Free radicals are highly reactive molecular species produced in the skin by sunlight and are by-products of normal metabolic processes.

In healthy individuals, a balance exists between free radical production and free radical quenching by antioxidants.

Factors such as genetics, age, diet, disease, or lifestyle choices such as cigarette smoking can cause an increase in free radical in our body.

This condition is called oxidative stress. Oxidative stress causes cell damage in body tissues which ultimately leads to poor health. Cigarette smoke is a potent source of free radicals and it markedly depletes carotenoids in skin & other tissues. It is a known risk factor for diseases including skin cancers. Cigarette smoke also accelerates premature skin aging.

The human body relies on a network of antioxidant defence mechanisms to deal with free radicals. Antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase, glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, tocopherol, and ascorbic acid work with carotenoids to defend free radical attack and oxidative stress.

Carotenoids are an important part of the endogenous antioxidant system in the skin and other areas of the human body. They are powerful antioxidants that are widely distributed in human tissues, and are partly responsible for the well-documented health benefits of diets rich in fruits & vegetables.

Carotenoids are accumulated in the human body through consumption of fruits and vegetables. An accurate assessment of human carotenoid level is important because of its marked health benefits. Traditionally, carotenoid levels are measured from the blood serum or plasma HPLC.

However, such methods are invasive, expensive and impractical for general use in large populations. Recently, a convenient, rapid and non-invasive measurement of skin carotenoid level using Raman spectroscopy was developed.

One can now track your skin carotenoid level using the Pharmanex BioPhotonic Scanner to determine if your body antioxidant level is improving after taking a daily supplement of a premium antioxidant/vitamin/mineral supplement or juice containing Gac and Siberian pineapple.

The Pharmanex BioPhotonic Scanner is a strong motivator for people to make important diet and lifestyle changes – increase dietary intake of fruits and vegetables, stop smoking, eat well-balanced dietary supplements, reduce fat tissue and maintain a normal healthy weight.

A double-blind clinical study showed control groups that regularly consumed an antioxidant supplement had dramatically higher antioxidant levels than control groups that did not. However,lifestyles such as eating foods fried in saturated oils, exposure to pollution, cigarette smoke and prolonged sun rays can reduce your antioxidant defence levels.

Sng Mui Nguan is the owner of lifeantioxidant.com [http://www.lifeantioxidant.com]. For further information on antioxidant supplements to improve your health & immunity. Click here [http://www.lifeantioxidant.com]