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THE
AGING
PROCESS
Free radicals and antioxidants
photos: Shutterstock.com
by Don Owen, Ph.D.
Life on earth took a big step when
it began using oxygen for energy
about 2.3 billion years ago—it
allowed for the development of
rapid movement (advanced life),
complex chemical processes
(such as color, vision) and ultimately the creative brainpower
we possess.
However it came with a price. The mitochondria in every cell, which are the energy
producers that make Adenosine Triphosphate
(ATP transports energy in cells), also produce
undesired free radicals.
ASSAULT ON HEALTHY CELLS
Free radicals—unstable and highly reactive atoms with unpaired electrons (atoms are
bonded by pairs of electrons)—in their quest
for electrons, create a lot of damage to healthy
cells. The destruction they bring when they react with important cellular components such
as the DNA, not only can lead to cancer, but
its damage is also among the leading theories
of aging—aging thus results from free radical
damage in which critical systems are eventually
eroded, leading to failure and death.
Free radicals can be generated endogenously (at the intracellular level, thus as a “natural”
consequence of body functions) or exogenously
(chemicals, drugs, cigarette smoking, sun exposure, radiation, etc.). As such, some sources
of free radicals can be controlled, while others
cannot. In skin cells, the damage causes the
wrinkles characteristic of aging.
September 2014 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
LNEONLINE.com • Page 27
skin | the aging process
PREVENTING AND DELAYING CELL
DAMAGE
To help prevent self-destruction of the cells
within the body, cells must produce antioxidants
at all times to handle generated free radicals.
As their name indicates, antioxidants block
the process of oxidation and neutralize free
radicals. However as we age, our organism
slows down, thus reducing the release of critical hormones to fight off free radical formation
and damage.
Aging is controlled in the human body at
the total organism level by the hypothalamus,
which produces the growth hormone releasing
hormone (GHRH), or Somatoliberin. In turn,
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GHRH causes the release of human growth
hormone (HGF) and its critical binding factors.
Yet as we get older, the biological clock in
the hypothalamus causes a significant reduction
in HGF, which in turn causes the reduction of
circulating insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1).
IGF-1 is the principal circulating growth factor necessary to maintain regional repair and
produce the enzymes that control free radical
formation and resulting damage repair.
The skin (epidermis and dermis) is composed
of cells that generate free radicals because of
normal metabolic activity, but must also take
care of free radicals produced by the environment. Yet, as previously expounded, as we age,
our body reduces its ability to produce proteins to respond to environmental insults and
enzymes associated with free radical reduction
(more below).
Just as we slowly stop repairing gravity damage (i.e. collagen, elastin, etc.), we also stop
repairing solar damage and free radical formation damage.
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Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • September 2014
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skin | the aging process
TYPES OF ANTIOXIDANTS
T h e re a re t w o b a s i c c a t e g o r i e s o f
antioxidants: enzymes (produced by the body
and living organisms) and small molecular
types that are either actual antioxidants or
induce antioxidant activity (vitamins, minerals
and other molecular types found in fruits,
vegetables and herbs).
ENZYMES CONTROLLING
FREE RADICAL FORMATION:
Superoxide dismutase 1, 2 and 3 (SOD1,
SOD2 and SOD3). SOD is among the body’s
most powerful natural antioxidant enzymes.
SOD is naturally found in foods such as yeast
and barley green. Zinc is an important component of SOD.
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Catalase is another important enzyme
found in all living organisms. Foods high in
catalase include wheat sprouts, collard greens
and other cruciferous vegetables.
Glutathione peroxidase (GPx): Its main
role is to protect the organism from oxidative
damage. Foods rich in glutathione precursors
(thus that help raise glutathione levels naturally)
include spices (such as turmeric, cinnamon and
cardamom), sulfur rich vegetables (onions, cabbage, broccoli and kale), avocados, aloe vera
and Brazil nuts, among others.
Thioredoxin reductase: Its level of activity
is reduced by a deficiency in selenium.
Small molecular types can be further
divided into numerous groups:
Vitamin C: Ascorbic acid, magnesium ascorbic phosphate (water soluble derivative of vitamin C); and ascorbyl palmitate (another form
of vitamin C).
Phenolics: Quercetin (a flavonoid found
in red wine, berries and green tea); catechins
(flavonoids found in tea, which include epigallocatechin-3-gallate EGCG); and resveratrol
(found in red wine).
Carotenoids: Beta-carotene, lycopene,
lutein and vitamin A (retinoids).
Sulfur containing compounds: Lipoic
acid and N-acetyl cysteine (NAC, which comes
from the amino acid L-cysteine, replenishes
intracellular levels of the natural antioxidant
glutathione).
Minerals: Zinc, selenium and copper (all
three are needed for SOD enzymes).
Page 30 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • September 2014
photos: Shutterstock.com
Skin care products can provide a source
of antioxidants useful in supplementing
nature’s repair.
skin | the aging process
Skin care formulations have for many years
added both synthetic and plant derived small
molecule antioxidants to improve the skin’s ability to handle the many sources of free radicals
associated with being alive.
Recently enzymes such as catalase and SOD,
commercially available via isolation from plant
sources and fermentation, have also been added
to reduce free radical concentrations. Retinoids
have always been useful for anti-aging and fine
line reduction, and newer derivatives are allowing ease of formulation.
Retinyl olivate, retinyl safflowerate and retinyl
phosphate are only a few of the oil and water
soluble derivatives that are being introduced
into new formulations.
Also receiving interest are agents that aid in
increasing DNA/RNA (ribonucleic acid), single
strand repair or double strand repair—unlike
DNA, RNA is single-stranded.
Applied topically, certain antioxidants might
not penetrate deeply into the intact stratum
corneum (SC, the outermost layer of the epidermis), and depending on the circumstances
compounds can exhibit pro- or antioxidant activity. However, they can indeed be effective at
reducing free radical formation on the surface
and immediate sub-surface of the SC. n
Don Owen, Ph.D., is CEO/
CSO of Owen Biosciences,
Owen BioPharma, Inc. and
Therapeutic Peptides, Inc.
Dr. Owen holds more than
25 patents in organ preservation technology, dermally active peptides and
skin care related fields. Dr. Owen has recently
been developing a new generation of proliferatives via the latest “green” chemical routes
for the production of these proliferatives and
other unique personal health care ingredients
from North and South American raw materials.
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Page 32 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • September 2014