Oxygen is the great forgotten nutrient. Its deficiency is found to be the cause of nearly all degenerative diseases. Another threat to our cells is free radical, which causes diseases such as cancer, atherosclerosis, arthritis and diabetes. Free radicals are unstable molecules with unpaired electrons. Free radicals are produced constantly inside and outside the cell, and as by-products of energy-releasing oxidation in the mitochondria, others by UV light, radioactivity and the metabolism of drugs and chemicals.
Antioxidants neutralize these free radicals, otherwise increased generation of free radicals can result in oxidative stress, causing imbalance that leads to oxidative damage, cell death, tissue damage and disease.
Some of the benefits of antioxidants for human health are as follows:
- Retards the signs of ageing
- Healthier and young looking skin
- Decreases the risk of cancer
- Supports the detoxification
- Longer life span
- Protects against stroke and heart disease
- Reduces the risk for cognitive problems
- Decreases the risk of vision loss or eye disorders
Squalene is an excellent antioxidant due to its molecular structure. It possesses great capacity to receive or donate electrons without suffering molecular disruption. Squalene’s powerful free radical-quenching ability has been shown to be equal to that of BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene), one of the most powerful antioxidants known to science. This unique stability is the key to Squalene′s ability to terminate the on-going or chain damage inside our bodies (lipid peroxidation chain reaction). According to laboratory research, this happens specifically in the skin’s surface. It is reasonable to assume that it performs a similar function wherever it is found, for example within individual cells and in the biomembrane.
