Keep Oxidative Stress Status in Check

Get to the root cause of diseases and aging with Oxidative Stress Analysis.

To identify underlying causes of certain diseases and aging, there is a need to take a look at your oxidative stress status.

Free Radicals Versus Antioxidants

Oxidative stress occurs when there is an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in your body. Your day-to-day activities expose you to environmental elements such as pollutants and sunlight, resulting to production of “free radicals”. These are unstable and highly reactive molecules that affect other molecules in your body, causing damage in the process.

Free radicals are counterbalanced by antioxidants such as Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and Selenium found in food and supplements. If these cannot keep up with free radical production, oxidative stress will occur which is linked to many diseases. It has likewise been implicated in the natural aging process and several degenerative conditions of old age.

It’s More than an Imbalance

Oxidative stress can lead to serious consequences. It is also considered as a factor in many medical conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, cancer, macular degeneration, Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, arthritis, diabetes, atherosclerosis, and chronic fatigue syndrome. For many years, physicians and researchers have been focusing on the different diseases tied to damage caused by free radicals and how it affects the aging process.

Looking into the Root Cause

An Oxidative Stress Test or Analysis assesses how your body is handling oxidative stress. The test is administered by taking a blood sample and provides valuable information on your free radical production, antioxidant reserve, and how these can contribute to various diseases and accelerates the aging process. It evaluates a patient’s unique biochemistry, including the availability of antioxidant RESERVES, the functionality of protective ENZYMES, and the presence (or absence) of tissue DAMAGE. Any imbalances are then treated specifically.

Here are the areas that are looked into in an Oxidative Stress Analysis:

Do you have enough antioxidants?
- Glutathione (GSH) is the body’s most potent endogenous and intracellular anti-oxidant as well as a detoxifying agent. If you have low GSH, oxidative stress will occur, which makes you vulnerable to many chronic diseases.
- Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) reflects the collective power of reducing agents to neutralize free radicals for each individual.
How protected are you?
- Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) and Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx) are endogenous antioxidant enzymes that protect against oxidative stress.
What are the consequences?
- Lipid Peroxides: Lipid Peroxides indicate that your antioxidants were not able to counterbalance the free radicals, leading to cellular dysfunction and increased likelihood of diseases.

Antioxidant needs vary significantly per person. Evaluating your unique levels can help pinpoint imbalances that are exacerbating or setting the stage for chronic illness, thus serving as a springboard for customized intervention.