See also: antioxidant vitamins in cosmetics
Antioxidant substance
By "antioxidants" we mean that category of chemical substances capable of blocking the action of free radicals, responsible - if produced in excess and not adequately counterbalanced - for cellular oxidation, therefore aging and some pathologies.
Vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E play the role of the three of the most powerful vitamin antioxidants found in nature.
Free radicals
But let's take a step back to see why free radicals are so dangerous.
Vitamins A, C and E
Therefore, the ACE vitamin complex is known for its anti-radical properties, so much so that some dare to use the term "miraculous" to understand the effects that can be obtained from these vitamins.
On the other hand, most scholars do not believe that an antioxidant vitamin supplement can effectively counteract the onset of some diseases, provided that the diet is complete and balanced and the individual is healthy. Various researches have focused on the interaction between antioxidant vitamins and cardiovascular diseases, but in this regard it has not yet been fully demonstrated that vitamin supplementation effectively prevents these disorders. Despite this, a good portion of the American population regularly takes food supplements based on vitamin A, C and E. According to the American Heart Association, it would be a good habit to follow a correct diet, rich in fruits, vegetables and whole foods, to ensure the 'body a right amount of vitamins, antioxidants in particular: if, however, we consider the sick, it would be more advisable to recommend an integration of antioxidants, since their immune defenses at that time are weak. The task of ruling on the effectiveness of a vitamin supplement in these circumstances is - even more so - exclusively for the doctor.
C vitamin
Vitamin C is soluble in water (water-soluble vitamin) and is found abundantly in citrus fruits, strawberries, kiwi, cauliflower, parsley and peppers.
Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, enjoys the reputation of being one of the most powerful antioxidants in nature: the body does not have the ability to synthesize this vitamin, therefore it must be taken with the diet.
Vitamin C works as a redox system, since it can be reduced from ascorbic acid to dehydroascorbic acid and vice versa.
Furthermore, it involves various cellular processes, such as collagen metabolism and the synthesis of neurotransmitters, stimulates the activity of antibodies, inactivates some toxins and slows cholesterol hydrolysis.
Vitamin E
There are various forms of vitamin E in nature: four tocopherols and four tocotrienols; it is a powerful antioxidant that belongs to the category of fat-soluble vitamins, so unlike Vitamin C it is soluble in fats. For this reason, it is found in particular vegetable oils, but also milk and eggs register, albeit in lower doses, the presence of this vitamin.
It is by far the most powerful antioxidant, which manages to "recharge" even vitamin C.
In addition to performing this important function, vitamin E is able to block the production of nitrosamines, which are potentially responsible for stomach cancer. It also protects cell membranes from oxidation.
It should be remembered that tocotrienols can only be obtained from plant sources such as palm oil and brown rice, whose tocotrienol content is of significant importance.
Vitamin E deficiency can be caused by celiac disease and Crohn's disease.
As for the antioxidant action of vitamin E, it boasts the ability to block the chain of radical reactions, which would form peroxidic radicals, therefore aging.
Vitamin E is also widely used in the world of cosmetics as a powerful antioxidant: it is omnipresent in anti-wrinkle and anti-eye creams, precisely because it prevents the propagation of oxidizing forms. The skin is always the target of various forms of pollution (exhaust gas, environmental pollution, smoke, stress), so the cosmetologists aim to protect the skin from the oxidative damage to which it is constantly exposed, and it seems that the vitamin And play a very important role in preventing aging.
Vitamin A
It is imprecise to speak of vitamin A when referring to antioxidants: it is more correct to understand beta-carotene as the real antioxidant, precursor of vitamin A, which in nature is found mainly in green leafy vegetables, cherries, plums brussels sprouts, cabbage and carrots. This antioxidant is involved in protection against pollutants, counteracts night blindness, contributes to the formation of bones and teeth, is effective in tissue repair.
However, researchers do not give certainty about how antioxidants can prevent serious disorders such as various cancers, nor whether these substances actually play a decisive role in preventing them; scholars have found a remarkable importance of antioxidants as substances capable of preventing oxidation, but there are no large-scale epidemiological studies able to confirm their effective utility in the prevention of serious diseases such as tumors or cardiovascular diseases, nor to confirm their safety use at high doses for prolonged periods of time.
