Antioxidant
Episodes
Dr. Rhonda Patrick covers lithium microdosing, reducing homocysteine, aluminum's link to cancer, and beta-alanine and alpha-lipoic acid supplements.
In this clip, Dr. Mark Mattson discusses our fascinating coevolution with plants and why mildly toxic phytochemicals promote longevity better than antioxidants.
Dr. Rhonda Patrick answers audience questions on various health, nutrition, and science topics in this Q&A session.
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Exercise Biomarkers Vitamin E Genetics Eyes Caffeine Folate Sulforaphane Sauna Antioxidant Dairy Polyphenol Supplements Wearable TechnologyDr. Rhonda Patrick covers lithium microdosing, reducing homocysteine, aluminum's link to cancer, and beta-alanine and alpha-lipoic acid supplements.
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In this clip, Dr. Mark Mattson discusses our fascinating coevolution with plants and why mildly toxic phytochemicals promote longevity better than antioxidants.
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Rhonda Vitamin D Aging Omega-3 Fasting Immune System Antioxidant Protein COVID-19 Moringa Supplements Ketogenic DietDr. Rhonda Patrick answers audience questions on various health, nutrition, and science topics in this Q&A session.
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In this clip, Dr. Jed Fahey describes how long the health effects of broccoli sprouts last.
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In this clip, Dr. Jed Fahey rebuts popular claims that an all-meat diet is healthful.
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A special two-hour Q&A with Dr. Jed Fahey, an expert on sulforaphane, chemoprotection, and phytochemicals.
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Dr. Rhonda Patrick answers audience questions on various health, nutrition, and science topics in this Q&A session.
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In this clip, Dr. Rhonda Patrick discusses the current sulforaphane research as it pertains to DNA damage, and highlights the importance of considering the different forms of studies.
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In this clip, Dr. Rhonda Patrick describes advances in sulforaphane research that are particularly relevant to the brain.
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In this clip, Tim Ferriss and Dr. Rhonda Patrick discuss acute versus chronic inflammation and how supplemental antioxidants can negate some of the benefits of exercise.
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How the benefits of exercise can be blocked by NSAIDs and high dose supplementation of antioxidants.Dr. Charles Raison explains that taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents or high dose antioxidants may block some of the benefits of exercise.
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Epigenetics Vitamin D Nutrition Exercise Aging Metabolism Sleep Diabetes Telomeres DNA Damage Stem Cells Stress Melatonin Vitamin E Genetics 23andMe Heat Stress Autophagy Autism Folate Sauna AntioxidantOur genes influence the way we absorb and metabolize micronutrients. Nutrigenomics looks at the influence genetic variation has over micronutrient absorption/metabolism and the biological consequences of this dynamic relationship.
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A modest change on the "micronutrient smoothie" that also talks about the beneficial compounds that don't qualify as micronutrients.
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Dr. Rhonda Patrick explains what antioxidants are, why they are important, and how they prevent DNA damage, a well-known cancer initiator.
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Nutrition Brain Diet Epigenetics Cholesterol Omega-3 Inflammation Micronutrients Multiple Sclerosis Mitochondria Vitamin K Antioxidant AutoimmunityDr. Terry Wahls discusses the nutrition protocol she used to reverse her secondary-progressive multiple sclerosis.
Topic Pages
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Carotenoids
Carotenoids function as lipophilic antioxidants, quenching singlet oxygen and scavenging peroxyl radicals via conjugated double-bond electron donation.
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Quercetin
Quercetin functions as a polyphenolic antioxidant, donating electrons and upregulating endogenous antioxidant enzymes to neutralize ROS.
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Sulforaphane
Sulforaphane confers indirect antioxidant effects via Nrf2 activation, upregulating phase-II detoxification and reactive-oxygen-scavenging enzymes.
News & Publications
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A daily dose of coenzyme Q10—100 milligrams or less—reduces blood pressure by about 4mmH systolic and 3mmHG diastolic in people with type 2 diabetes, potentially lowering cardiovascular risk. www.clinicaltherapeutics.com
Most people with type 2 diabetes know they need to manage their blood glucose levels, but many may not realize they are at higher risk for heart disease. One potential option for reducing that risk is coenzyme Q10, a naturally occurring antioxidant. A recent study found that supplementing with coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) helps lower blood pressure in people with type 2 diabetes.
Researchers reviewed data from 16 clinical trials that measured CoQ10 levels in people with type 2 diabetes. They focused on changes in blood pressure and cholesterol levels, comparing those who took the supplement to those who did not.
Their analysis revealed that CoQ10 lowered systolic blood pressure by about 4 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure by about 3 mmHg. While it didn’t improve cholesterol levels overall, some subgroup analyses showed better results with lower doses (100 milligrams daily or less) and shorter study durations (less than 12 weeks). Notably, these findings were more pronounced in studies with larger participant groups (more than 50 people) and participants aged 55 or younger.
A reduction of 4 mmHg in systolic blood pressure may seem modest, but even small reductions can lower the risk of heart disease and stroke. For example, a comprehensive analysis found that a 5-mmHg decrease in systolic blood pressure reduced the risk of major cardiovascular events by approximately 10%00590-0/fulltext).
These findings suggest that CoQ10 could be a useful addition to diabetes treatment for managing blood pressure and reducing cardiovascular risk. A common feature of diabetes and cardiovascular disease is inflammation. Learn how to reduce chronic inflammation in Aliquot #84: Putting the Brakes on Chronic Inflammation
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Curcumin may improve exercise tolerance through antioxidant-regulating protein Nrf2. journals.physiology.org
Curcumin is the principal bioactive compound present in the yellow spice turmeric. An abundance of scientific evidence indicates that curcumin has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and neuroprotective properties in humans. Findings from a 2019 study suggest that curcumin improves exercise tolerance in mice with heart failure via its activation of Nrf2.
Heart failure, commonly referred to as the end stage of heart disease, affects more than 26 million people worldwide. Exercise intolerance is a common feature of heart failure and is typically attributed to low ejection fraction – a measure of ventricular efficiency. A critical driver of low ejection fraction is oxidative stress.
Nrf2 is a cellular protein that regulates the expression of antioxidant and stress response proteins via participation in the Keap1-Nrf2-ARE biological pathway. Nrf2 activates the transcription of cytoprotective proteins that protect against oxidative stress due to injury and inflammation.
The study investigators gauged the effects of curcumin in mice that had heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and in mice with healthy hearts. A subset of the mice received daily curcumin supplementation, while the others did not. The investigators measured the animals' heart function via echocardiogram, assessed their exercise performance on a treadmill, and measured the expression of Nrf2 and its target proteins in their muscles.
They found that both groups of mice that received curcumin (including those with healthy hearts) had improved exercise capacity compared to those that did not receive the compound. They also found that Nrf2 expression and antioxidant proteins increased in the mice with heart failure that received curcumin.
These findings suggest that impaired Nrf2 drives oxidative stress in skeletal muscle in those who have heart failure with low ejection fraction. Curcumin counters these effects by upregulating antioxidant defenses in skeletal muscle, likely mediated by Nrf2 activation. Many plant-based dietary compounds induce Nrf2 activity, including sulforaphane, a compound derived from broccoli and broccoli sprouts. Learn more about Nrf2 and sulforaphane in this episode featuring Dr. Jed Fahey.