Crucial Importance Of Anti Oxident Protection And Diving

In the last few years, antioxidants have been touted and heralded for a number of potential health and longevity benefits .In fact, the endless stream of commercials, infomercials, books, pamphlets, and talk show sessions devoted to the near-celebrity status of antioxidants have made the majority of us believers in them. And if you ask the casual person on the street what antioxidants are for, you'll likely get one of the following answers: "They help you live longer"; "They prevent disease"; "They make you healthy".And, as time will tell, they may or may not do all of those things. However, few of those respondents would know that two specific antioxidants may be helpful for, of all things, scuba diving.

On this subject, the Journal of Physiology has reported an important study that may help stop diving problems, especially circulation and high blood pressure.The study included seven expert divers and two antioxidant vitamins, vitamins C and E. The researchers in charge of the study were from the University of Split School of Medicine in Croatia and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

The team carried out the research by allowing the divers to perform two 30 minute 30-metre dives, 24 hours apart. This depth and time limit is similar to most recreational dives enjoyed by scuba divers, though the study is hoping to help those who dive recreationally and professionally for longer time periods.

They gave the divers quantities of both vitamin C and E, two hours before the second dive. Six of the seven divers came back in eight months for another trial, where some were given placebos and others were given the correct dosage of vitamins.

The researchers concluded that the antioxidants helped to improve vascular endothelial function, allowing the cells lining the blood vessels to work properly, instead of creating what is commonly known as endothelial dysfunction. Endothelial dysfunction is a physiological dysfunction of normal biochemical processes carried out by the cells that line the inner surface of all blood vessels, including arteries, veins and the innermost lining of the heart and lymphatics. endothelial dysfunction is believed to be caused by gas bubbles invading the circulatory system during and after decompression.

High blood pressure is also very common for divers and is responsible for other conditions, such as fluid on the lungs.Although the study results showed that taking the antioxidents , vitamins C and E, before a dive could be helpful in eliminating illnesses caused by decompression, diving experts aren’t convinced.They agree that antioxidants remove excess by-products and aren’t harmful, yet have stated they believe the overall effect is extremely limited. Longer studies with more subjects will have to be conducted before the positive results can be seen as conclusive.

HARMFUL EFFECTS OF NITROGEN BURNING WHILE UNDER PRESSURE OR AT DEPTHS DURING SCUBA DIVING

When at depths and under pressure free radicals travel recklessly throughout the body as the nitrogen load becomes more substantial.Setting up devastating chain reactions such as nitrogen and hydroxel burning . The avalanche of excessive free radicals causes destruction of organ tissues, cellular lining and artery walls, the production of abnormal or cancerous cells, and an accelerated aging process.


Free radicals are needed by the body and are produced as a part of normal cellular metabolism. Free radicals only become destructive when they become excessive (The Dark Side of the equation) and causes the body to lose it's immune system function. This leaves the body vulnerable. Especially when diving, as high PO2's tend to produce even more free radicals. Recent research by diving physiologists suggests that free radicals are the major contributor to convulsions from oxygen toxicity.


Studies have concluded that free radicals are generated by exhaust fumes, cigarette smoke,diving under pressure ,during off gasing (the burning of nitrogen) ozone, environmental toxins, ultraviolet light, etc. Simply stated the potential for damage is everywhere!


Reference: The Physiology and Medicine of Diving 4th Edition, Chapter 6. Oxygen Toxicity - J.M. Clark; Edited by Bennett, Peter and Elliott, David; W.B. Saunders Co. Ltd. Publishing. and The Technical Encyclopedia by Mount, Tom; IANTD World HQ.)

Diver's Master Antioxidant's and cell protectors


Endogenous Antioxidants such as the ones listed below are highly specialized and produced by the body.They are the masters in targeting with maximum effect to protect your cell walls and vital tissue fibers and organs.


Endogenous antioxidents are specialized in passing through the blood brain barrier in which Glutathione being the mother of all antioxidents and the far most important is found in the mitachondira (the brain of the cell) .These antioxidents be have been verified,quantified and demonstrated to reduce the harmful effects caused by the harmful processes caused by nitrogen and oxygen burning while diving .


Glutathione : The uncontested most powerful of all antioxidents has been shown to be 3000 times more powerful then exogenous antioxidents which are typically found in your juice or berries such as Acai, Blueberries, Raspberries etc .Glutathione, which must be produced by the body through a process of chemical processes created from the liver from the digestion of cysteine's or amino acids found in few supplements .Synthetic or oral forms of Glutathione have been shown to have very little effect which are unable to absorbed by the mitachondria .


Super Oxide Dismutase :(SOD) is an enzyme that repairs cells and reduces the damage done to them by superoxide, the most common free radical in the body. SOD is found in both the dermis and the epidermis, and is key to the production of healthy fibroblasts (skin-building cells). Studies have shown that SOD acts as both an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory in the body, neutralizing the free radicals that can lead to wrinkles and precancerous cell changes. Researchers are currently studying the potential of superoxide dismutase as an anti aging treatment, since it is now known that SOD levels drop while free radical levels increase as we age.


Co-Enzyme Q 10 :also known as Ubiquinone or Ubidecarenone, and more simply CoQ10, is a powerful antioxidant with significant benefits. Recent studies have shown very promising correlations with high levels of CoEnzyme Q10 consumption and reduced symptoms (or slowed onset of symptoms) from Parkinson's Disease and Congestive Heart Disease.


Catalase : is an antioxidant enzyme that, like superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase, is produced naturally within the body. It helps the body to convert hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen, thus preventing the formation of carbon dioxide bubbles in the blood. Catalase also uses hydrogen peroxide to break down potentially harmful toxins in the body, including alcohol, phenol,and formaldehyde.


Catalase: works closely with superoxide dismutase to prevent free radical damage to the body. SOD converts the dangerous superoxide radical to hydrogen peroxide, which catalase converts to harmless water and oxygen. Catalases are some of the most efficient enzymes found in cells; each catalase molecule can convert millions of hydrogen peroxide molecules every second.