Antioxidants: summer essentials

We all love making the most of summer! We spend more time outdoors and enjoy sunbathing, which has many benefits. But we must remember that the sun’s rays emit ultraviolet radiation that can damage the skin¹. This is because the radiation generates oxidative damage in cells², so we must take precautions to protect our skin properly.

We can counteract cell damage with a diet rich in nutrients and antioxidant compounds² and with dietary supplements that contain elements that help maintain cells in optimal condition. ³ Vitamins E and C, beta carotene and flavonoids do just this.

Vitamins C and E

These two vitamins have properties that actively improve skin condition due to their participation in cell renewal processes,^4,5 making them essential summer health allies. They are found in many foods that we can routinely include in our diet.

• Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation, for the normal functioning of the skin⁵. Collagen is a substance that provides hydration for the skin⁶. Thanks to this antioxidant vitamin, which helps protect cells from oxidative damage,^1,7 our skin looks healthier.
  It is found mainly in fruits and vegetables⁸: pomegranates, kiwis, citrus, strawberries, peppers, spinach and cabbages.
  Anastore’s Organic Acerola has high vitamin C content. This product offers natural vitamin C extracted from the fruit of the acerola, a small berry from Latin America that is one of the most vitamin C-rich fruits.
• Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that offers protection from oxidative damage.^9,5 Recent studies point to the role played by oxidative stress in various skin-related problems. Data from these studies indicate that vitamin E supplementation plays a positive role in these disorders².
  Vegetable oils, nuts and seeds are the main dietary sources of vitamin E.¹⁷ In addition, Anastore offers the dietary supplement OMEGA 3 - EPA +, which contains vitamin E in addition to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which contribute to normal heart function.⁵

Beta carotene and flavonoids

• Beta carotene is a pigment of plant origin with properties that are highly beneficial for the human body: as it enters the body, it is transformed into vitamin A.¹⁰ Beta carotene is therefore said to have antioxidant properties^3,5,11 related to photo-aging and other skin disorders.
  Anastore offers dietary supplements that help you maintain an optimum level of beta carotene in your body and maximise its benefits. First, Dunaliella salina, which contains vitamin A in the form of beta carotene, to help to maintain healthy skin.⁵ Second, there’s Organic Moringa. The moringa tree, Moringa oleifera, is native to India. All its components give it high nutritional value, offering a high concentration of proteins, minerals and vitamins,¹² and high beta carotene content.^4,13 Extracts of moringa leaves exhibit the highest antioxidant activity.


• Flavonoids
  Quercetin is the predominant dietary flavonoid. The main food sources are tea, onion and apple. Frequently consumed foods such as rice, olives, potatoes, onions and oats have also been shown to contain flavonoids.¹⁸ And let’s not forget the Japanese Pagoda Tree, Sophora japonica L., which has a high concentration of quercetin, and is key ingredient in Anastore’s Quercetin and zinc product, whose antioxidant properties¹⁹ derive from its flavonoid and mineral content.⁵
  An excellent dietary supplement for consuming optimal levels of flavonoids is Organic Camu. The camu shrub, Myrciaria dubia, is native to the Amazon rainforest and its fruit contains Vitamin C, carotenoids and flavonoids. It helps to maintain a healthy immune system^1,5,15 and to protect cells from oxidative damage.^1,5,15
  There are also other dietary supplements with ingredients that protect us against oxidative stress: Green Tea, with standardised catechin and polyphenol content, to help strengthen our antioxidant defences,²⁰ Cranberry and Grape OPC and resveratrol. Finally, Ubiquinol and Coenzyme Q10 help maintain healthy levels of this coenzyme in the body. This cellular molecule decreases with age and is linked to an increase in oxidative stress, a process that is associated with premature ageing.⁷

If we adopt the right ways of protecting ourselves from ultraviolet radiation, with protective creams, a healthy diet and supplements with ingredients that help protect us from oxidative stress, we can enjoy a sun-filled summer and leisure time outdoors.

Organic Acerola

170 mg / 60 tablets

24,00 €

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OMEGA 3 - EPA +

500 mg / 120 capsules

36,00 €

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Vitamin A (Retinol)

