Antioxidants:  The Original Detoxifier

Craig A. Zunka, D.D.S.

I.     Understanding pH

A.  What is pH?

1.  Potential hydrogen

pH Scale      0 – 14

pH 0 – 100% Acid            Electron Stealer

pH 14 – 100% Alkaline      Electron Doner

pH 7 – Neutral

Blood pH       7.35 – 7.45

II.    What is a Free Radical?

A.  A Free Radical is a molecule that is missing electrons.  It is like a mugger looking for someone’s purse to steal.  When a free radical steals electrons from the cell, it damages the cell.

III.   What is an Antioxidant?

A.  An antioxidant is a molecule capable of giving away electrons.  Thus, when your mother says “eat your vegetables” she is saying that the vegetables contain electrons that are good for you!

IV.    Major Antioxidants

A.  Vitamin A
B.  Vitamin C
C.  Vitamin E
D.  Selenium
E.  Glutathione

V.     Vitamin A

A.  A Complex
B.  Beta-carotene
C.  RDA = 4000 – 5000 IU
D.  Toxic Level = 15000 IU/Kg of body weight
E.  Daily Intake = 15000 – 30000IU
F.  Natural Sources

1.  Apricots, asparagus, beet greens, blue green algae, broccoli, butter, butternut squash, cantaloupe, carrots, cheese, dandelion greens, eggs, fish, fish liver oil, green & yellow fruits and vegetables, green olives, liver, mango, milk products, papaya, parsley, prunes, red pepper, snap beans, spirulina, spinach, sweet potatoes

VI.    Vitamin C

A.  C Complex

1.  Ascorbic Acid
2.  Rutin
3.  Hesperidin
4.  Bioflavonoids

a)  Ascorbic Acid  VS  Ascorbic Acid & Bio-flavonoids
b)  What is Natural Vitamin C? – READ THE LABEL!

B.  RDA = 60mg
C.  Water Soluble
D.  Lioness Pauling – discovered Vitamin C

1.  Took 30000mg per day

E.  Health = 1000 – 2000mg

1.  How much can you take?

a)  Take too much and your bowels will get loose – diarrhea

F.  Cold Sores

1.  When you first get the tingle of a cold sore take 1000mg of Vitamin C with Citrus Bio-flavonoids and then 1000mg three times per day for three days.

G.  Natural Sources

1.  Most all fresh fruits and vegetables, acerola cherries, alfalfa sprouts, apricots, asparagus, beef  liver, black currents, cantaloupe, cauliflower, citrus fruits, green vegetables, guava, mango, mustard greens, oranges, papaya, salmon, strawberries, tomatoes

VII.   Vitamin E

A.  RDA = 8 – 10IU
B.  Fat Soluble
C. Health = 400 – 800IU
D.  Available Forms

1.  Gel Cap
2.  Power

E.  Natural Sources

1.  Almonds, asparagus, beef liver, bran, brown rice, butter, cucumber, dark green vegetables, eggs, fruits, herring, kale, nuts, organ meats, peanuts, seeds, soybeans, unrefined cereals, vegetable oils, wheat germ & oil, whole grains

F.  News Article – 5-6 years ago = “All cause death Vitamin E”
G.  Heart Health
H.  Wound Healing

VIII.   Selenium

A.  RDA = 55 – 70mcg
B.  Heath = 200mcg per day
C.  Natural Sources

1.  Asparagus, Brazil nuts, brewer’s yeast, broccoli, cabbage, eggs, fish, garlic, lobster, meats & organ meats, scallops, seafood, shrimp, tomatoes, tuna, turnips, wheat germ, whole grains

D.  Prostate

IX.    Glutathione

A.  Master Antioxidant

1.  Director of immune system and the director of detoxification

a)  Not absorbed well from the gut
b)  It is made in every cell in the body by assembling the amino acids—cysteine, glycine and glutamine.           

B.  Glutathione has multiple functions

1.  It is the major antioxidant produced by the cells, participating directly in the neutralization of free radicals and reactive oxygen compounds, as well as maintaining exogenous antioxidants such as vitamin C and E in their reduced (electron donor) forms.
2.  It detoxifies many foreign compounds and carcinogens, both organic and inorganic.
3.  It is essential for immune system to exert its full potential, e.g.

a)  Modulating antigen presentation to lymphocytes, thereby influencing cytokine production and type of response (cellular or humoral) that develops,
b)  Enhancing proliferation of lymphocytes thereby increasing magnitude of response,
c)  Enhancing killing activity of cytotoxic T cells and NK cells
d)  Regulating apoptosis-- thereby maintain control of the immune response.

4.  It plays a fundamental role in numerous metabolic and biochemical reactions such as DNA synthesis and repair, protein synthesis, prostaglandin synthesis, amino acid transport and enzyme activation.  Thus, every system in the body can be affected by the state of the glutathione system, especially the immune system, the nervous system, the gastrointestinal system and the lungs.  (Wikipedia)
5.  It is necessary for converting T4 to T3 (thyroid hormones).  It is also necessary to transfer electrons from the cell membrane to the mitochondria.

C.  Sources

1.  SAMe – S-Adenosylmthionine
2.  MAX-GL
3.  Raw Milk
4.  Non-denatured whey protein – meaning the whey was obtained from non-pasteurized (raw) milk