University of British Columbia (UBC) Okanagan and University of Bologna researchers may have unlocked the next go-to antioxidant. Though naturally-derived antioxidants have made headlines in recent years for their potential to counteract everything from ageing to cancer, a man-made variety called TEMPO may be the best discovered yet as researchers discover its potential to fight problems ranging from skin damage to Alzheimer’s disease.

The study researchers aimed to investigate the impact TEMPO can have on fighting the free radicals – a natural by-product of the human metabolism that can damage cells or DNA – in our bodies. Free radicals have been linked to several diseases and conditions such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and atherosclerosis (hardened arteries).

Antioxidant-supplement

Source: Lipstik.com

Although our bodies have natural defences against free radicals that convert them into harmless molecules, such vitamin C and E, that can mitigate their impact, sometimes we can get too many which can have problematic effects on our bodies, according to Chemistry Professor Gino DiLabio from UBC Okanagan who also co-authored this study. We can get too many free radicals from activities such as UV-light exposure, smoking and drinking alcohol.

The study’s researchers wanted to test how TEMPO, a man-made antioxidant discovered almost 60 years ago, faired out in the fight against free radicals compared to the naturally-occurring ones found in our bodies. To do this, they created a cell-like environment to test how effective TEMPO was in converting free radicals to benign substances compared to vitamin E.

The Results

The results showed that TEMPO converted free radicals at a rate that was up to 100 times faster than vitamin E in fatty environments, according to DiLabio. He says that these results suggest that TEMPO could be effective in protecting skin cells or the walls of other cells from damage caused by free radicals.

DiLabio says that this discovery has the potential to lead to ground-breaking pharmaceutical treatments such as a cream that can protect the skin from UV damage or a pill that can be swallowed to prevent neuron damage. He calls these prospects “exciting”.

You heard it here! Keep a lookout on the market for exciting TEMO-based supplements and inventions that could help you live a healthier life, and you can thank us later for telling you about it.

Sources: Science Daily, Live Science, Sigma Aldrich.