Antioxidants - Fighters against free radical damage
Food/Supplemental Antioxidants
Polyphenols - Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer
effects
Polyphenols provide most of our dietary antioxidants
Polyphenols recognized for their value in restoring health
Polyphenols have the potential for having antioxidant, anti-inflammatory,
antineoplastic (anti-tumor), antiaging, cardioprotective
/ anti-hypertensive, and antimicrobial properties/effects. There are over 4,000 polyphenol compounds, some having a
potent effect on disease and health issues with sufficient dosages.
Polyphenols contain multiple phenols.
A phenol (C6 O5 OH) has 6 carbon atoms
bonded into a hexagonal ring, 5 of which are bonded to hydrogen atoms and 1 is bonded
to a hydroxyl group (OH);
The original hypothesis that polyphenols are
direct
antioxidants has
been disproven. i.e. they don't
directly fight against inflammation and free radicals. Instead, they act by stimulating
and upregulating the body's natural antioxidant
/ anti-inflammatory defense systems, involving such as:
• Cell signaling and inflammation.
(Shimizu, 2017)
• Oxidative stress
(Hussain et al, 2016)
• INSULIN signaling and
INSULIN resistance
(www.hindawi.com/journals/omcl/2016/7432797/)
• Adipose tissue modeling
(DomÃnguez Avila et al, 2017 )
Polyphenols (aka phenolics)
add astringency to the taste of food or drinks
In plants, polyphenols defend against attack by insects and
provide color to plants
Examples:
Resveratrol in red wine, and polypenols in
the culinary spices capsaicin in chilli and
paprika, thymol in thyme,
cinnamic acid in cinnamon,
rosmarinic acid in rosemary, thyme, oregano,
sage and peppermint.
Best foods for polyphenols:
Top foods having >1
mg polyphenols in a serving size
Spices: Cloves, star anise, capers, curry powder, ginger,
cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg, chili peppers (red and orange habeneros,
cayenne);
Dried herbs: Peppermint, oregano,
sage, rosemary, thyme, basil, lemon verbena, parsley, marjoram;
Beverages: red wine, cocoa, green tea, black tea;
Dark berries: Black chokeberry, black elderberry,
low bush blueberry, plum, cherry, blackcurrant, blackberry, strawberry,
raspberry, prune, black grapes.
Other fruit: Apples, apple juice, pomegranate
juice, peach, blood orange juice, lemon juice, apricot, quince.
Seeds: Flaxseed, celery seeds, fennel, chili
pepper seeds (red and orange habenero seeds, cayenne)
Nuts: Chestnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, almonds,
walnuts;
Olives: black and green olives;
Vegetables: globe artichokes, red chicory, green
chicory, red onion, spinach, broccoli, curly endive;
Oils: Extra-virgin olive oil, rapeseed (canola)
oil;
Some of the better known polyphenols
Anthocyanin
High in:
• Tart (E.g. Montmorency)
or sweet cherries (E.g. Bing). Tart
cherries contain roughly twice as many phenolic compounds than sweet cherries, but
sweet cherries contain roughly twice as many anthocyanins. carotenoids, quercetin,
melatonin , and vitamins
E and C.
High anthocyanin content in cherries thought to provide
an anti-inflammatory effect.
A Review of the Health Benefits of Cherries
Consuming cherries, or juice or extract effective against GOUT
(a form of arthritis marked by sudden attacks of joint
pain /inflammation) - eating at least 10 cherries
(type not specified)/day is associated with a 50% reduction of recurrent gout flares
over a 48hr period -
study by Boston univ Med. Center, published 2012 in J. Arthritis & Rheumatism.
Also, a 2010 study at Robert Wood
Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, N.J., involving 24 gout patients, achieved
similar results when taking 1 Tbsp. cherry extract (equiv. ~45-60 cherries) twice
daily for 4 months. Study reference?
Drinking an 8oz bottle of tart cherry juice ( juice of ~45 cherries) twice daily for
6 weeks relieved OSTEOARTHRITIS. So found a 2013 study by
Philadelphia VA medical center. Participants showed significant decrease in
the standard inflammation marker,
C-reactive protein (CRP).
Selective COX-2 inhibitor better than both COX-1 and COX-2
inhibitors. NSAID (or coxib) drugs such as ibuprofen® and naproxen®,
reduce pain and inflammation by suppressing the COX-2 enzyme. Unfortunately,
they also suppress the COX-1 enzyme, which is a primary protector of the stomach
lining , and extended use of these coxibs can cause GI discomfort and stomach
ulcers leading to internal bleeding, with the risk of dying after only 2 months
of NSAID use increasing to 1 in 1200. (To put this in perspective: this is 1000 times more
perilous than taking a single flight)
Number Needed To Kill Individual Drug Risk with NSAIDs
NSAIDS /coxibs warning
Comparing data published from pre-1997 to that from 1997-2008,
mortality in patients suffering from an upper gastrointestinal bleed or perforation
has fallen from 1 in 9 to 1 in 13 overall, but has actually increased from about
1 in 7 to 1 in 5 in those exposed to NSAID or aspirin! S.Straube
et al, Mortality with upper gastrointestinal bleeding and perforation: effects of
time and NSAID use. 2009 Jun 5;BMC Gastroenterol. 9:41.
Obscenely expensive Vioxx® was an attempt at suppressing
COX-2, whilst preserving COX-1 - it failed. Causing tens
of thousands of deaths due to heart attack or stroke. HOWEVER :) it turns out
that cherries are a natural selective COX-2
inhibitor .
Proanthocyanidins
High in:
• Grape skins and
juice, but highly concentrated in grape seed extract
(up to 70-90% proanthocyandins). Also contain
many other polyphenols.
