Free radicals are now associated with the development of over 50 diseases: atherosclerosis, heart attacks, diabetes, rheumatism, allergies, immune deficiency, autoimmune diseases, cancer and many others. Especially in inflammatory and degenerative diseases, free radicals play a crucial role.
Free radicals are increasingly produced by modern living conditions. Environmental pollution, alcohol, smoking (active and passive), certain drugs such as cytostatics or the contraceptive pill, radiation exposure, tumor diseases, physical overexertion, stress, additives in food and many other factors promote their formation. As a result, oxidative stress occurs.
Free radicals prefer to attack proteins and fats that are essential for life. But they can also attack the inside of the cell and our cell membranes. Particularly sensitive to such attacks are the delicate membranes of human cells, which can easily be destroyed by such attacks. The cells damaged in this way either die or change. Over the course of a lifetime, these defects accumulate; diseases develop or premature aging occurs. Any tissue and organ of the body can be affected.
With their help, it can neutralize the reactive substances and thus protect itself from an excess of free radicals. Antioxidants include, for example, enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), the glutathione system or vitamins. The antioxidants are able to give up an electron without becoming a free radical themselves. Thus, the antioxidants serve the free radicals with electrons and make them harmless. Their aggressiveness is slowed down and the oxidation of cell structures and protein molecules is prevented. Antioxidants thus act like protective substances and are radical scavengers.
Due to the special effect of OPC on collagen, there is also a positive influence on the appearance of the skin and connective tissue. The therapy of hormonal disorders, mental instability and chronic fatigue can also be effectively supported with antioxidants such as OPC. Furthermore, a direct antiviral (influenza and herpes viruses) and antibacterial effect by the oligomeric proanthocyanidins has been found.
OPC cannot be produced by the human body itself and must therefore, like vitamin C by the way, be taken in with food. However, we only consume an average of 3 mg of oligomeric proanthocyanidins per day with our food. However, a daily amount of 20 mg per 10 kg body weight is recommended. According to scientific studies, the antioxidant effect of OPC is even 50 times stronger than that of vitamin E.
