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Anti-Oxidants Slow Down Aging Process


Contrary to what Juan Ponce de Leon thought when he searched for
it in the 16th century, the fountain of youth is made of
anti-oxidants, not water, and it's a lot easier to find than the
famed explorer thought.


In a study published in January's American Journal of Physiology,
Christiaan Lecawenburgh, a professor in UF's College of Health
and Human Performance, found that anti-oxidant intervention,
which can come from taking vitamin supplements or from a steady
routine of exercise, slows parts of the aging process.


"Our most significant finding was that anti-oxidant intervention
slows down basal skeletal muscle oxidation, which causes the body
to age," said Leeuwenburgh, who did the study with researchers
from the Washington University School of Medicine. "This is the
first evidence of this."


Aging and tissue and muscle loss

Regular exercise or a diet including plenty of anti-oxidants such
as vitamin E, vitamin C and beta carotene, all of which fight the
tendency of oxygen to slowly break down muscle mass, might
protect against the type of tissue and muscle loss that occur as
individuals grow older, Leeuwenburgh said.

"We were surprised to see that regular exercise training was
about as effective in reducing levels of oxidation as a diet of
anti-oxidants," Leeuwenburgh said. "The combined effect of
anti-oxidants and exercise, however, didn't cause a significantly
lower level of muscle oxidation, which was interesting."

The study also was the first of its kind to show that levels of
oxidation in the body can be determined noninvasively, by using
specific markers in the urine.


Aging and heart disease

Leeuwenburgh recommends daily anti-oxidant intake, especially
vitamin E, because it also has been proven to protect against
heart disease. Exercising more and eating less also will help
people live longer, he says.


Reprinted from the University of Florida Focus, Univerity Of
Florida Alumni Association, PO Box 14425, Gainesville, Florida



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