Main active ingredient is the polyphenol flavonoid oligomeric
proanthocyanidin (OPC) - OPCs are major
free-radical scavengers
/ antioxidants
Catechins (flavonols)
High in:
• Green tea, green tea extract
(Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)); Lipton Green
Teabag contains 71mg EGCG;
• Unprocessed cocoa component of dark chocolate
(epicatechin)
Dark chocolate -"Anti-inflammatory
/ Antidepressant"
Both their caffeine and polyphenol content increase energy levels
- promote activity of the neurotransmitter NOREPINEPHRINE to increase metabolic
rate, which burns/oxidizes fat.
Curcuminoids
High in:
• Turmeric
Curcumin is the main curcuminoid found in the rhyzome of turmeric
(Curcuma longa) - a popular Indian spice and a member
of the ginger family (Zingiberaceae); curcuminoids are natural phenols responsible
for turmeric's yellow color; turmeric root extract is ~4% curcumin.
Curcumin shown to have an
anti-inflammatory effect
- but its mechanism is as yet unknown; has shown beneficial in IBS, Crohn's disease
and osteoarthritis;
4-month,
160 patient, double-blind study demonstrating anti- inflammatory effect in osteoarthritis
of the knee
In vitro
study shows curcumin's effect on certain inflammatory makers in IBD
Supports cognitive function / memory
- breaks down build-up of plaque (protein-clumps) on brain
tissue which interrupts cell signalling. Also aids brain cell growth.
Curcuminoids inhibit enzymes which participate in the synthesis
of inflammatory prostaglandins and leukotrienes (locally
operating communication messengers derived from polyunsaturated fats) - the anti-inflammatory
effect of curcumnoids has been found comparable to steroidal drugs, and such nonsteroidal
drugs as indomethacin and phenylbutazone, but without the negative side-effects;
Heating curcumin destroys many of its beneficial properties
Curcumin must be in bioavailable form.
Typically used as 95% standardized extract, but when refined curcumin extract
is combined with a water-soluble substance called PVP and fat soluble forms of vitamins
A and C, it is made 136 times more bioavailable than standardized form. Preferable
to use 100% organic form. (Jager et al, 2014)
Turmeric seen to kill H. Pylori.
Suspected of being the microbe responsible for hijacking
cells and turning them cancerous;
Cinnamic acid
High levels in cinnamon:
- Active ingredient methylhydroxychalcone polymer
(MHCP) - identified as the substance lowering the
probability of getting type 2 diabetes in those eating apple pies.
(Dr. Richard Anderson)
- Having similar effects as
INSULIN , MHCP stimulates glucose uptake and
aids glycogen (storage
form of glucose )
synthesis - both helpful in blood sugar metabolism:
Ellagic Acid
High in:
• Raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, grapes,
pomegranates, walnuts, pecans;
Lignans
Lignan precursors high in a wide variety of plant-based foods
- including Seeds (superlatively
high amounts are found in flaxseeds, but not their
oil), whole grains, legumes, fruit, and vegetables.
Lignans enterodiol and enterolactone have weak
estrogenic activity
- may have a role in hormone-related cancers (breast, uterine, ovarian, and
prostate), heart disease and osteoporosis ( estrogen
improves bone density); (Oregon state article)
Resveratrol
High amounts in: grapes (in skins
and seeds - including red wine, which is fermented with skins), peanuts,
pistachios, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, mulberries, dark chocolate;
A stilbene
Supports cardiovascular and cognitive health
- also associated with increased blood flow to the brain;
Pairs with body's major in-house-produced antioxidant
glutathione to prevent oxidative damage to cell
Quercetin
High amounts of this flavonol in: fruits,
vegetables (especially red onions), leaves and grains;
Ginger
Inhibits both COX-1 and
COX-2 enzymes as well as other pro-inflammatory chemicals
Bromelain
Family of proteolytic enzymes commonly used for treating soft
tissue injuries and treating inflammation
• Reduces swelling / pain;
• Increases
fibrinolysis
(Taussig & Batkin, 1988)
Recommended Dose: 500 -2000 mg/day (with enzymatic activity of at least 2,000 mcu/g)
Polyphenol-rich foods
Manuka Honey
Polyphenols found in plant nectar. Bees convert
nectar into honey.
Polyphenol antioxidant
content of honey counters
oxidant
activity.
The polyphenols account for its anti-inflammatory activity and are able to prevent
the feedback amplification of inflammation via hydrogen peroxide.
Boswellia Serrata (Indian
Frankincense)
References Dr. Richard A. Anderson, at the HumanNutritionResearchCenter (USDA)
DomÃnguez Avila JA, Rodrigo GarcÃa J, González Aguilar GA, de la
Rosa LA (2017 May 30) The Antidiabetic Mechanisms of Polyphenols Related to Increased
Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP1) and Insulin Signaling. Molecules; 22(6)
Link
Hussain, Tarique et al (2016) Oxidative Stress and Inflammation:
What Polyphenols Can Do for Us? Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity. Volume 2016,
Article ID 7432797, 9 pages
Link
Jager R. et al (2014) Comparative absorption of curcumin
formulations, Nutr.J; 13:11
PubMed
Oregon State Article
https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/dietary-factors/phytochemicals/lignans#food-sources
Shimizu, Makoto (Jan 2017), Multifunctions of dietary polyphenols
in the regulation of intestinal inflammation. J. of Food and Drug Analysis Volume
25, Issue 1:93-99.
LInk
Taussig SJ, Batkin S. (1988) Bromelain, the enzymecomplex
of pineapple (Ananas comosus) and its clinical application. An update. J Ethnopharmacol.
22:191-203.
