Oxidative stress

Selenium performs various functions in the body. As a component of glutathione peroxidase, it is an important component of antioxidant defence. This enzyme exists in four different isoenzyme forms which are active in different tissues. These selenium-containing enzymes catalyse the hydrogen transfer from glutathione to free peroxides and thus prevent damage at the subcellular and cellular level. Selenium is also a cofactor for the production of active thyroid hormones and therefore indirectly affects basal metabolic rate and cell activity in terms of division rate, differentiation and growth.

Carotenoids are effective antioxidants as they can bind free peroxyl radicals and singlet oxygen and prevent lipid peroxidation by UVB, X-rays and cosmic radiation. One of the most important carotenoids is beta-carotene, which acts as a bioactive precursor for vitamin A and is stored in the skin and in the cells of the retina where it can act directly as an antioxidant against UV-induced free radicals.

Coenzyme Q10 plays a key role as a central antioxidant in cells in addition to cellular energy production.

Pycnogenol^® contains polyphenols from a standardized pine bark extract. It owes its strong antioxidative potential to the contained oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPC) and other bioflavonoids such as catechins, epicatechins, phenolic acids and taxifolin. The contained OPCs show a high antioxidative protection potential, especially against reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, and are therefore a suitable instrument for the prevention and treatment of oxidative stress in various target organs. In vitro studies show that pycnogenol^® is many times more effective than vitamin C and vitamin E in its antioxidative properties. Pycnogenol^® can also recycle oxidized vitamin C and regenerate vitamin E.

Capsaicin (chilli), caffeine, catechins (green tea), sulforaphane/glucoraphanin (broccoli), curcumin (curcuma) and resveratrol/terosyllabic (grapes or red wine) are among the hormonal substances. Hormonal substances act on the antioxidative enzyme system. capsaicin, caffeine and catechins increase the influx of calcium ions into the nerve cell, thereby forming more transcription factors and stimulating protein synthesis. Antioxidative enzymes are formed and the degradation of defective proteins is initiated. Curcumin from turmeric, sulforaphanin or glucoraphanin from broccoli and resveratrol or pterosyllable from grapes have an additional direct effect on the Sirt system and stimulate the production of antioxidative and neuroprotective enzymes as well as the production of Sirtuins. Sirtuins in turn stimulate the production of antioxidative and neuroprotective enzymes and thereby enhance the effect of hormonal substances. Taurine showed its positive influence on markers of oxidative stress in one study with an increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and a decrease in a marker of lipid peroxidation, malondialdehyde (MDA).