We’ve all heard of antioxidants before, but don’t know exactly how they benefit us, or what they benefit the most. People who suffer from kidney disease can be benefited greatly by antioxidants, found in foods, and in kidney supplements found in most stores.
What is Oxidation?
Oxidation is the interaction between oxygen molecules and any other substance that they may come in contact with. Imagine eating an apple. When you first choose the apple, the red skin on the outside looks perfectly clean and in tact. That skin is protecting the inside of the apple from oxidation. We’ve all seen what happens when an apple is left out after being cut open, it begins to turn a brown shade. That is the effect of the oxidation on the apple flesh. The same concept applies within the body, which is where antioxidants come in handy by working to prevent such oxidation from occurring within our body.
The Purpose of Antioxidants
Antioxidants help to protect your cells from the damage of free radicals, molecules that can cause damage to cells, within the body. Without antioxidants, most of our body would be affected. Our DNA will be damaged, our cells will be attacked by the free radicals, our aging process will accelerate, and the LDL, bad cholesterol, in our body will be oxidized which can lead to blockage and strokes.
When it comes to kidneys in specific, the antioxidants work to protect the kidneys, and slow down the progressing kidney disease. People that have kidney disease tend to suffer also from inflammation and a higher risk of CVD, cardio-vascular disease. Since the antioxidants protect the cells in the kidneys, they decrease the amount of inflammation caused by damaging free radicals. These antioxidants also work to lessen the effects of CVD, by destroying the free radicals that cause such disease.
Where Can We Get Antioxidants?
Antioxidants can be found in many man-made and natural foods or supplements. It can be found in beta-carotene in carrots, lutein from green leafy vegetables, lycopene, the chemical that gives tomatoes their pigment, selenium a trace element found in many foods, as well as Vitamin A, C, and E. These vitamins can be purchased at most any store that contains a vitamin section, as well as in the foods that contain them. However, it is good to be aware of the potential over consumption of these antioxidants. Vitamin A, C, and E are great for the body in healthy doses. In-taking too many of these vitamins can commonly lead to dizziness, fever, nausea, and depending on the extent, even coma and death.
– Article contributed by ProRenal, a doctor-formulated kidney supplement and daily multivitamin to support kidney and heart health.