ANTIOXIDANT (NETWORK)SYNERGY
Your Antioxidant “Recycling” System!
When free radicals tear through your body, the molecules they damage also become free radicals. The same is true of antioxidants. After quenching a free radical, an antioxidant molecule doesn’t just disappear. Instead, used-up antioxidants are themselves transformed into mild free radicals. But because the “radicalized” antioxidant is less immediately toxic to the body than the free radicals they neutralize, the overall effect of antioxidants is favorable.
But “radicalized” antioxidants can do long-term harm if they aren’t properly dealt with. The most well-studied example of this phenomenon is tocopherol-mediated peroxidation, or TMP, in which vitamin E family members block an incoming free radical from attacking a particle of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, but the “radicalized” antioxidant then initiates a slower, more insidious pattern of lipid peroxidation. Several studies suggest that TMP may play a devastating role in the long-term development of atherosclerosis.
The potential for slow-acting pathology from “radicalized” antioxidants can be prevented through taking advantage of the unique synergistic interactions of an elite antioxidant strike force: the Networking Antioxidants.
When taken together, these specific, biologically essential nutrients form a dynamic team of synergistic “coantioxidants.” Networking antioxidants can “recycle” one another from their “radicalized” forms back into their active, antioxidant forms. By this process of mutual regeneration, networking antioxidants enhance and extend one another’s capacities, fueled by the fires of life in the body’s cellular “power plants” (mitochondria). There are exactly five networking antioxidants: R(+)-lipoic acid, the vitamin E complex (including the four tocopherols and four tocotrienols), vitamin C, coenzyme Q10, and glutathione (GSH).
The cycle is ultimately kept going thanks to role played by R(+)-lipoic acid in the body’s energy-production cycle. As food energy is converted into cellular energy by your cellular “power plants” (the mitochondria), supplemental R(+)-lipoic acid is “charged up” into its more potent antioxidant form, dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA). It is DHLA, rather than R(+)-lipoic acid itself, that “recycles” other networking antioxidants. And so, because the “charging-up” of R(+)-lipoic acid to DHLA piggybacks on the ongoing process of energy production, the mitochondria fuel a renewing cycle of co-regeneration amongst the networking antioxidants.
The “bird’s eye view” of the antioxidant network recycling process looks like this. First, the original free radical attacker is neutralized by a networking antioxidant. Unfortunately, the result is that the networking antioxidant is degraded into its free radical form. To save the body from disaster, the networking antioxidant is rejuvenated by a coantioxidant from the antioxidant network team. A game of electron-donating “hot potato” ensues, which ultimately results in rejuvenation by DHLA of the networking antioxidant free radical. And at this point, the “hot potato” game is halted when DHLA is restored through R(+)-lipoic acid’s cycling through the mitochondrial energy-production process.
For the Antioxidant network to work optimally, it’s critical to ensure that your lipoic acid supplement is in the form of R(+)-lipoic acid. Supplements labeled “alpha-lipoic acid” or simply “lipoic acid” contain up to 50% S(-)-lipoic acid, an unnatural molecule which hinders the ability of mitochondria to “charge up” R(+)-lipoic acid into DHLA. As a result, the S(-)-lipoic acid in conventional “lipoic acid” supplement actually interferes with the recycling activity of the Networking antioxidants.
The networking antioxidants have a genuine synergy with one another. The effects of each networking antioxidant support greater functionality of the antioxidant network as a whole. No other antioxidants participate in the interlocking cycles of the antioxidant network. In fact, the ability of other antioxidants to play a protective role in the body depends on having a functional Antioxidant network – but not vice-versa.
However, a few antioxidants do play a supporting role to networking antioxidants, without fully participating in the antioxidant network recycling system. The best-understood of these Network “boosters” are bioflavonoids and the mineral selenium. Among bioflavonoids, carnosic acid – which is found in the herb rosemary – is especially interesting because of its ability to repeatedly rearrange itself into a “cascade” of new antioxidant “booster” forms before being exhausted. Selenium supports the network by maintaining the body’s supply of two key enzymes: glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and thioredoxin reductase (TrxR). Only very low doses of selenium are needed to maximize the levels and activity of these enzymes.
Network Synergy delivers the complete team of networking antioxidants, plus carnosic acid, resveratrol, and Se-methylselenocysteine, as proven “boosters” of the Network itself.
The days of throwaway “kitchen sink” antioxidant mishmashes are over. The recycling system of Network Synergy is the path to cellular sustainability.
Selected References
Packer L, Weber SU, Rimbach G. Molecular aspects of alpha-tocotrienol antioxidant action and cell signalling. J Nutr. 2001 Feb;131(2):369S-73S.
Upston JM, Terentis AC, Stocker R. Tocopherol-mediated peroxidation of lipoproteins: implications for vitamin E as a potential antiatherogenic supplement. FASEB J. 1999 Jun;13(9):977-94.
Sen CK, Packer L. Thiol homeostasis and supplements in physical exercise. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000 Aug;72(2 Suppl):653S-69S.
Biewenga GP, Haenen GR, Bast A. The pharmacology of the antioxidant lipoic acid. Gen Pharmacol. 1997 Sep;29(3):315-31.
Packer L, Kraemer K, Rimbach G. Molecular aspects of lipoic acid in the prevention of diabetes complications. Nutrition. 2001 Oct;17(10):888-95.
Nordberg J, Arner ES. Reactive oxygen species, antioxidants, and the mammalian thioredoxin system. Free Radic Biol Med. 2001 Dec 1;31(11):1287-312.
Antioxidant Synergy (Was Network Synergy) |
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Code: 2004
Price:$55.50
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| | 120 Vegi-Caps |
NETWORK SYNERGY
COMPLETE ANTIOXIDANT NETWORK
120 VEGI-CAPS
305 mg
SUPPLEMENT FACTS:
Serving Size: 4 Capsules
R(+)-lipoic acid …………………………….………………… 200 mg
Vitamin E Complex:
Tocopherols ………………………………………….........350 mg
d-alpha-tocopherol ………………. 60 mg (90 IU)
d-beta-tocopherol …………………... 5.6 mg
d-gamma-tocopherol ………………….. 200 mg
d-delta-tocopherol …………………... 85 mg
Tocotrienols ………………………………………….........50 mg
d-alpha-tocotrienol ………………..….15 mg
d-beta-tocotrienol ……………….…. 1.7 mg
d-gamma-tocotrienol ………………....25.8 mg
d-delta-tocotrienol ……………..….……7.5 mg
Vitamin C ………………………………………………….........485 mg
From magnesium ascorbate 500 mg ………………465 mg
From ascorbyl palmitate 50 mg ....... 20 mg
Coenzyme Q10 ……………………………………............30 mg
N-acetylcysteine (NAC) …………………………......50 mg
Selenium (as Se-methylselenocysteine) …50 mcg
Flavonoids
Rosemary standardized extract …17 mg
Providing carnosic acid ………………… 1 mg
Polygonum cuspidatum
standardized extract ………..............125 mg
Providing trans-resveratrol ……………….. 10 mg
Sources: Tocopherols: soy. Tocotrienols: palm. Other ingredients: microcrystalline cellulose. Capsule: vegetarian
AOR guarantees that no ingredients not listed on the label have been added to the product. Contains no wheat, gluten, corn, nuts, dairy, eggs, fish, or shellfish.
ADULT DOSAGE: Take one capsule four times daily with fat-containing meals, or as directed by a qualified health consultant.
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