Antioxidants- the key to a long life

Epidemiological studies show that a high intake of anti-oxidant-rich foods is inversely related to cancer risk.

12/08/05 Boosting the body's levels of natural antioxidants could be the key to a long life, according to US scientists.

Mice engineered to produce high levels of an antioxidant enzyme lived 20% longer and had less heart and other age-related diseases. If the same is true in humans, people could live beyond 100 years. The University of Washington work backs the idea that highly reactive oxygen molecules, called free radicals, cause ageing. Free radicals have been linked with heart disease, cancer and other age-related diseases.

The International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition 2004 published results showing that Reishi caused a significant post-ingestion increase in plasma antioxidant capacity with peak response at 90 min. Increase in urine antioxidant capacity was seen within 3 hours. Results indicate that Reishi intake causes an acute increase in plasma antioxidant capacity.

Reishi is a powerful antioxidant; in a laboratory study Reishi significantly elevated the free radical scavenging ability of blood and was so strong that even after the Reishi extract was absorbed and metabolized the scavenging effect still continued. A compound called GLB 7 actually decreases the production of oxygen free radicals. Dr. Vladimir Kupin of the Cancer Research Centre in Moscow discovered that Reishi was more effective as a free radical scavenger than isolated refined compounds. A laboratory study with fruit flies that have a very similar genetic make up to humans and are often used in experiments proved that Reishi significantly lengthened the life span of those that had been fed Reishi compared to controls.

Epidemiological studies show that a high intake of anti-oxidant-rich foods is inversely related to cancer risk. Animal and cell cultures confirm the anticancer effects of antioxidants. Selenium and vitamin E reduced the risk of some forms of cancer, including prostate and colon cancer and carotenoids have been shown to help reduce breast cancer risk.

Extracts from medicinal mushrooms are classified as nutraceuticals, i.e. dietary supplements. Functional food science is a rapidly evolving discipline researching ways to maintain good health and improve homeostasis and thus create conditions for reducing the risk of disease. It is quite distinct from medical and pharmaceutical sciences where the objectives are mainly to eliminate, cure or control diseases rather than to fortify the patient and prevent disease. Functional foods are poised to play an increasingly important role in developed nations to curtail spiraling health care budgets.

It is widely recognized that diet has a critical role in general health and that many types of cancer can be linked to inappropriate diets. Regular consumption of fruits and vegetables (functional foods) are now considered essential ingredients in cancer and coronary disease prevention programs, e.g. the Department Of Health campaign advocating 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Cancer Research UK note, ‘Dietary supplements consisting of whole mushroom extracts are becoming increasingly popular. Unlike most dietary supplements, mushroom dietary supplements contain a veritable Pandora's box of compounds'.

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