16 mg / 60 capsules

17,00 €

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Organic Moringa

250 mg / 90 capsules

13,00 €

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Quercetin & zinc

100 mg / 60 capsules

27,50 €

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Organic camu camu

100 servings / Camu camu powder 100 g

20,70 €

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Green tea

400 mg / 60 capsules

22,00 €

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Cranberry

360 mg / 30 capsules

19,00 €

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Grape OPC & resveratrol

60 mg / 60 capsules

25,00 €

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Ubiquinol Coenzyme Q10

100 mg / 30 capsules

32,90 €

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Bibliographie

1. Rinnerthaler M, Bischof J, Streubel MK, Trost A, Richter K. Oxidative stress in aging human skin. Biomolecules. 2015 Apr 21;5(2):545-89. doi: 10.3390/biom5020545. PMID: 25906193; PMCID: PMC4496685.
2. Masaki H. Role of antioxidants in the skin: anti-aging effects. J Dermatol Sci. 2010 May;58(2):85-90. doi: 10.1016/j.jdermsci.2010.03.003. Epub 2010 Mar 17. PMID: 20399614.
3. Greul AK, Grundmann JU, Heinrich F, Pfitzner I, Bernhardt J, Ambach A, Biesalski HK, Gollnick H. Photoprotection of UV-irradiated human skin: an antioxidative combination of vitamins E and C, carotenoids, selenium and proanthocyanidins. Skin Pharmacol Appl Skin Physiol. 2002 Sep-Oct;15(5):307-15. doi: 10.1159/000064534. PMID: 12239424.
4. Winkler C, Schroecksnadel K, Schennach H, Fuchs D. Vitamin C and E suppress mitogen-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells in vitro. Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 2007;142(2):127-32. doi: 10.1159/000096438. Epub 2006 Oct 19. PMID: 17057410.
5. COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) No 432/2012 of 16 May 2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims made on foods, other than those referring to the reduction of disease risk and to children’s development and health.
6. Berardesca E, Cameli N. Vitamin E supplementation in inflammatory skin diseases. Dermatol Ther. 2021 Nov;34(6):e15160. doi: 10.1111/dth.15160. Epub 2021 Oct 21. PMID: 34655146.
7. Kosheleva OV, Kodentsova VM. [Vitamin C in fruits and vegetables]. Vopr Pitan. 2013;82(3):45-52. Russian. PMID: 24006751.
8. Brigelius-Flohé R, Traber MG. Vitamin E: function and metabolism. FASEB J. 1999 Jul;13(10):1145-55. PMID: 10385606.
9. Green AS, Fascetti AJ. Meeting the Vitamin A Requirement: The Efficacy and Importance of β-Carotene in Animal Species. ScientificWorldJournal. 2016;2016:7393620. doi: 10.1155/2016/7393620. Epub 2016 Oct 19. PMID: 27833936; PMCID: PMC5090096.
10. Maretti E, Leo E, Rustichelli C, Truzzi E, Siligardi C, Iannuccelli V. In vivo β-carotene skin permeation modulated by Nanostructured Lipid Carriers. Int J Pharm. 2021 Mar 15;597:120322. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2021.120322. Epub 2021 Feb 4. PMID: 33549810.
11. Maretti E, Leo E, Rustichelli C, Truzzi E, Siligardi C, Iannuccelli V. In vivo β-carotene skin permeation modulated by Nanostructured Lipid Carriers. Int J Pharm. 2021 Mar 15;597:120322. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2021.120322. Epub 2021 Feb 4. PMID: 33549810.
12. Domaszewska-Szostek A, Puzianowska-Kuźnicka M, Kuryłowicz A. Flavonoids in Skin Senescence Prevention and Treatment. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Jun 25;22(13):6814. doi: 10.3390/ijms22136814. PMID: 34201952; PMCID: PMC8267725.
13. Determination of chemical composition and nutritional values of Moringa oleifera leaves. Yameogo et al. Pak J Nutr. 2011. 10 (3): 264-268.
14. Hypocholesterolemic effects of crude extract of leaf of Moringa oleifera Lam in high-fat diet fed wistar rats. Ghasi et al. J Ethnopharmacol. 2000 69: 21-25.
15. Calis Z, Mogulkoc R, Baltaci AK. The Roles of Flavonols/Flavonoids in Neurodegeneration and Neuroinflammation. Mini Rev Med Chem. 2020;20(15):1475-1488. doi: 10.2174/1389557519666190617150051. PMID: 31288717.
16. Martin A, Cherubini A, Andres-Lacueva C, Paniagua M, Joseph J. Effects of fruits and vegetables on levels of vitamins E and C in the brain and their association with cognitive performance. J Nutr Health Aging. 2002;6(6):392-404. PMID: 12459890.
17. Calis Z, Mogulkoc R, Baltaci AK. The Roles of Flavonols/Flavonoids in Neurodegeneration and Neuroinflammation. Mini Rev Med Chem. 2020;20(15):1475-1488. doi: 10.2174/1389557519666190617150051. PMID: 31288717.
18. Dong Xu, Meng-Jiao Hu, Yan-Qiu Wang, and Yuan-Lu Cui. Antioxidant Activities of Quercetin and Its Complexes for Medicinal Application. Molecules. 2019 Mar; 24(6): 1123.
19. Extracted from the EFSA health claims application list, under evaluation (ID 1311).