Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Anti-Aging Cream and the Antioxidants They Contain

By Julie Samtsonn

It seems like everyone is discussing antioxidants and how they fight things like free radicals. But, what does all of that mean? Antioxidants are often spoken about like some sort of miracle drug but how they work is really quite simple to understand. They do work, which is why anti-aging and anti-wrinkle creams are using them in their formulas.

The principle consists of the breakdown of the skin cells, through the aging process, damage to skin through the elements or external factors, such as smoking, that can "attack" the DNA of the cells. Skin cells store Vitamin A, as well as Vitamins C and Vitamin E, so if everything were in perfect balance, these vitamins would be present in the skin cells in the amount necessary to maintain the skin's youthful appearance.

With regard to oxidants and free radicals, it is considered that as age progresses, the essential Vitamins can be reduced from the skin cells due to toxins in the cells, these toxins are fundamentally oxidants, or free radicals. So it is considered that if you consume enough anti-oxidants, they should fight off these oxidants that deplete the vitamin levels of the skin cells, and cause dead, dry skin cells that cause older or wrinkled skin.

Anti aging creams have been quick to pick up on this, using antioxidants in their topical formulas. Often promoted as green tea extract in creams, applying these formulas topically is still unproven. However, it has been proven that the consumption of green tea and black tea will provide ten time the antioxidants by eating fruits and vegetables. So it makes sense that applying to the skin's surface will have a positive outcome.

Drinking a lot of green tea and black tea would still be the best way to fight oxidants, in fact, many people consume up to ten cups each day. Scientist have been able to show that green tea and black tea contain more antioxidants than other varieties like oolong tea. The youthfulness found in countries like China and Japan certainly back this up.

With anti-aging creams, green tea extracts additives have latched onto this principle, however, at this stage results are unknown as far as topical use. As the concept of anti-oxidants combating vitamin loss via internal toxins or free radicals being targeted is more of an internal process, it is feasible some benefit can be achieved with external application. This is considered to be the case at least on a short-term basis.

Perhaps, using anti-oxidants as a cure or prevention in aging and wrinkling, could be more of an internal process. It is advised to drink green and black tea on a regular basis, as there is ten times the anti-oxidants that are found in equivalent measures of fruits and vegetables. It is unknown what benefits topical application can offer other than short-term. - 15252

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