|
Home / Health / Supplements and Vitamins
Antioxidante, Free Radicals and Sports Nutrition
By:Doc Gamble
As you know, I am a physician. It's part of my profession to keep abreast of what's happening in medical /health research. Being retired helps, because doctors simply do not generally have the "extra time" to devote to the scientific literature.
But I do. And I love it. I am one of those individuals who really enjoys …brace yourself…chemistry. When I'm done here, you should be excited too, especially if you are interested in sports nutrition and antioxidants, though not necessarily in that order.
Sports nutrition is a vast industry with emphasis on optimizing PERFORMANCE. Off hand, I can think of quite a few categories involving sports nutrition:
" sports nutrition and supplements for athletes,
" sports nutrition and athletic performance,
" sports nutrition and body building,
" sports nutrition and endurance training,
" sports nutrition and special diets in a variety of sports,
" sports nutrition and strength training,
" sports nutrition for running, jogging, walking, skiing, swimming
" There's even Rocky Mountain sports nutrition
" …the list is endless.
So far, no surprises, huh? Well, here's one for you. Did you know that when you exercise intensively you INCREASE the free radical burden in your body? If you're a serious sports enthusiast, you should know that.
But…the real news is what science is now finding out about that free radical burden of yours. You should pay close attention here.
Suddenly, chemistry gets real personal.
Everyone of us has, what may be called, our antioxidant protective capacity. That means our bodies normally utilize antioxidants to protect us against the harmful impact of free radicals.
First of all, what are antioxidants? They are molecular substances which offset free radical damage to the body. Antioxidants, "quench" free radicals (for lack of a better metaphor) neutralizing their damaging effects on the cells of the body.
" Antioxidants are found in foods such as cranberries, green tea and even chocolate.
" Antioxidants are found in vitamins such vitamin C and E.
" Antioxidants are found in carotenoids such as beta-carotene.
" Antioxidants are found in many substances supplied by the body such as glutathione.
" Antioxidants are found in many herbs and enzymes.
The impact of antioxidants is boosted by glyconutrients to offset free radicals in your body…and, as a result of your athletic exertions.
Antioxidant capacity must be provided in your sports nutrition regimen or you could be "robbing Peter to pay Paul" with your workouts. As you will see, without a glyconutrional presence in your sports nutrition, the healthful gains made by your physical workouts will be offset by your own free radical burden.
Free radicals, sports and sports nutrition
Free radicals are those chemical species which contain one or more unpaired electrons, capable of independent existence. They form in the body due to a variety of reasons as offshoots of cellular activity or as products introduced to the body from the outside.
As an analogy, think of running a car engine as the cellular production
and the car emissions a the free radical production. The engine produces products which cannot stay inside the car without further damage. They simply must be neutralized and expelled.
Free radicals form and cause damage by reacting with many substances in your body. It is estimated that upwards of 200,000 free radical attacks occur in our bodies daily.
When free radical damage is done, the body can remove the compounds formed by its cellular repair system. However, if the body cannot handle the free radicals (with antioxidants for example), nor remove the compounds, then disease can be the result.
Contrary to popular opinion, free radicals do not circulate throughout the body. The half-life of most free radicals varies in a range of a few nanoseconds to about 7 seconds duration. That means they will react within the "neighborhood" (a few Angstroms or microns near where the increase in free radicals occurred) …organs, connective tissue, circulatory or nerve tissue, bone or lymphatic material are all candidates for free radical attack.
Wherever they form, they will damage the surrounding areas, unless prevented by the body…So the body does NOT have the luxury of just filtering away any circulatory fluids to find the free radicals. The body's defense systems must be…well…fairly omnipresent to neutralize the effects of free radicals. The antioxidant protective system must be healthy.
Since they are highly reactive substances, they react with all sorts of cell elements readily. But, when they do react with your body cells, they can damage the cells and even kill them. Often, the damage from free radicals can CHANGE the cellular structure enough to cause DISEASE such as cancer, diabetes, arthritis, heart disease and a host of others.
The type of disease that occurs is dependent upon which of the free radical defenses in the body weren't functioning properly and where the free radical attacks occur.
