What to Look for in Anti Aging Natural Supplements
Filed Under Anti Aging Supplement, Anti Aging Vitamin, Anti-Inflammatory, Antioxidant, Curcumin Supplements, Enteric Coating, Fish Oil Supplements, Herbal Supplements, Natural Supplements, Nutritional Supplements, SAM-e Supplements, Total Balance Supplements | Comments Off
Anti aging vitamins should contain ingredients that address the bases of aging at the cellular level. Here you will learn about those causes and how best to address them.
Free radical damage is a primary cause of aging that is often discussed. You hear a lot about it, because there are numerous anti-aging antioxidants available to prevent it and possibly reverse it.
Free radicals are naturally present in the cells of our bodies. You might be surprised to learn that they perform some vital functions, such as the wipeout of intracellular bacteria.
They are called “radicals” because their behavior is irregular. They react strangely with a number of things, including environmental toxins and UV radiation.
If free radicals are allowed to behave badly, they can damage cellular membranes and lead to the mutation of cellular DNA. These cells with damaged DNA are the kinds of cells that cause cancer.
Chronic inflammation is another cause of cellular aging. It too plays a role in cancer, but it is best known for the role that it plays in age-related diseases like arthritis.
You don’t hear too much about inflammation, because there are not that many natural anti-inflammatories. To even insinuate that a nutrient has anti-inflammatory effects can get a vitamin company in trouble with the FDA. It is clear that one of the most potent anti-inflammatories is omega-3 fish oil, though the quality and purity of the fish oil is important.
Other natural anti-aging supplements with anti-inflammatory effects include curcumin and resveratrol, which are also potent antioxidants. Other potent antioxidants include lycopene, astaxanthin and coenzyme Q10. As is the case with fish oil, the quality of the supplement makes a big difference.
One of the causes of cellular aging made the news recently when researchers found that it also caused wrinkles. The reporters were talking about AGEs. AGEs is short for “Advanced Glycation End Products”. Vitamin makers scarcely mention them because carnosine is the singular nutrient that can prevent AGEs from forming. Carnosine is expensive. It must be provided in exactly the right form or it will not be effective.
Xtendlife makes the highest quality anti aging supplements on the market, today. Visit their website to learn more about the causes of and cures for cellular aging.
Will Lutein Supplements Improve Vision? – Some Facts to Ponder
Filed Under Anti Aging Supplement, Anti Aging Vitamin, Cholesterol, Enteric Coating, Eyesight, Lutein, Main Content, Natural Supplements, Nutritional Supplements, Total Balance Supplements, Zeaxanthin | Leave a Comment
If you are wondering will lutein improve vision, you may have seen or heard a commercial for a health supplement. Here are the facts that were probably not included in that commercial.
Lutein and zeaxanthin are two powerful antioxidants that are highly concentrated in the macula, a small area of the retina responsible for central vision and good visual acuity. Some studies indicate that increased intake helps reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration or AMD. Some studies have concluded that high supplementation (10mg zeaxanthin, 50mg lutein) lowers the risk of cataracts and may actually improve visual acuity in AMD by 20% or more.
So, if you have AMD and you are wondering will lutein improve vision, the answer is “maybe”. It is difficult to be more certain than that, because so many other factors come into play. Every health problem that affects other parts of your body also affects visual acuity. Many health problems increase the risk of AMD. If you have high cholesterol or high blood pressure, then supplementation may not help. If you are obese or your diet is high in fat, it may not help.
Promising results from a single supplement when there are so many other factors to consider would be dishonest. Yet, some manufacturers focus only on the possible benefits and never mention the importance of a healthy diet and regular physical activity.
If you do not have AMD and you are wondering will lutein improve vision, some people have reported improved eyesight after improving their nutritional intake with a totally balanced supplement. A single nutrient is probably a waste of time. Here’s a question for you. How’s your diet?
If you run through the day grabbing fast foods or snacks from the vending machine and then come home at night to eat meat and potatoes, then a good multi-nutritional supplement that includes mixed carotenoids should help you see better. If you remember being told to eat your carrots, there was a good reason for that. We didn’t know much about different antioxidants, until recently, but we have known for many years that eating carrots supports eye health, because of the carotenoids they contain.
The problem today is that most of the supplements on the market contain synthetic vitamins. There is now way to be sure that the synthetics are beneficial at all. If the latest studies are any indication, they probably are not.
The answer to will lutein improve vision might depend upon where the manufacturer got it. Is the source natural or is it a petrochemical? Many people are surprised to learn that their vitamins contain petrochemicals. People that would never expose themselves to cigarette smoke are ingesting possible carcinogens, every day.
Not all petrochemicals are carcinogenic, at least as far as we know, but many of them are. They are all made in the same factory. It is safe to assume that petrochemicals are bad for our health.
Luckily, there are some reputable manufacturers that use only natural ingredients. Now, instead of asking will lutein improve vision, why not learn more about how to choose a good multi-nutritional supplement.
