Dr. Holly
Dr. Holly
Dr. Holly

It talks about the importance of an enzyme your body makes, Super Oxide Dismutase (SOD. The exciting thing about it is that we have a 5 herb formulation that is being studied in 25 universities that turns on the body’s capacity to make SOD and Glutathione (GSH) – an even more important polypeptide the body makes.

There are actually a variety of reasons, but one important reason is the number of and quality of anti-oxidants your body is making. GSH or glutathione is by far the Master Anti-oxidant. It is far more powerful than any anti-oxidant you can get in your food or a supplement. Probably the next most important anti-oxidant the body makes is SOD or Superoxide Dismutase. SOD is considered to be 3500 times more potent an anti-oxidant than Vitamin C.

Every cell in the body makes GSH and SOD. The SOD is the backup, in many ways, to the GSH. But SOD can vary by as much as 50% from one individual to the next.

As a side note, did you know that increased levels of SOD can make a fruit fly live twice as long? That’s a hoot. But pretty important. Actually.

So what is SOD. It refers to a group of enzymes that are involved in cellular repair and perhaps even more important, prevents the damage from occurring in the first place by eliminating free radicals. It also acts as a catalyst that changes superoxide into oxygen and hydrogen peroxide. That’s big too.

The problem with purchasing SOD in your health food store, is similar to buying GSH. Both break down in the hydrochloric acid of your stomach. Further, if you produced low levels of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, which a lot of people do, both compounds are too big to cross through the gastrointestinal barrier.

A good reason to make sure that your DNA are producing the necessary tools so that the cells can make both SOD and GSH.

I presented in my PhD in nutrition, that in order to have these functions operating, you need to make sure the DNA are producing the necessary RNA tools; you also have to make sure that all four components of the methylation cycle are functioning; finally, the mitochondria in every cell need to be functioning effectively to produce the fuel for all this to occur.

So, you need to make sure that your body has all the nutrients for these three major cellular components to function effectively.

But it is also important to recognize that both of these compounds have more functions that just anti-oxidant.

The SOD makes cells more resilient and able to protect itself; protects the DNA; helps to protect your immune system. The following is a list of some of the functions of GSH:

Master Anti-oxidant

  • Endogenous – made inside of the cell
  • Re-stabilizes itself and all other anti-oxidants
  • Deals with all 6 categories of free radicals
  • Works inside cell; in cell membrane; and outside of cell

 Detoxification

  • Major component of Phase II in liver detox
  • Major component of all cellular detoxification

 Inflammation

  • Major component of healthy inflammation resolution

Hormone regulation

  • Involved either directly or indirectly with all hormones in the body

 Cellular Energy

  • Cellular energy is provided by the ATP; created by the mitochondria – GSH is the only known molecule that protects the mitochondria

Prostaglandin synthesis (vasodilation/constriction

NO regulation:  hormones, vasodilation, immune system,

 DNA

  • Protects DNA from going sideways; involved in both or elimination of abnormal DNA
  • Also required in protein synthesis

Cellular transport

  • Required for most amino acid transportation in the cells

 Anti-aging

  • Involved, like other anti-oxidants in preventing teleomere breakdown but also the only known molecule that can provoke teleomere creation

Calcium movement

  • Required for regulation of Ca movement (gating of cardio cell function)

Respiratory

  • 40% required in RBC to both pick up/release both O2 & CO2

 Immune System

Lymphocytes, i.e., T cells, B cells, marcophages, TNF, NK, etc., all require about 62% to both develop and function.

Unfortunately, we are all making a lot less SOD & GSH because our food doesn’t have the nutrients and because of the pesticides, herbicides, growth hormones, zenoestrogens, anti-biotics (over 70% of anti-biotics in North America is in the food) that they have to contend with. In addition, pasturization, processing and microwaves, etc. kill whatever nutrients might be in our food and leave us with even higher amounts of free radicals, we need these anti-oxidants in amounts higher than ever.

When we work with the body, we are looking at how the body is functioning at a cellular level. We need to engage the body in its own natural healing processes – after all those are most powerful.

Here’s to your health.

For more information, contact: holly@choicesunlimited.ca

Dr. Holly is a naturopathic doctor that holds a PhD in Psychology and Biochemistry, specializing in balancing mind, body and energy of the system.

Disclaimer: This article provides general information only and is not a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or other health care practitioner.

This is an article from: Underground Health Reporter.