Let’s face it whenever there is a new breakthrough in the fight against aging there is a queue a mile long of people wanting to try it. If that new breakthrough comes in the form of a pain free cream all the better.
Like creams containing Retinol, Collagen and Alpha-hydroxy acids before it, Idebenone claims to be the answer to many women’s prayers for turning back time. In a skin sense though, it can’t make you twenty again, sorry about that.
History of Idebenone
Idebenone has been known since the 70’s as a pharmaceutical agent, it is currently being used to help treat several illnesses, Alzheimer’s being one. Idebenone has been available as an oral nutritional supplement for many years, although it is only in recent years that it has entered into the realms of anti aging creams. Despite how long it has been around it is being hailed as a new cutting-edge technology to help in the fight against aging.
What Does It Claim To Do?
It is claimed that anti aging cream with Idebenone in it prevents the degeneration of cells, reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, but also provides protection against environmental factors including sun damage, air pollution and cigarette smoke. Sounds great but is there science to back these claims up?
The Science Behind It
Idebenone is a synthetic chemical analog of Coenzyme Q10, they both have very powerful antioxidant properties. It came about in the 70’s, when research was carried out into the potential of CoQ10 reducing the risk of heart failure and free radical damage, as well as to slow progression of some neurological diseases. The results were so encouraging that they began synthesizing analogs of CoQ10 to see if they could artificially improve its effectiveness. From these tests Idebenone was born.
Taken orally, Idebenone is currently used to prevent and treat heart disease, strokes, and is being used in the treatment of Alzheimers. It increases brain and physical energy levels, improves mental clarity; and brain levels of serotonin and nerve growth factor. It protects cells and inhibits inflammation. It also acts to protect the heart and the brain’s myelin sheath and mitochondria.
How Does Anti Aging Cream With Idebenone Work?
The simple answer is that an anti aging cream with Idebenone as an antioxidant fights the free radicals that attack the skin. As we age and accumulate exposure to UV rays and other environmental factors, the body loses its capacity to fight off free radicals. The body’s natural defences are simply overwhelmed. Free radicals in simple terms are molecules within the body that are considered unstable as they are missing an electron. They damage the cells around them taking an electron from the surrounding cells, thus making them into free radicals.
Antioxidants such as Idebenone work by stabilizing these free radicals. In essence they give the free radicals an electron making it stable again. The great thing about antioxidants is that unlike organic cells the loss of an electron does not turn them into free radicals they remain stable. This not only prevents further damage but allows the skin to put more resources into cell regeneration.
Unfortunately, no one has exactly determined scientifically that an anti aging cream with Idebenone is better at fighting free radicals than those containing CoQ10. Studies have been carried out and the results are favourable but in most cases the test numbers are small and therefore it is hard to judge their validity. There has also been a number of reports of anti aging cream with Idebenone such as Prevage causing redness or irritation, the flip side of that is that there are many who are extremely happy with the results and feel that the product is better than any other that they have tried.
Should I Try An Anti Aging Cream With Idebenone In It?
Well, the short answer is that it is up to you, I suppose it depends on what you are getting out of your current skin care treatment. If you have good results, then what’s the point of paying for an anti aging cream with Idebenone in it? But if you are not seeing the results that you want, then you need to ask yourself if you are willing to spend money on an anti aging cream with Idebenone as it is expensive. The good news is that as time goes on the skincare researchers will come up with more affordable products as they know how crucial price is when formulating a product to appeal to a mass market. For those of you who can’t wait and want to splash out now, a word of warning, check the label before you buy and make sure that you are buying an anti aging cream with Idebenone, not CoQ10 or some other common antioxidant.