Antioxidants and the Skin
The skin is the outermost layer of the body. It is just natural that it has its own primary defense system to counteract imbalance in its composition and also bacterial and chemical invasion. This is the most important role of the skin. Free radicals, on the other hand, are products of a lot of chemical reactions both inside and outside the body. There are trillions of free radicals that try to invade the skin each day. For example, a cigarette stick would release more than ten quadrillion of free radicals into the lungs and the skin.
Another abundant source is the sun, which bombards the earth and the skin with ultraviolet rays rich in free radicals. These free radicals damage the body’s tissues and enzymes necessary for proper health and function. The free radicals also damage the molecular DNA structure of the body’s cells, which then speeds up the process of aging.
Because the enzymes in the cells could not fix all the damage that the free radicals induce on them, the correct balance of cells is affected, and more and more damaged cells are left in the body. Free radicals are very reactive, and upon reaction with the cells, a single one can produce hundreds of other free radicals. To help in its defense, the body contracts the help of antioxidants that fight and capture the free radicals. Without free radicals, the body and the skin would look more radiant and healthy.
Nature creates between antioxidants and the skin. To counteract thousands of free radicals, it has provided thousands of antioxidants. When it comes to antioxidants and the skin, polyphenols, selenium, vitamin E, and vitamin C are the best ones. Selenium is a mineral that preserves the elasticity of cells and tissues and slows down aging of the skin. Selenium is found in whole grain, sea foods, and eggs.
Vitamin E—found in vegetable oil, grains such as brown rice and oats and wheat, nuts, milk and meat products—is good for inactivating free radicals and helps to minimize the formation of scars. Topical application of Vitamin E lotions right after excessive exposure to the sun can ease sunburn redness and inflammation. Because vitamin E is soluble in the body’s fat, it is the best nutrient to protect the body’s cell membranes, which are mostly composed of fatty acids.
Vitamin C was found to reduce levels of UV absorbed in the skin. Vitamin C is also good for the skin because of its ability to help in the production of collagen. Because Vitamin C is soluble in water, it is the best nutrient to target free radicals in the watery environment of the body’s cells and extracellular fluids. Vitamin C also acts as “charger” for vitamin E as it keeps the latter vitamin active.
Polyphenols, especially those found from tea and coffee, are found to contain antioxidants that significantly reduce the number of free radicals in the body. On the other hand, when it comes to antioxidants and the skin, you may want to gobble on berries and fruits to increase the levels.
Keeping the skin and body healthy does not have to be expensive. Topical application and ingestion of antioxidants would prevent the harmful free radicals from damaging the skin and body.
