Antioxidants in Anti Aging Creams

You probably have heard of anti-oxidants and free radicals, but do you know what they mean, what they are, how they affect the skin, or why anti-oxidants are discussed like a miracle drug in anti-aging and anti wrinkle creams? Well, it takes a fundamental uunderstanding of the aging and wrinkling process, so you can understand how anti-oxidants and free radicals affect the skin.

The principle consists of the breakdown of the skin cells, through the aging process, damage to skin through the elements or external factors, such as smoking, that can “attack” the DNA of the cells. Skin cells store Vitamin A, as well as Vitamins C and Vitamin E, so if everything were in perfect balance, these vitamins would be present in the skin cells in the amount necessary to maintain the skin’s youthful appearance.

In the theory of oxidants and free radicals, it is assumed that as age progresses, or other factors, the essential Vitamins may be depleted from the skin cells due to toxins reaching the cells, and these toxins are basically oxidants, or free radicals as they are often called. So it is assumed that if you take in enough antioxidants, they would fight off these invaders that deplete the vitamin stores of the skin cells, and leave behind dead, dry skin cells that make older or wrinkled skin behind.

Anti aging creams have been quick to pick up on this, using antioxidants in their topical formulas. Often promoted as green tea extract in creams, applying these formulas topically is still unproven. However, it has been proven that the consumption of green tea and black tea will provide ten time the antioxidants by eating fruits and vegetables. So it makes sense that applying to the skin’s surface will have a positive outcome.

It’s considered that the best way to combat oxidants and free radicals is by consuming a lot of tea, especially green and black tea. Many people consume up to 10 cups per day, to combat the toxins that are detrimental to skin cells, not only from aging or wrinkling, but cancer cell attacks. Scientists have shown that green and black teas have more anti-oxidants, than oolong tea, citing skin youthfulness found in countries like Japan and China that drink a lot of tea.

In the case of anti aging creams, green tea extract additives have latched onto this same principle, but results are unknown as far as a topical use. As the premise of antioxidants fighting vitamin loss through internal toxins or free radicals being attacked is more of an internal process, but it is possible some benefit can be gained through external application. This is thought to be the case at least on a short term basis, until those cells die and are replaced by new ones.

Perhaps using these types of antioxidants as a cure or a method of prevention to aging and wrinkling could be an internal process and nutritionist advise regular consumption of green tea or black tea can have great benefits. There is ten times the antioxidants in these tea varieties than found in measures of fruits and vegetables. Topical application has obvious short-term benefits, but it’s still too early to see long-term results.