Top 3 Botanical Antioxidants
It is widely known that can support health on many levels. Interesting research over the past few years has focused on the molecular mechanisms of key antioxidants to help explain their efficacy.
Antioxidants can help neutralize free radicals and reduce damage caused by oxidative stress. The research tells us, however, that some antioxidants have additional mechanisms of action that contribute to their health-supporting effects.
While there are many antioxidant substances that support health, there are three key botanical antioxidants that stand out because they have additional mechanisms of action that are important to health. Curcumin, green tea, and are considered important pleiotropic botanicals that have been featured extensively in the scientific literature.
extract has extremely high antioxidant activity, and research has uncovered one of its primary actions is to help inhibit nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB). Through this pathway, curcumin helps support healthy immunomodulation and healthy inflammation. Curcumin also supports the healthy activity of enzymes, growth factor receptors, cofactors and many other molecules in the human body.
, in particular, the active compound epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), is a powerful antioxidant that has been the subject of many in vitro, in vivo and human clinical trials. In addition to the neutralization of free radicals, green tea has been shown to possess diverse health supporting qualities as an epigenetic modifier. Compounds in green tea communicate and interact with DNA to support healthy cell proliferation as well as apoptosis.
is important antioxidant similar to curcumin and green tea in that it is involved with signaling pathways related to growth factors and cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase signaling. In addition, it is involved with cell metabolism, proliferation and stability. Resveratrol is well known for its support of overall cardiovascular health.
, green tea, and are available on their own, but they are often combined to provide additional synergistic effect.