The body has pretty sophisticated antioxidant defense systems. But, the body CAN get overwhelmed in its antioxidant protections against such free radicals…
Indeed, unless antioxidant enhanced sports nutrition (with glyconutrients) are used to offset the increased free radical burden, the BODY will suffer as a result of intensive sports training, stress, and competition.
Glyconutrients VITAL to sports nutrition …
Studies comparing marathon runners who did and did not take glyconutritional sports nutrition supplements were undertaken. The results were reported by the Proceedings of the Fisher Institute For Medical Research ( August 2003, vol.3, no.1). The results "demonstrated strikingly different patterns." Antioxidant protection appeared to be powerfully enhanced against free radicals with glyconutritional supplementation. Thus, the body was protected for several days after the marathon run.
However, when glyconutritional sports nutrition was NOT used, the damaging effects of the free radical burden appeared to remain in the body for about five days. Thus, the subject "consistently excreted higher concentrations of free radical byproducts…" as compared to that of the glyconutritional subject. It should be emphasized that the subject studied WAS TAKING other antioxidants, though not glyconutrition. Despite that fact, the above cited results were obtained.
That's another way of saying that when glyconutritional supplements were not used, the free radical burden upon the body was not lifted. Antioxidant protection does appear to be (significantly) strengthened with glyconutritional sports nutrition. Such antioxidant protection appears to be of benefit for athletes overall, including training, stress, competition and dietary issues.
The glyconutrional revolution in sports nutrition and therapy is just beginning. More studies are being done. More results are coming in concerning free radicals and the capacity of the glyconutrients to boost antioxidant affect against free radicals.
Sports nutrition is about to see a new revolution…
Better still. I believe that it is quite probable that, with glyconutrition, sports PERFORMANCE is about to see a revolution in al fields.
Digg
del.icio.us
Blink
Stumble
Spurl
Reddit
Netscape
Furl
Article keywords: sports nutrition, antioxidants, free radicals
Article Source: http://www.articles2k.com
Dr. Robert Gamble is retired from a very successful Cardio-Thoracic surgical career spanning three decades. He is now active in researching medical issues such as glyconutrition and offers his insights for public benefit. This new science is sending shockwaves through the entire medical industry and may be the missing link between health and disease. For information and business opportunity www.glycoshare.com or call toll free1-866-735-5871.
|
|
| Top Supplements and Vitamins Articles |
- 1). Vitamins and Interactions By : Bob Benson
Vitamins are good for you, so it stands to reason that getting all the vitamins you can everyday is the best course of action. As a general rule, it’s true that choosing foods rich in vitamins is a good idea. But there are times when more isn’t better, even when it comes to vitamins.
The first thing to keep in mind is that several vitamins have toxic levels.
|
- 2). Asparagus Juice For Cooking And Nutrition By : Kevin Pederson
Asparagus juice is usually taken in the quantity of a sherry-glassful three times a day before meals. Asparagus extract has been used not only to remove water from the body but as a purifier of the blood, to tone up the nervous system and as a gentle laxative.
|
- 3). The Health Benefits of Fish Oil Explained By : Shwn Paeltzer
Fish oil is a proven food product for fighting disease and maintaining general good health. Fish oil is obtained from various species of fish such as mackerel, herring, sardines, lake trout, etc. Fish oil is safe for consumption by all age-groups; unlike dietary fish, which may be contaminated by metals such as mercury.
Fish oil is an important source of Omega 3 fatty acids; eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
|
- 4). Discount Vitamin And Mineral Buying Precautions By : David Buster
Discount vitamin and mineral buying is easy. Just stop by any supermarket or drugstore and you'll find many possibilities likely claiming to be the cheapest, the best and so on. How do you really know which discount vitamin and mineral product is the right one to choose? It's a valid question and an important one, since vitamin manufacturers are not regulated.
|
- 5). Vitamins For Health By : Sintilia Miecevole
The word 'vitamin' has its root in 'vitamine' that means vital amine. Vitamins are powerful organic compounds found mainly in the food that we eat. Vitamins are essential for all human beings because they help cells and tissues to perform basic functions. Basically, vitamins are required for the growth of the body.
