They assist our bodies in fighting the free radical damage we face from day-to-day living and improve upon our ability to live longer and remain healthier. They also increase our chances to conceive.
There are foods rich in amino acids that provide antioxidant support, but it is challenging to receive all the benefits through diet alone. Vitamins E, C, beta carotene, and Zinc all have antioxidant properties as well, and taking them on a regular basis is a good place to start. To truly maintain an adequate level of antioxidants your system, however, it is smart to add two specialty oral antioxidant compounds to your routine: Alpha lipoic acid and N-acetyl cysteine.
To understand how each of those compounds help, we must first take a look at glutathione. It is an important antioxidant produced by cells in our body and one of the keys to overall health. Glutathione neutralizes free radicals, detoxifies many foreign compounds, and is essential for the immune system to exert its full potential. Simply put, the more glutathione you have, the better your health.
Glutathione plays a fundamental role in numerous metabolic and biochemical reactions in our bodies and helps fight oxidation. Every day, molecules are being generated in our systems that can cause damage to our cells (known as oxidation). Our bodies have systems in place to combat the damage-such as glutathione-but our systems are overloaded. We need additional support to maintain optimal health.
Antioxidant supplements like Alpha lipoic acid and N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) provide the extra support necessary to fight free radicals and keep your antioxidant status at a level adequate enough to withstand stress. Alpha lipoic acid helps the body recycle antioxidants such as vitamin C and glutathione after they have been used up, and NAC helps synthesize more glutathione. By taking both specialty compounds, you can promote the body’s ability to produce and replenish invaluable glutathione.
It’s good to take both on a regular basis, but as the level of glutathione affects every system in the body, it’s especially important when trying to conceive. Increased levels of glutathione help improve the viability and quality of both sperm and eggs. Taking oral antioxidants during preconception care may improve fertility outcomes for both men and women by providing the body with more ammunition to fight oxidation. (Which is critical: the delicate nature of sperm and eggs makes them prone to oxidation.)
Visit our pharmacist Greg and in-store experts to learn more about oral antioxidants.
(These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.)