July 2, 2003
Compiled by Ang Tian Teck.

Antioxidants are molecules believed to play a role in the prevention of cancer and heart disease caused by free radicals. If free radicals attack parts of fat molecules, they can start or contribute to heart disease. If they mess with DNA, they may contribute to cancer.

In her article titled "Antioxidants for recreational athletes", published in www.mysportsguru.com, Mary Howley explains that during and after exercise, free radicals may cause tissue damage to muscles and contribute to fatigue. Antioxidants have the ability to diffuse these free radicals in a variety of ways.

To insure we get enough antioxidants, the National Cancer Institute recommends eating five servings of fruits and vegetables daily, incorporating a variety of each. Adding a daily multivitamin to supplement your diet is also a good plan.

So what does this mean for athletes, particularly inline skaters? According to Mary's article, the increase in oxygen used during exercise can increase free radical production. The first line of defense against the free radical is still a good balanced diet and a daily multivitamin to supply the necessary antioxidants.

Mary continue to provide the following advise in her article.

Bottom line: for free radical protection, eat your fruits and veggies, take a multivitamin and 400 IUs of vitamin E daily.

Food sources of antioxidants:

• Vitamin A - milk, fortified margarine, dried apricots, carrots.
• Vitamin C - peppers, citrus fruits, broccoli, potatoes.
• Vitamin E - wheat germ, almonds, sunflower seeds and oil.
• Selenium - meat, fish, poultry, whole grains and nuts grown in selenium-rich soil.
• Other trace minerals that are important - meat, fish, nuts, vegetables.

Tips: Oranges, dried apricots, sunflower seeds and nuts are easy to pack and include the key players on the antioxidant team. Take your vitamin E supplement with food containing fat for better absorption.

Content of this article was extracted from "Antioxidants for recreational athletes " by Mary Howley published in www.mysportsguru.com. For the complete and other intersting articles, please visit www.mysportsguru.com.