There are two types of vitamins- the water soluble vitamins and the fat soluble vitamins.
|
- 6). Nutritional Benefits From Protein Sports Supplements By : Keith Baxter
One of the best ways that a person can benefit from a healthy diet and exercise routine is the addition of sports nutrition in the form of extra protein. Protein is found naturally in many of the foods we eat. But a person who exercises often should get one gram of protein per pound of their body weight. This presents a problem in our fast breakfast (or no breakfast) and fast food lunch lifestyles.
|
- 7). Antioxidant Vitamins By : AlanLeStourgeon
The antioxidant vitamins found in fruits, vegetables, teas and supplements are proving to be powerful agents in the fight against disease causing free radicals.
The original concept was to take recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamins to a level that would prevent acute deficiency diseases like the Sailor’s disease scurvy. These are the standards by which RDA’s were created.
|
- 8). Vitamin C - What You DON'T Know By : R. Edward Jones
The real facts about benefits of Vitamin C may surprise you. First of all what is Vitamin C? Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin. Unlike the oil soluble vitamins such as A and E, Vitamin C cannot be stored by your body. Since Vitamin C is not stored by your body, we need to get it from our diet or from supplements.
But Can't Our Bodies Just Make Vitamin C?
Great question! Most animals have the ability to make their own Vitamin C.
|
- 9). Glyconutrients Are Only One Piece Of The Puzzle... By : David Filer
I recently read a lengthy article on Glyconutrients. The author of the article (who shall remain nameless), incorrectly and falsely made statements about glyconutrients and cures. If you or a loved one are suffering from an auto-immune disorder, please read this article before randomly buying a product off the internet.
Don't get me wrong. I am a huge proponent of glyconutrients.
|
- 10). How To Easily Obtain HGH By : blueboy
How is HGH purchased?
HGH supplements are accessible in an assortment of forms, including the HGH releaser, which is developed to assist your body extend the production of natural growth hormone.
But why should an adult want to include HGH dietary supplements in their everyday regimen? The reasons can be summed up in only a few words, anti aging and higher vitality levels.
|
| New Supplements and Vitamins Articles |
|
|
|
|
|
|
- 4). Vitamins - Liquid vs Tablets By : Ryan Bowman
The two most popular forms of vitamins are liquid and tablet form. There are many pros and cons to each and it is important to do research in order determine what is the best choice for you.
|
- 5). Banish Your Cough With Coltsfoot By : Nazima Golamaully
Derived from the name Farfarus, which is an ancient name of the White Poplar, coltsfoot is an herb that grows abundantly throughout England, especially along the corners and sides of the railway banks as well as in waste places, poor stiff soils, and in wet grounds.
|
|
|
- 7). Choosing The Right Vitamin Supplement By : Tim Whiston
Millions of people take daily vitamin supplements to encourage good health. With all the different kinds of vitamins, minerals and herbs flooding the market these days, it's sometimes difficult to know what to choose.
The first thing you need to know is that vitamin supplements are not a replacement for eating healthy, vitamin rich whole foods. Food contains the nutrients your body needs in their very purest form, and interact with each other and your body in a way supplements cannot.
|
- 8). About Vitamin C - The Wonder Vitamin? By : Donovan Baldwin
Copyright 2006 Donovan Baldwin
Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) may possibly be a "wonder vitamin" in some people's books. A lot of claims have been made for it in the past few years, not the least of which was Dr. Linus Pauling's claims for its ability to prevent and lessen the duration and intensity of the common cold when taken in large doses.
Unfortunately,.
|
- 9). Moringa Leaf Powder - The World's Greatest Unknown Supplement By : Michael Harvey
There is no doubt that the pure Moringa Tree leaf is the source of incredible health benefits. It's the ultimate, natural, organic, energy and endurance health supplement. There are plenty of studies that describe these benefits and the pure, powdered, moringa leaf is the most potent part of the plant.
India's ancient tradition of ayurveda medicine sites 300 diseases that are treated with the leaves of the Moringa tree.
|
- 10). What You Should Know Before Taking Supplements By : Jim Oneill
These days there is plenty of controversy and debate over whether it is beneficial to take various supplements. There are many kinds of supplements out there all with different intentions. There are food or meal supplements, weight loss supplements, strength enhancing supplements, and performance enhancing supplements, just to name a few.
While I do believe that certain supplements can provide some benefits for weight loss and increased fitness, taking the wrong ones or taking too high a dose can create some unwanted serious side effects.
|
|
|
