The body is constantly utilizing oxygen for a myriad of vital functions. A by-product of oxygen uptake by the body is the creation of chemicals known as free radicals. Free radicals have unpaired electrons. They travel around the body trying to steal electrons from other molecules. In doing so, they damage those cells in a process known as oxidation. Antioxidants are the remedy to this problem. They nuetralize free radicals. In the last decade scientists have proven that some antioxidants have anti-inflammatory properties. In addition to scavenging free radicals, there are antioxidants that actually block inflammation. The antioxidant effect (the blocking of certain oxidizing proteins) lowers the activation of inflammatory signals. Scientists have also found that combinations of certain antioxidants have greater effect than single antioxidants on certain types of inflammation. For instance, in a study with baboons (whose biochemistry is closer to humans than that of rodents) reseasechers showed that elevated CRP can be dramatically reversed with a combination of two antioxidants. Vitamin E (DL-alpha-tocopheryl acetate) at a human dose of approximately 200 IU/day reduces CRP by 50%. Adding coenzyme Q10 further reduces CRP by about 20% more, for a 70% reduction overall.

(Wang XL, Rainwater DL, Mahaney MC, Stocker R. Cosupplementation with vitamin E and coenzyme Q10 reduces circulating markers of inflammation in baboons. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 Sep;80(3):649-55).

A 2004 study funded by the National Institute of Aging found that taking an antioxidant supplement was associated with CRP levels similar to those seen in those who exercised 180 minutes/week or more and did not take supplements. The study involved 2,964 people. Blood samples were analyzed for serum levels of C-reactive protein and interleukin-6, and plasma levels of TNF-alpha.

(Journal of the American Geriatrics Society; July 2004).

The body manufactures its own antioxidants. Some of them are in the form of enzymes, such as glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase – all of which require selenium and zinc to do their job. Lipoic acid, N-acetylcysteine, and glutathione are enzymes which rely on sulfur. Supplemental lipoic acid, in conjunction with L-Carnitine, works in the mitochondria to reduce the harmful effects of free radicals and diminish the actions of inflammatory signals.

The best sources of antioxidants are vegetables, fruits, tea and wine. It is a good idea to get your antioxidants from a variety of sources. The more colorful your natural foods the better - yellow, orange, green, red, brown and blue-purple plant foods provide a variety of antioxidants, and the more brightly colored, the richer the food is in anti-oxidants.

The following are rich sources of antioxidants:

Blueberries:

The blueberry is the fruit of a shrub native to North America. Much research has shown that blueberries provide health benefits in the areas of anti-aging, antioxidant action, disease prevention, treatment of urinary tract infection, improving eyesight and controlling cholesterol. Blueberries are powerful antioxidants. Antioxidants help neutralize harmful by-products of metabolism called "free radicals" that can lead to cancer and other age related diseases. Anthocyanin, which is the pigment that makes the blueberry blue, is the key antioxidant responsible for these benefits.

(Prior, RL, et. al. J of Agric. Food Chem. 1998, 46:2686-2693).

Researchers believe that the phytochemicals in blueberries may reduce inflammatory processes in tissues by increasing cells membranes ability to allow vital nutrients and chemical signals to pass in and out of the cell.

(Journal of Food Science, Vol. 65, No. 2, 2000).

There are currently no scientific recommendations as to the amount of blueberry to consume to achieve positive health benefits. Blueberries can be purchased in capsule form or extracts, teas, or in their natural state. If using the capsule form, follow the dosage advice on the container.

Mexican Red Bean:

Mexican Red Beans are similar to red kidney beans, only smaller, darker and rounder. Also called the Small Red Bean, the Mexican Red Bean holds both shape and firmness when cooked. It is most often used in soups, salads, chili and Creole dishes. In a 2004 list of the top 20 antioxidant rich foods put out by nutritionists from the USDA, this little bean came out at number one. The researchers used a technique called oxygen radical absorbance  capacity (ORAC) to test the antioxidant power of more than 100  different kinds of fruits, vegetables, nuts and spices.The flavanoids that give Mexican Red Beans their bright-red color are extremely powerful antioxidants. These beans are also a good source of fiber, folic acid, and carbohydrates.

