Free Radicals and Your Antioxidant Defenses

Many triathletes are familiar with the term “antioxidant” and understand that it refers to nutrients such as vitamins C and E (and many others) that help to protect your body from “free radicals” (highly-reactive oxygen molecules) created during exercise. Unchecked free radical activity is what leads to the cellular damage known as “oxidation” and the cycle of inflammation and tissue dysfunction that follows. If you’re training hard more than a few times weekly, and your diet is less than optimal, then it is almost certain that you could benefit from a daily antioxidant supplement.

In the case of triathletes or other avid exercisers, oxidative damage may be elevated due to increased production of free radicals during intense activity. Although the body increases its production of endogenous antioxidant enzymes (glutathione peroxidase, catalase, superoxide dismutase), supplemental levels of exogenous or dietary antioxidants may be warranted to prevent excessive oxidative damage to muscles, mitochondria, lungs, and other tissues.

When it comes to antioxidant nutrition, your best approach is to eat 5-10 servings of brightly colored fruits and veggies throughout the day. In general, brighter is better, with each color group representing a major class of antioxidants from Red tomatoes (lycopene), Orange carrots (beta-carotene), Blueberries (flavonoids) and Purple grapes (anthocyanins). You want to try to get a few servings of each color group everyday. If you have trouble consuming all the fruits and veggies that you need, and you choose to supplement your diet to boost your antioxidant levels, then keep in mind that it’s the overall collection of several antioxidants that is important, rather than any single “super” antioxidant. Often, you’ll see advertisements touting the “best” or “most powerful” antioxidant nutrient, but recent research clearly shows us that supplementing with too many isolated or unbalanced antioxidants may be even worse for long-term health than getting too few antioxidants. Excessive levels of antioxidant supplementation (for example, too much isolated vitamin E or beta-carotene), can actually lead to more oxidation and tissue damage rather than a protection from oxidation).

Networking Your Nutrition

This concept of antioxidant balance – not too many and not too few – is what scientists refer to as the “Antioxidant Network” - that network being made up of 5 major classes of antioxidants: Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Carotenoids, Bioflavonoids, and Thiols - and your cells need representatives from each and every one of these categories in order to mount the strongest antioxidant defense.

Think of it in triathlon terms – even if you were the best swimmer in the world (say, Michael Phelps), you’re not going to win the Ironman without also having a strong bike and run. The mainstream-sports analogy of baseball works as well - if you had the best homerun hitter in the world, but poor pitching and fielding, then your baseball team would not be the best team. Same thing with your antioxidant defenses - green tea, or vitamin E, or astaxanthin, or beta-carotene are all wonderful antioxidants on their own - but combining them to create a network that performs together in different parts of the body and against different types of free radicals is the most effective way to go.

Some of the top picks among antioxidant supplements are: beta-carotene (natural), lycopene, lutein, vitamin E (natural), vitamin C, alpha-lipoic acid, green tea, selenium, zinc, grape seed, and pine bark - but there are many other choices of nutrients and herbal extracts and plant extracts that possess wonderful antioxidant properties. Just as with your training regimen, if you keep the concept of “balance” in mind when it comes to your antioxidant nutrition, then your body will be healthier and stronger and more able to respond to the demands of living and working and “playing” at the highest level possible.

For more detailed information on the pros, cons, safety, and dosage recommendations for specific antioxidant nutrients (and hundreds of other supplements), visit SupplementWatch at www.supplementwatch.com

About the Author: Shawn Talbott holds a PhD in Nutritional Biochemistry (Rutgers) and MS in Exercise Science (Massachusetts). He trains for iron-distance triathlons in Draper Utah – and is always sure to keep his antioxidant defenses topped off. He can be reached at smtalbott@supplementwatch.com