Can Taking Antioxidants Really Help with Weight Loss?

Antioxidants are substances that help protect healthy cells from the damaging effects of free radicals, which are formed naturally in the body. Antioxidants are responsible for fighting disease and keeping you healthy, especially if you’re always very physically active, have bad habits like smoking, and frequently expose yourself to environmental contaminants like radiation. Recent studies have shown that beyond providing protection from cell-damaging free radicals, antioxidants may also help promote weight loss.

How to lose weight

There are three main ways that a person can lose weight:

1. Eat a healthy, balanced diet

2. Control calorie intake

3. Exercise most days of the week

For those who are overweight or obese, health practitioners suggest losing weight by making these lifestyle changes. For individuals who have exhausted all mainstream methods for reducing excess weight, options like weight loss surgery and hunger-reducing medications may be a consideration, especially if your weight has gotten so out of control, you’re at risk for developing diabetes, heart problems, high blood blood pressure, and other potentially deadly conditions.

Antioxidants and weight loss

Recently, scientists have found that antioxidant content in fruits, nuts, vegetables, tea, and wine may help promote weight loss by reducing buildup in fat cells.[3]

• Disables fat producing enzymes – antioxidants may directly reduce enzymes responsible for the buildup of fat stored in fat cells.[4, 5, 6]

• Destroys fat cells – certain types of antioxidants may help destroy fat cells, thereby reducing fat tissue and the accumulation of body fat.

• Fiber-rich antioxidants help fight weight gain – antioxidant-rich foods, such as nuts and vegetables, often come with a healthy amount of fiber — a dietary material that the body can’t digest and helps eliminate waste from the stomach and intestines. Foods high in fiber also make you feel fuller longer.

• Healthier cells burn fat more efficiently – by reducing the damaging effects of free radicals, cells are able to function properly and burn fat, which is used as fuel, more effectively.

• Antioxidants keep the liver healthy – the liver is responsible for processing protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Antioxidants help the liver by converting poisons to substances that are less hazardous to cells.[9]

Types of antioxidants

The term antioxidant refers to a variety of substances that function relatively the same.

• Vitamins – vitamin C and vitamin E are rich in antioxidants. Vitamin C is found in many citrus fruits, like lemons, oranges, and kiwi. Vitamin E is found in animal sources like pork, beef, fish, and fish oil.

• Carotenes – a class of colorful antioxidants found in vegetables, such as pumpkins, squash, carrots, and beets.

• Minerals – some minerals, such as zinc, selenium, chromium, and manganese, have antioxidant-like characteristics. They’re typically found in meat, vegetables, and fruits.

• Flavonoids – there are roughly 4,000 types of flavonoids, a group of antioxidant compounds found primarily in plants and known for their pigmentation. Flavonoids are found in apples, grapes, blueberries. and cabbage.

• Enzymes – substances produced by all living beings (plants, animals, insects, and fish) that have antioxidant effects.

Sources rich in antioxidants

Foods rich in antioxidants have a variety of healthy benefits.

Curcumin

Also known as turmeric, curcumin is from the Curcuma longa plant. The spice may help prevent certain types of cancer.[10, 11, 12]

Forskolin

A plant extract from Plectranthus barbatus, also known as the Indian Coleaus plant. It has the following benefits:

• May help with weight loss[13]

• Normalizes blood pressure[14]

• Improves nervous system health

• Antibiotic properties

• Anti-inflammatory properties

Astaxanthin

Believed to be the strongest antioxidant in nature, astaxanthin is found in krill and ocean algae. Astaxanthin provides the following benefits:

• Boosts immune health

• Improves cardiovascular health[16]

• Improves central nervous system health[17]

Resveratrol

A relatively well known substance found in red grapes and red grape products, resveratrol has been extensively researched and proven to be an effective antioxidant.

