We all want to live longer, age younger, look younger and enjoy a quality life. While aging itself my be unavoidable, the speed at which we age is not. There are many factors that enable one person to barely age and another to age quickly. One of these components is supplement use..and not just any supplement.
The aging process is a result of a progressive accumulation of cellular damage over time. Some of this damage can be prevented, reversed or at the very least improved through the implementation of healthy lifestyle choices that include: A healthful diet of antioxidant rich foods such as brightly colored fruits and vegetables and antioxidant rich complex carbohydrates, drinking water to nourish all cells, adequate sleep, stress reduction, exercise, strength training, no smoking and the use of supplements.
Supplements deter aging. It is vital to add anti-aging supplements to aid in your overall health. An abundance of well-documented research shows that supplements can not only make us look and feel better but prevent and delay the onset of diseases caused by aging.
Here are the Top 3 Supplements to prevent, delay or improve the aging process:
1. CoQ10 (Coenzyme Q10)
CoQ10 is a small molecule that is essential in the production of energy in our bodies and is most present in the areas that require a high degree of energy – the heart, muscles and liver. CoQ10 is beneficial in numerous applications such as treating health issues that happen more frequently as we age - from heart disease, breast cancer and high cholesterol to diabetes, Alheimer’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease.
Another role CoQ10 exerts beyond playing an important energy metabolism role within our cells is it’s antioxidant capability. As an antioxidant, it prevents destructive free-radicals from damaging the body cells, thus, helping to prevent all disease, illness and the decline of an unprotected aging body.
CoQ10 declines with aging, disease and medications such as statins. The health problems that occur with an aging man or woman can correlated to the parallel decline of CoQ10. Researchers estimate that a 25% decline in CoQ10 will create vulnerability to a myriad of disease states.
How much CoQ10 is usually taken? Adult levels of supplementation are usually 30-100 mg. per day, although, individuals that are deficient on statins or have certain health conditions may supplement with higher doses. It is recommended that CoQ10 be taken as a softgel capsule with a meal. Toxicity and side effects have not been encountered even with doses up to several hundred milligrams a day.
2. Resveratrol
Resveratrol is a polyphenol (antioxidant) that is found in the skin of grapes. It is produced naturally by some plants as a response to an environmental stressor such as an infection or fungus to the plant. Resveratrol has demonstrated to create efficient intracellular repair by providing significant antioxidant protection to the cells. This is important because if our cells are intact they behave healthy and young – thus we age younger.
Resveratrol has many health benefits from slowing down the aging process to possibly preventing serious diseases such as heart disease, reducing or preventing high blood pressure and inflammation. Resveratrol may also help with weight loss.
How much Resveratrol do you need? A minimum of 20 mg. of Trans-Resveratrol. Trans-Resveratrol is preferred due to its bioavailability. Research shows even the smallest dosage promotes positive gene expression. Resveratrol is shown not to be toxic in humans.
3. Vitamin E
Did you know that vitamin E is essential to life? We cannot live without it. Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant that protects our cells from oxidative damage. As an antioxidant this vitamin helps prevent the formation of free-radicals that start a chain reaction of cellular damage that play a role in many age-related diseases such as cancer and heart disease. Vitamin E is a combination of eight antioxidant compounds that together create powerful protection – four tocopherols and four tocotrienols: Alpha , Beta , Gamma and Delta.
There is significant evidence that Vitamin E can reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, strokes, it can relieve the symptoms of fibrocystic breast disease, it can be beneficial to those with diabetes as it improves blood glucose metabolism ,protects the myelin sheaths that protect nerves.may help prevent Alzheimer’s Disease, cataracts as well as slowing deterioration associated with aging.
How much Vitamin E do you need? 100 to 400 IU per day is considered safe, protective and beneficial in creating optimum health. High blood levels of vitamin E are associated with health and longevity. Toxicity can rarely occur in those individuals who consume more than 400 IU daily.