Valerie Rosenbaum has made it her mission to provide the public with information. The best nutritional supplements will include a full complement of over 70 bio-active ingredients to create a healthy balance of nutrients and antioxidants within the body. Learn what she uses and recommends at http://www.NaturalBalanceSupplements.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?Will-Lutein-Supplements-Improve-Vision?—Some-Facts-to-Ponder&id=2270683
Lutein and Zeaxanthin Supplements Alone Aren’t Enough
Filed Under Anti Aging Supplement, Cholesterol, Enteric Coating, Eyesight, Lutein, Total Balance Supplements, Zeaxanthin | Leave a Comment
Many optometrists and ophthalmologists are recommending lutein and zeaxanthin supplements for their patients that are at risk for age-related macular degeneration. Some doctors recommend them for all of their patients, a preventative maintenance. You will find that there are a variety of different brands and ingredient combinations to choose from, including a single ingredient zeaxanthin supplement. So, what’s the best choice?
Well, according to the latest research, lutein and zeaxanthin supplements should contain some other ingredients, too. Consumers should check out the amount that is included in the tablet, too. Many manufacturers include just a tiny amount of each. Most studies indicate that the necessary daily dose to see long term benefit is 50mg of lutein and 10mg of zeaxanthin.
Other ingredients that should be included are mixed carotenoids and vitamin E. A single ingredient zeaxanthin supplement provides only a single carotenoid. Other carotenoids include:
- Beta-carotene, deficiency causes night blindness, severe deficiency causes permanent blindness
- Lycopene, a potent antioxidant that may inhibit damage done to the inside of the eye by UV rays and blue light
Some products provide all of the carotenoids that are beneficial to human health. They don’t cost much more than a single-ingredient zeaxanthin supplement, but they are likely to provide more benefits. If you want the best value for your money, you want more than lutein and zeaxanthin supplements, you want multiple nutrients. Some of the best products contain over 70 different nutrients including basic vitamins and minerals, so that you don’t need to take a daily multi-vitamin, too. That reduces your total cost.
In addition to the benefits to eye health, recent studies indicate that a zeaxanthin supplement may lower cholesterol levels by increasing HDL (good cholesterol) and reducing LDL (bad cholesterol). HDL particles are large molecules of cholesterol that are able to pick up small LDL particles and return them to the liver for reprocessing or disposal. It is the small particles that build up on the arterial walls and become hardened, leading to heart disease and blood clots. Other nutrients and plant extracts that have been shown to lower LDL cholesterol levels include green tea, resveratrol, policosanol and lecithin, as well as omega3 fatty acids.
Because of their antioxidant activity, lutein and zeaxanthin supplements have been investigated for their benefits in treating or preventing cancer. It appears that lutein, not a zeaxanthin supplement, has the greatest benefit in this area, although the evidence is still in the preliminary stages. It is safe to day that increasing your overall antioxidant intake is one of the things that you can do to reduce your risk of cancer.
Some of the basic antioxidants include vitamins A, C, D, E and selenium. Some of the more potent ones include catechins found in green tea, curcumin found in turmeric, proanthocyanidins, anthocyanins and resveratrol, all of which are found in the skins of red grapes and may be responsible for the health benefits associated with red wine consumption.
There lots of different brands of lutein and zeaxanthin supplements on the market, but if you want to do as much as you can for your overall health, you want more than those two…lots more.
Valerie Rosenbaum has made it her mission to provide the public with information supporting the use of natural and clinically tested ingredients in their anti aging supplements. The best nutritional supplements will include a full complement of over 70 bio-active ingredients to create a healthy balance of nutrients and antioxidants within the body. Learn what she uses and recommends at http://www.NaturalBalanceSupplements.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Valerie_Rosenbaum
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Zeaxanthin Dosage For Improved Vision in Anti Aging Supplements
Filed Under Anti Aging Supplement, Anti Aging Vitamin, Antioxidant, Enteric Coating, Eyesight, Lutein, Main Content, Nutritional Supplements, Total Balance Supplements, Zeaxanthin | Leave a Comment
When you are trying to learn about an adequate zeaxanthin dosage, information is hard to come by. The experts do not seem to agree about how much is enough to reduce your risk of age-related eye diseases. One of the things that they do agree about is that this single nutrient is not a miracle pill.
Every time researchers learn something new about a nutrient and the media gets involved, new supplement manufacturers appear on the scene. Often their websites contain videos from TV news stories or talk shows. In the US, supplement manufacturers are prohibited from making misleading statements, but media reports can be just as misleading.
Resveratrol is a perfect example. You may have seen news reports about how that antioxidant is responsible for the health benefits of red wine. Supplements containing just that single ingredient are being touted as “anti-aging” formulas.
While there is no doubt that resveratrol is a potent antioxidant, new research has shown that it could not be the only compound responsible for the health benefits of red wine, because the amount present is too low and it is not readily absorbed into the bloodstream. Researchers have concluded that the benefit is more likely due to all of the different antioxidants found in the skins of red grapes. Those include proanthocyanidins and anthocyanins, as well as resveratrol.
