Diet and Health FAQ

Tagged As: Bowel Disorder

Question:
I have read that the mucosal lining of the small bowel is very depleted in antioxidants which is what causes the bowel disorder. Apparently Aloe Vera and other antioxidants will fix this. What are antioxidants?

Answer:
Antioxidants are what renders the free radicals harmless. As long as there are adequate amounts of antioxidants within our bodies to handle the free radicals produced within the cell, there is no damage to the surrounding tissues. The body has the ability to make some of its own antioxidants, but is not able to produce enough on its own to neutralize all of the free radicals our bodies produce. We need to get the rest of these antioxidants from our food. If there is an excess of free radicals, however, oxidative stress occurs and the body begins to degenerate. The most common antioxidants are vitamins A, C, and E. Vitamin C is water soluble and the most effective antioxidant within the plasma; it also helps regenerate Vitamin E which is the most effective antioxidant within the cell wall. In addition to these Vitamins, there are thousands of different antioxidants obtained from foods, primarily fruits and vegetables. They all work in synergistic fashion within our bodies, and the more we have and the more varied they are the better. Glutathione peroxides is one of the most potent antioxidants within the cell and works alongside superoxide dismutase. Alpha lipoic acid, mixed carotenoids, Coenzymeq10,cruciferous, N-acetyl L-cysteine, lutein and a host of bioflavonoids are examples of more antioxidants we are able to get from our foods to help us in the battle against free radicals. Not only do these antioxidants work in synergy with one another, but they work against different types of free radicals. But antioxidants by themselves are not the complete answer. They need adequate amounts of the so-called antioxidant minerals copper, zinc, manganese, and selenium. There must also be adequate amounts of folic acid and vitamins B!, B2, B6, and B12, which are cofactors for the antioxidants, If these minerals and cofactors are not present in adequate amounts, it does not matter what level of antioxidants are present; you will place yourself under oxidative stress.