• May improve lipid or fat metabolism in fat cells

• Boosts immune health

• Improves cardiovascular health

• Acts as an anti-inflammatory

• May provide relief for moderate to severe pain

• Regulates carbohydrate metabolism

CoQ10

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a naturally occurring enzyme found in cells. It’s a powerful antioxidant produced in the body. [23] Production of CoQ10 is naturally reduced as the body ages, making dietary supplementation a necessity in order to achieve the benefits this enzyme provides.[24]

Chromium Picolinate

Chromium picolinate is a form of chromium that is considered a mineral antioxidant. Picolinate is considered the best form of chromium salt due to its rapid absorption. Chromium helps regulate carbohydrate metabolism.[22]

BioPerine

Black pepper is full of beneficial substances that can help burn fat. One particular substance is piperine, from which the BioPerine form is made of. Aside from burning fat, BioPerine helps the body absorb nutrients properly and can help increase the effectiveness of some antioxidants, such as CoQ10.[23]

Antioxidant supplementation

Consuming an antioxidant-rich diet can be a challenge. Too many grocery stores — especially those in urban areas, tend to sell meat or produce that is farmed or grown in a way that reduces available anti-oxidants, and other essential nutrients. Fortunately, supplements like Levean contain these natural food extracts. You can also boost the fat burning capabilities of antioxidants with OxyELITE Pro.

Levean and OxyELITE Pro complement each other by increasing metabolism and promoting intense fat burn. They also protect the body from free radicals and metabolic waste. To burn fat and lose weight in the safest and most effective way, take these supplements, coupled with a healthy diet and regular exercise,.

Always consult your doctor before taking a new vitamin or supplement, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, on prescription medication, or have an existing medical condition.

References:

1. Jeanie Lerche Davis; WebMD; “How Antioxidants Work“
2. Kisakol, G, et. al.; Obesity Surgery; “Effect of surgical weight loss on free radical and antioxidant balance: a preliminary report;” 2002
3. Miranda Hitti; WebMD; “Antioxidants May Fight Fat;”2007
4. Hsu CL, et. al; Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry; “Effects of flavonoids and phenolic acids on the inhibition of adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.”2007
5. Kim GS, et. al; BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine; “Citrus aurantium flavonoids inhibit adipogenesis through the Akt signaling pathway in 3T3-L1 cells;”2012
6. Rayalam S, Della-Fera MA, Baile CA., “Phytochemicals and regulation of the adipocyte life cycle;” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18495457
7. Andersen C, et. al; The Journal of Nutrition and Biochemistry; “Phytochemicals and adipogenesis;” 2008
8. Grube B, et. al.; Obesity “A Natural Fiber Complex Reduces Body Weight in the Overweight and Obese: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study;” 2013
9. Nobili V, et. al; Hepatology; “Lifestyle intervention and antioxidant therapy in children with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a randomized, controlled trial;” 2008
10. Goel A, et. al.; Nutrition and Science; “Curcumin, the golden spice from Indian saffron, is a chemosensitizer and radiosensitizer for tumors and chemoprotector and radioprotector for normal organs;” 2010  
11. Hatcher H, et. al; Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences; “Curcumin: from ancient medicine to current clinical trials;” 2008
12. Goel A, et. al; Nutrition and Cancer; “Curcumin, the golden spice from Indian saffron, is a chemosensitizer and radiosensitizer for tumors and chemoprotector and radioprotector for normal organs;”2010
13. Godard MP, et. al; Obesity Research “Body composition and hormonal adaptations associated with forskolin consumption in overweight and obese men;”2005
14. Metzger H, Lindner E., Arzneimittel-Forschung; “The positive inotropic-acting forskolin, a potent adenylate cyclase activator;”1981
15. Nakagawa K, et. al; The British Journal of Nutrition; “Antioxidant effect of astaxanthin on phospholipid peroxidation in human erythrocytes.” 2011
16. Fassett, RG. et. al.; Marine Drugs; “Astaxanthin: A Potential Therapeutic Agent in Cardiovascular Disease“2011
17. Kidd P.; Alternative Medicine Review; “Astaxanthin, cell membrane nutrient with diverse clinical benefits and anti-aging potential.” 2011
18. Langsjoen PH, et. al.; BioFactors “Overview of the use of CoQ10 in cardiovascular disease.” 1999
19. Wu JM, et. al; “Mechanism of cardioprotection by resveratrol, a phenolic antioxidant present in red wine (Review);” 1999  
20. Timmers S, et. al.; Cell Metabolism “Calorie restriction-like effects of 30 days of resveratrol supplementation on energy metabolism and metabolic profile in obese humans.” 2011
21. Kraft TE, et. al; Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition; “Fighting cancer with red wine? Molecular mechanisms of resveratrol.” 2009
22. MedlinePlus; Coenzyme Q-10; 2011
23. Badmaev V, et. al.; The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry; “Piperine derived from black pepper increases the plasma levels of coenzyme Q10 following oral supplementation.”
24. WebMD; Coenzyme Q10