An antioxidant is a substance that protects cells from the damage caused by an excess of free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules made by the process of oxidation during normal metabolism or due to environmental exposures. Free radicals may play a part in cancer, heart disease, stroke, and other signs of aging. Free radicals occur regularly in the body and are balanced by consuming ingredients that promote or provide antioxidants.
Balancing the amount of free radicals in the body is supported by foods and supplements that contain antioxidant properties.
The key word is balance: imagine a see-saw with one side bearing all the damaging lifestyle decisions we make, like smoking, drinking or sitting in the sun…just to name a few. On the opposite side you have the antioxidants that counter the free radicals, which are produced by the body or ingested to metabolize or protect from these exposures. Balancing the amount of free radicals in the body is supported by foods and supplements that contain antioxidant properties.
If free radical levels in the body are too high, apoptosis (the process of cell removal) can be disrupted and result in cells staying in the body that should be eliminated. Cell turnover which is made possible by apoptosis is essential in eliminating cells that are damaged and preventing healthy cells from being effected by damaged cells. Apoptosis is considered a vital component of various processes including normal cell turnover, proper development, and functioning of the immune system.
Free radicals are normal byproducts of processes like metabolism that are formed in your body daily. They often get a bad rap, but free radicals are essential for your health. They perform important functions, including protecting your body from disease. However things like smoking, alcohol use, and stress can cause an excess of free radicals. This leads to oxidative stress, which damages healthy cells and can prohibit new cells from forming.
Antioxidants like selenium help reduce oxidative stress by keeping free radical numbers in check. Selenium is crucial for the health and proper functioning of your immune system. It plays a critical role in metabolism and thyroid function and helps protect your body from damage caused by oxidative stress. Selenium has many benefits for hair, including killing dandruff-causing fungus, which is why it's an important ingredient in many dandruff treatments. Selenium is essential for the production of the thyroid hormones that help regulate hair growth.
Vitamin B10 is an alternative name for the organic compound PABA, a white crystalline substance. It’s considered part of the vitamin B complex, although it’s not a vitamin nor an essential nutrient. It’s found in brewer’s yeast, organ meat, mushrooms, whole grains, and spinach. One of the earliest uses of PABA supplements was to help with the repigmentation of prematurely grey hair. It’s still used for this purpose today, and many personal testimonies suggest it’s effective despite a lack of research. Studies in the 40s and 50s found that taking PABA at daily doses ranging from 200mg to 24 grams led to hair darkening, and helped gray hair return to its original color.
Vitamin B5, also called pantothenic acid, is one of the most important vitamins for human life. It’s necessary for making blood cells, and it helps you convert the food you eat into energy. Vitamin B5 is one of eight B vitamins. All B vitamins help you convert the protein, carbohydrates, and fats you eat into energy.
In Asia, the herb fo-ti is famed for reversing grey hair. It is thought to do this through its ability to restore melanin – the pigment that gives hair and skin its color. Improved blood circulation and flow to the hair follicles is thought to be responsible for this root’s ability to prevent hair loss. Research has shown that the fo-ti root increases the production of the body’s master antioxidant, superoxide dismutase (SOD). Levels of this important antioxidant decline with age, leaving the body open to damage by one of the most dangerous free radicals – superoxide. Preventing this damage addresses the fundamental cause of aging, damage to the DNA by oxygen-free radicals.
Copper helps your body make red blood cells and keeps nerve cells and your immune system healthy. It also helps form collagen, a key part of bones and connective tissue. Copper may also act as an antioxidant, reducing free radicals that can damage cells and DNA. Copper also helps the body absorb iron.
Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin obtained from food or supplements. It’s significant to protein, fat and carbohydrate metabolism and the creation of red blood cells and neurotransmitters. Your body cannot produce vitamin B6, so you must obtain it from foods or supplements. B6 is involved in the metabolism and absorption of essential nutrients and is important for healthy hair. Adequate levels can help maintain the level of melanin which is necessary for hair color.
Black sesame is a nutrient-rich oilseed that has been cultivated from the sesamum indicum plant for thousands of years. All sesame seeds contain antioxidants and healthy plant chemicals, but black sesame seeds appear to be a particularly rich source. Sesame is an important source of phytonutrients such as omega-6 fatty acids, flavonoid phenolic anti-oxidants, vitamins, and dietary fiber with health promoting properties. Sesame oil contains vitamin E in abundance along with vitamin B complex and vitamin A which helps promote melanocyte activity - this increases the production of the melanin pigment responsible for giving hair its color.
Research shows the difference between oral supplements and topical serums in delivering antioxidants is localized vs. whole body use. When you consume antioxidants by supplements like Not Today, Grey, your body digests and distributes these ingredients to areas in the body of need. When we apply antioxidants topically with To The Root, we are focusing and ensuring the ingredients are absorbed in a specific location of need, like on a patch of grey.
When you consume antioxidants via supplements like Not Today, Grey, your body digests and distributes these ingredients to areas in the body of need.
What we find so positive about treating grey or aging hair with Arey is that our ingredients are used by the body to supply and optimize all functions of the body. Seeing grey hair as a message can allow you to persevere a healthy body and healthy, youthful hair. Not Today, Grey contains the antioxidants above along with several others to help support cell creation, function and removal.