When it comes to the health of the eyes, a zeaxanthin dosage is not the only important nutrient. The eyes need lutein, anthocyanins, beta-carotene, glucosamine, n-acetyl cysteine, B12, B2 and l-carnosine. A deficit in any of these nutrients could result in poor vision and age-related eye diseases.
A lutein and zeaxanthin dosage is most commonly recommended because they are the primary pigments found in the retina. In age-related macular degeneration or AMD, there are inadequate amounts of these nutrients circulating in the bloodstream. Low circulating levels are also associated with high cholesterol, which in turn is a risk factor for AMD. A well-designed multi-nutritional supplement can help lower cholesterol levels and reduce other risk factors for the disease.
If you have tried health supplements in the past and been disappointed by the results, the problem was probably the manufacturer, not the nutrient itself. Most manufacturers, particularly suppliers of the cheap multi-vitamins on the market, use synthetic forms of vitamins and minerals.
There have never been any studies comparing the efficacy of natural vitamins versus synthetic ones. But, natural health experts are firm in their belief that the synthetics are not good for you. Many of them are made from petroleum. You may as well call them plastic vitamins.
If they do include the natural form of the nutrient, they often do not include enough. One of the more expensive eye health supplements on the market contains a zeaxanthin dosage of less than 1mg. That might be enough for a child, but for an older adult, at least 10mg per day would be necessary.
The latest studies indicate that the most effective formula for countering AMD is a combination of antioxidants, not a single zeaxanthin dosage. It just isn’t enough.
Valerie Rosenbaum has made it her mission to provide the public with information supporting the use of natural and clinically tested ingredients in their anti aging supplements. The best nutritional supplements will include a full complement of over 70 bio-active ingredients to create a healthy balance of nutrients and antioxidants within the body. Learn what she uses and recommends at http://www.NaturalBalanceSupplements.com
What Good is Lutein?
Filed Under Anti Aging Supplement, Anti Aging Vitamin, Anti-Inflammatory, Antioxidant, Enteric Coating, Fish Oil Supplements, Heart Disease, Lutein, Main Content, Natural Supplements, Nutritional Supplements, Omega 3 Fatty Acids, Total Balance Supplements, Zeaxanthin | Leave a Comment
If you’re wondering; what is lutein used for, you’ve come to the right place. Until recently, its most common use was as a natural coloring. It would be added to foods to impart colors ranging form yellow to orange-red, depending on the amount that was added. It imparts these colors, because it absorbs blue light.
It was also used to fortify chicken feed. A chicken’s skin is not naturally yellow, unless it eats lutein-fortified feed. A fortified diet, of this kind, also results in eggs that have a darker yellow, nearly orange, yolk. The lutein that is present in eggs is a result of chicken’s eating fortified feed. Chickens do not naturally produce it. It is produced primarily by plants.
As long as fruits and vegetables are consumed, it is a nutrient included in the human diet. It is just one of the reasons that eating fruits and vegetables (other than white potatoes) is so important.
If you are wondering; what is lutein doing in nutritional supplements, the answer has mostly to do with the eyes. Inside of the eye is the retina. Light receptors called rods and cones are found in the retina. These are nerve cells responsible for transmitting signals to the brain and receiving signals from it.
Each of the rods and cones contains a membrane composed of protein and retinal or Vitamin A. Vitamin A deficiencies can cause blindness, but a more common problem, night blindness, is due to a lack of it in the diet.
Another component of the retina is the omega3 fatty acid called DHA. It is the most abundant fatty acid found in the retina, as it is in all nerve and brain cells.
Within the retina is found the macula, a spot in the back of the eye, responsible for central vision. A high concentration of lutein, along with zeaxanthin, is found in the macula. If you were wondering what is lutein, because you have seen it in a health supplement, zeaxanthin was probably another ingredient. Zeaxanthin is the dominant pigment in the central macula. Lutein dominates in the rest of the macula.
Both are members of the carotenoid family of pigments. Beta-carotene and lycopene are also carotenoids. Beta-carotene is converted within the body to vitamin A.
At one time it was believed that only beta-carotene was important to healthy vision. Now, it appears that the other carotenoids are just as important. If you ate a salad containing spinach, broccoli, romaine lettuce, carrots and tomatoes, you would get a mixture of all of the carotenoids. If you took a health supplement, you might only get beta-carotene. You would have to read the label to be sure.
You could be wondering what is lutein because your eye doctor suggested it as a dietary supplement. You may be at risk of macula degeneration, an age related eye disease that can result in partial or total blindness. It is believed that supplements containing a variety of carotenoids, along with other vitamins and minerals may reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration. That covers what is lutein. Maybe you should learn about the other nutrients that are important to good vision, for life.
Valerie Rosenbaum has spent years researching the claims of anti aging supplement products and skin care products to find out which ingredients and products are most effective at slowing or even reversing the aging process. If you are interested in restoring your youthful vigor and appearance then visit her website NaturalBalanceSupplements.com