Prunes are actually the dried version of European plums. The name was recently officially changed to the dried plum. They contain an unusually high concentration of unique phytonutrients called neochlorogenic and chlorogenic acid. These substances found in prunes and plums are classified as phenols, and their function as antioxidants has been well documented. They are especially good at neutralizing a particularly dangerous oxygen radical called superoxide anion radical, and they have also been shown to help prevent oxygen-based damage to fats.

The ability of prunes to fight free radicals is boosted by beta-carotene. Beta-carotene acts as a fat-soluble antioxidant, eliminating free radicals that would otherwise cause a lot of damage to our cells and cell membranes.

(Cho E, Seddon JM, Rosner B, Willett WC, Hankinson SE. Prospective study of intake of fruits, vegetables, vitamins, and carotenoids and risk of age-related maculopathy. Arch Ophthalmol. 2004 Jun;122(6):883-92., PMID: 15197064 ).

Milk Thistle Extract:

Milk thistle is a plant native to the Mediterranean. It usually grows in dry, sunny areas. It is a stout thistle that grows to a height of 4-10 feet and has red-purple flowers. The active ingredient is called silymarin. Consisting of a group of compounds known as flavonolignands, silymarin helps repair liver cells that have been damaged by alcohol and other toxins. Silymarin also has potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Most milk thistle based products are standardized to contain 70-80% silymarin.

(Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Milk thistle: effects on liver disease and cirrhosis and clinical adverse effects. Summary, evidence report/technology assessment: number 21, September 2000).

The recommended dosage for an adult is 12 to 15 g dried herb (200 to 400 mg silymarin) per day or silymarin-phosphatidylcholine complex 100 to 200 mg two times per day.

Curcumin:

Curcumin is the active ingredient of the Indian spice turmeric. Over the last few decades hundreds of small scale studies have proven scientifically what Indian people have known for centuries; that curcumin has the ability to halt or prevent certain types of cancer, stop inflammation, improve cardiovascular health, prevent cataracts and kill or inhibit the toxic effects of certain microbes including fungi and dangerous parasites.

(Arora RB, Basu N, Kapoor V, Jain AP. Anti-inflammatory studies on Curcuma- longa (turmeric). Ind J Med Res 1971 Aug;59(8):1289-95).

Curcumin is a naturally occurring source of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors, which can be artificially obtained through such drugs as Celebrex® and Vioxx®. People who take COX-2 inhibitors as statistically less likely to develop cancer than those who do not.

(Reddy BS, Rao CV. Novel approaches for colon cancer prevention by cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors. J Environ Pathol Toxicol Oncol 2002;21(2):155-64).

Ginkgo Biloba Extract:

The Ginkgo tree is the oldest living tree on the planet. Over the past three decades hundreds of clinical studies have focused on the health benefits that Ginkgo leaf extract can bring to the human body. Ginkgo acts as a booster of blood flow to the brain and throughout the entire body. It increases metabolism efficiency, regulates neurotransmitters, and boosts oxygen levels in the brain which uses 20% of the body's oxygen. Ginkgo has two groups of active substances, flavonoids and terpene lactones, including ginkgolides A, B, and C, bilobalide, quercetin, and kaempferol. The ginkgolides have been shown to control allergic inflammation, anaphylactic shock and asthma. In addition, Ginkgo is a powerful antioxidant.

(Ginkgo biloba. In: Coates P, Blackman M, Cragg G, et al., eds. Encyclopedia of Dietary Supplements. New York, NY: Marcel Dekker; 2005:249-257. Accessed at Dekker Encyclopedias on September 9, 2005)