This document discusses antioxidants, what they are, how they work, and why they are important. It defines antioxidants as molecules that prevent oxidation and free radical damage by donating or accepting electrons from free radicals. Various categories of antioxidants are described, along with tests used to measure antioxidant capacity. The document emphasizes that antioxidants play an important role in health by reducing free radical damage linked to diseases, and recommends including antioxidant-rich foods like fruits and vegetables in the diet.

1. How to Live Longer.
Or: What are antioxidants?

2. The problem with antioxidant education
A variety of claims
Confusion about what
A variety of products antioxidants are and how
A variety of needs we should best include
them in our diets
A variety of tests
Lets take a look at some of the facts.
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3. Antioxidants – Scientific Definition
A molecule that slows or prevents oxidation of other molecules
Oxidation – the transfer of an electron from a molecule to the oxidizing agent
Free Radical - Molecule missing an electron that now has an unbalanced charge
Antioxidants can stop free radicals by offering themselves to be oxidized instead of
more crucial body tissue (Primary antioxidant activity) or by binding free radicals and
removing them from the system (secondary antioxidant activity)
Healthy systems contain many of the common antioxidants such as Vitamin C,
Vitamin E and glutathione.
Lost e- Lost e- Stabilized
Antioxidant!
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antioxidant
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4. Free Radical Damage Sucks
The free-radical theory of aging states that organisms age because cells accumulate
free radical damage over time.
Evidence is accumulating that most of the degenerative diseases that afflict humanity
have their origin in deleterious free radical reactions. These diseases include
atherosclerosis, cancer, inflammatory joint disease, asthma, diabetes, senile dementia
and degenerative eye disease.
Most free radical damage to cells involves oxygen free radicals or, more generally,
activated oxygen species which include non-radical species such as singlet oxygen
and hydrogen peroxide as well as free radicals.
Free radicals come in different forms and
have several potentially degenerative effects
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free-radical_theory
Source: Florencce, TM The Role of Free Radicals in Disease, Australian and NZ Journal Opthamology, Feb 95 4
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5. Categories of Antioxidants
There are enough antioxidant buzzwords out there to make even scientific eaters feel
a bit neurotic. Do I need Flavonols and Lycopene? Are they the same thing?
I’ll try to lay out some of the differences here. Keep in mind though that All
antioxidants are trying to do the same thing in your body – fight free radical damage.
The below only vary in where and how they do so.
There is also a division between water-soluble antioxidants and lipid-soluble
antioxidants that we won’t get into in this document. The main difference there is in
mode – water soluble molecules can work in serum and plasma, lipid soluble
molecules need cells to latch onto.
Cartenoids – ex. Beta Carotene, Lycopene
Flavonoids – ex. Flavonols, Catechins
Isothiocyanates – ex. Sulfrophane
Phenols – ex. Caffeic Acid, Reservatrol
Thiols – ex. Allyl Methyl Trisulfide
Vitamins – ex. Vitamin C, Selenium
Enzymes – ex. Superoxide Dismutase, Catalase
Coenzymes – ex. CoQ10
Source: http://www.ific.org/publications/factsheets/antioxidantfs.cfm
Source: http://health.howstuffworks.com/antioxidant3.htm 5
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6. Needs addressed by antioxidants
Antioxidants are not drugs, and therefore not prescribed by physicians. They are a
pretty broad class of compounds, and as such, the FDA doesn’t have good labeling
standards for them yet.
This means that the typical consumer of antioxidant products has informed
themselves on what they are and why they need them
There is much fear of the issues antioxidants battle, and as antioxidants tend to be
found in otherwise healthy foods anyway, and the added psychological bonus is often
enough to make us choose one food over another.
Antioxidant foods also tend to have rich colors – another trait often thought to have a
persuasive effect on the human mind. Think about the deep, bright colors in dark
chocolate, acai, black currants, starfruit, pomegranate, blueberries, broccoli and
tomatoes.
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7. Antioxidant tests that claim results
There is a wide litany of antioxidant tests out there, and we will try to explore them
briefly here – warning, science nerdiness is about to go down. Note that all of the
assays have advantages and disadvantages, and work according to the same principle -
measuring the extent of a chemical reaction between an antioxidant and a free radical.
ORAC – Oxygen radical absorbance capacity - DPPH – 2,2’-Diphenyl-l-picrylhydrazyl
industry leader, developed by Brunswick Labs ABTS – 2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-
(also NORAC and HORAC) measures free radical sulfonic acid
scavenging activity against the peroxyl radical CUPRAC – cupric reducing antioxidant
TEAC – Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity capacity
- well respected test Electro-Ox – similar in theory to TEAC, but
FRAP - Ferric Reducing Ability of plasma – designed for use by consumers
Measures free radical activity against Iron Lipid Peroxide – similar in theory to ORAC, but
radicals designed for use by consumers
TRAP - Total radical-trapping antioxidant CAA – Cellular antioxidant activity – the first
parameter test to measure antioxidant activity in vivo,
allowing aspects of metabolism to be measured
as well
Source: http://www.beveragedaily.com/Industry-Markets/Cracking-the-code-on-antioxidant-testing
Source: http://www.ific.org/publications/factsheets/antioxidantfs.cfm 7
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8. Conclusion on Antioxidants
There is little disagreement that antioxidants are a valuable and necessary part of a
great diet. The question is of how much and where to get them –
I’ll suggest an approach that tries to straddle the gap between casual consumption
and fanatic antioxidant chasing.
Start each day with a serving of juice or fruit rich in antioxidants, like a cup of blue
berries or a glass of Star Power starfruit juice.
When you have the choice between two otherwise equal options, take the one with
more antioxidant impact, for example: Red wine over white wine, dark chocolate over
other candy, Broccoli over lettuce.
Try to minimize the damage of free radicals in your system through lifestyle changes
– wear sunscreen when out for extended periods, and avoid smoking and other
carcinogens.
Source: http://www.emro.who.int/Publications/EMHJ/0402/21.htm
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9. Brought to you by SP
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Company Blog: journal.drinkstarpower.com
Author’s Information:
Vik Venkatraman is an expert in health, nutrition and consumer products. He has been
advising businesses and individuals on branding, strategy and marketing for 5 years.
Email: vik.venkat@drinkstarpower.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/vikvenkat
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