Antioxidants would be effective in fighting against cellular aging, according to the results of a study published in the medical journal British Journal of Pharmacology. And, antioxidant therapies would be a medical way to fight neurodegenerative diseases.
Researchers at University College Dublin in Ireland conducted a meta-analysis of studies dealing with the effects of antioxidants on neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s diseasethe Parkinson diseaseamyotrophic lateral sclerosis and multiple sclerosis.
Antioxidant therapies fight neurodegenerative diseases
Over the course of their research, the scientists identified several promising processes and avenues with antioxidant therapies to combat cellular aging and cognitive decline.
For example, they noted that “stimulating the mitochondria (which produce cellular energy) is a means now accepted for combating cellular aging” and that “nitric oxide contributes to multiplying blood flow, to transmit nerve impulses, regulate immune function, prolong an organism’s biological lifespan, and fortify it against environmental stress.
It is also possible to reduce oxidative stress by activating a protein that regulates the transformation of proteins to prolong the life of neurons.
“While there are still many gaps in our understanding of the effects of oxidative damage in neurodegenerative disorders, there is growing recognition that many diseases share common stress-related oxidative damage pathways and it is likely that further progress will be made. Significant progress will be made in the design of effective therapeutic strategies over the next few years,” conclude the study authors.
Read also:
To counter the effects of aging, bet on antioxidants!
Antioxidants: 4 vitamin recipes
Antioxidant recipes with Espelette pepper