The manufacturers of anti aging vitamins all make the same near miraculous claim that they can slow down the signs of aging.

Everyone seems to make the same assertions but they tend to be based on one of two theories, oxidation reactions and sub-optimal hormone levels.

Oxidation reactions occur when oxygen combusts and produces oxygen free radicals as a byproduct. This is basically the aging process. Free radicals are what cause damage in the skin as they spoil and destroy the surrounding cells; a problem which can then increase. We cannot escape from these free radicals that are produced from inside our bodies but we can add to the damage by exposing ourselves to even more free radicals from smoking, sunbathing and even eating certain foods. By cutting out activities that can cause cell damage, we can limit the problems but we can never stop the aging process.

The other theory is that hormones become below par which in turn causes visible signs of aging. Some of the hormones in our bodies slow down and decrease in quality and HGH, human growth hormone is what stimulates the growth of our cells. When HGH slows down, so do we. This is basically how all of our bodies work as we age and the best way to stem the process is by filling our bodies with anti-oxidants, vitamins and important nutrients. This can be done by eating a healthy diet but many use anti aging vitamins to aid the process.

Antioxidants are the Anti Aging Vitamins

Antioxidants are sometimes know as the anti aging vitamins and have certain effects that are thought to slow the aging process, as well as help to prevent many diseases that are associated with aging. In order to understand why antioxidants are thought of as the anti aging vitamins, an understanding of the free radical theory is necessary.

The Free Radical Theory

The explanation of free radicals can get very complicated, very quickly. In simple terms, free radicals are molecules that are considered unstable because they are missing an electron in their outer shells. Over time, these molecules can damage the cells around them by in essence stealing an electron from the surrounding cells, thereby making that cell into a free radical. This process reduces that cells function, and with enough cells effected it can also reduce that particular system’s function and, eventually the individual’s overall functioning.

Antioxidants are known as the anti aging vitamins due to this theory. Antioxidants are able to stabilize these free radicals by essentially donating one of their electrons to the free radical, thereby making the free radical into a stable molecule. Unlike organic cells, antioxidants remain stable even after donating an electron to the free radical, as they are stable in either form.

Antioxidant Composition

Although they are many times referred to as the anti aging vitamins, antioxidants actually include several different kinds of vitamins. Some of the more common antioxidants include vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, melatonin, glutathione, selenium, lycopene, and lutien. These vitamins may be listed differently as well, as they each break down as different substances or may be combined and listed differently.

Are Anti Aging Vitamins Worth It?

Antioxidants can be found in many of the foods people eat every day. Some of these foods include berries (strawberries, blueberries, cherries, raspberries, etc.), apples, many different types of vegetables (green peppers, broccoli, spinach, cabbage, etc.), fish, red meats, chicken and eggs are all sources of varying types of antioxidants. Essentially, following a good diet that is full of different types of nutritional food may be the easiest way to ensure you get all of the antioxidants needed for a healthy diet.

However, anti aging vitamins are worth the price as they provide an important service. Although it can be achieved with a healthy diet, it can be a worthy idea to supplement a healthy lifestyle with anti aging vitamins. They can help the body to restock on vital nutrients that have been lost and encourage the internal organs and functions to carry on as normal. They can aid cell reproduction and in turn stimulate our hormones to perform as expected. This does not stop the aging process but it can slow it down, leaving us feeling and looking younger, healthier and more energetic. Unhealthy lifestyles and poor diets only speed up the aging process so it is far better to take supplementary anti aging vitamins to keep our bodies working well for longer. Anti aging vitamins are simply giving our bodies enough of what they need to process.

You must however be careful not to take excessive doses of vitamins as studies have found excessive doses may actually be harmful.