probably even familiar with a few foods that are high in antioxidants. In fact, antioxidants occur in many cellular formations from foods to vitamins and minerals to plants and herbs, and even occur naturally in the body.

These life aspects are an example of true nutrition, and are easily accessible in nearly everything these days including dietary supplements, after-sun moisturizers, wrinkle creams and other anti-aging products. Regardless of familiarity, one can only deduce that antioxidants are a good thing, and in the spectrum of anti-aging properties, they’re the best of things.

What are Antioxidants?

Simply put, antioxidants are molecules that are capable of preventing the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation is a process that involves the chemical change of a molecule, transferring electrons from an ion or molecule to create an oxidizing agent. When it’s all said and done, the process of oxidation can produce free radicals that can create a chain reaction at the cellular level able to breakdown proper cellular function, even damaging cells.

The oxidation process is necessary to sustain life, which is why antioxidants are so important. In simple terms, they offer a biological system of checks and balances.

Antioxidants and Their Effect on Aging

As mentioned, antioxidants are incredibly important in the process of aging. In fact, they are the key to slowing the aging process. If the fountain of youth existed, it would be packed full of antioxidants. To experience the next best thing, the body needs a healthy dose of antioxidants through diet. When it comes to fighting the aesthetic signs of aging, such as weathered and/or wrinkled and aging skin, antioxidants should also be added to a skin care regimen.

Antioxidants will fight off the development of free radicals and the continued chain-reaction process of oxidation. Such a process can be most easily witnessed in food, especially fruits and vegetables. For example, when an apple is cut in half, and left meat-side up on a counter top, it doesn’t take very long for the process of oxidation to become visible.

The fruit will take on a dried texture, as the beautiful, white meat begins to lose its radiance, becoming an unsavory brownish color. As is evident, the process of oxidation is generally equivalent to rapid aging—a breakdown of proper cellular function.

Providing the Body with Antioxidants for Anti-Aging Effects

One great thing about antioxidants and the fight against aging is that you can obtain the powerful anti-aging agents through diet as well as external skin care supplements. After all, the skin is the largest organ of the body, and needs to receive proper care from the inside and the outside. Along those lines, removing highly acidic foods from a diet will help the body to better find its balance, and allow antioxidants to work most effectively.

When treating the skin from the outside, there are wonderful moisturizers, possessing antioxidants and SPFs, as well as wrinkle creams that are full of incredible antioxidant properties, aiding in the anti-aging process.