The invisible part of solar radiation - ultraviolet rays - can cause significant harm not only to the skin, but also to the body as a whole. Under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, dangerous charged particles - free radicals - are formed in tissues.
Free radicals can destroy skin collagen, cell membranes and other biological structures. In people who are often in the sun, the skin ages noticeably faster: wrinkles and age spots appear, the texture becomes rough. The most dangerous is damage to cell nuclei. In this case, a normal cell can degenerate into a malignant one. The cells of the upper layer of the skin - keratinocytes - are at particular risk, which can lead to the development of skin cancer (melanoma).
Tanning is a natural way to protect the skin from excess ultraviolet radiation. But many people with fair skin tan poorly, their skin easily gets sunburned. At the same time, the inflammatory process also generates new free radicals. Polluted environment, tobacco smoke and smog increase the formation of free radicals.
Reliably way to protect the skin from free radical damage is simultaneous application sun protect cosmetics and taking dietary supplements with effective antioxidants. Modern sun protect creams, along with sunscreens, also contain antioxidant components (for example, vitamin E, karanja oil).
As for antioxidant nutrients, it is most effective to take a complex of several antioxidants, each of which binds a certain type of free radicals. The best antioxidants:
Astaxanthin is a natural pigment that helps sea creatures protect themselves from ultraviolet radiation in the difficult conditions of tidal zones, where flooding is constantly replaced by dryness and excess light. It colors red algae and shrimp shells orange.
Anthocyanins are red and blue pigments of fruits and berries. They are also produced in plant leaves in response to excess light, dryness or frost.
Chlorophyll and phycocyanin are pigments of the blue-green algae spirulina, which have powerful antioxidant and detoxifying properties.
Selenium is a valuable microelement, part of enzymes that participate in the natural antioxidant defense system. It gets into food from the soil, especially rich in such products as mustard seeds. Intensive industrial farming leads to a constant decrease in its amount on cultivated lands. Therefore, it is advisable to take it additionally.
Vitamin C is a multifunctional substance that not only protects against free radicals, but also participates in the synthesis of collagen. It is not produced in the body, so it must be obtained from food - citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables, etc.
Coenzyme Q10 (ubiquinone) is an important enzyme that participates in energy metabolism reactions. With age, the body synthesizes less and less ubiquinone, so its deficiency should be replenished with additional intake.
