Antioxidant activities in your body fight biochemical fluctuations triggered by stress using enzymatic and nonenzymatic compounds. Antioxidant supplements can help relieve stress by lessening oxidative stress, enhancing mood, and managing depression and nervousness. 

However, it’s important to choose your antioxidant supplements carefully because not every vegan dietary supplement has enough antioxidants to relieve stress. The effectiveness of your supplements depends on the brand and manufacturer. When you understand how plant-based antioxidant supplements can help you manage stress, it’s easier to find the right supplements and use them appropriately for optimal results!

 

How Antioxidant Supplements Can Relieve Stress

Combat Oxidative Stress

The cells in your body deteriorate over time, especially when continuously exposed to environmental, physical, and psychological stressors like work and social pressures, poor diet, tobacco, smoke, alcohol, pesticides, and other toxins. The more pollutants and stressors your body faces, the more free radicals your cells will excrete. Free radicals are harmful compounds that feed on electrons from body cells, causing them to break down.

Damaged cells increase the risk of chronic illnesses like cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, infertility, and heart complications. Although free radicals can help fight harmful bacteria, they become destructive if your body can’t expel them quickly.

The easiest and most effective way to neutralize free radicals is to increase your antioxidant intake. Antioxidants reduce oxidative stress, preventing cell damage. 

They boost antioxidant activities and help maintain regular physiological levels. They also work as protective and therapeutic health agents and ensure free radicals don’t overwhelm your body’s ability to regulate stress.

 

Reducing Stress-Related Inflammation

Oxidative stress results in inflammation that causes chronic illnesses like cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, etc. Antioxidant supplements, especially the ones containing polyphenols have anti-inflammatory properties that can reduce inflammation.

They also increase antioxidant activities in your body and inhibit enzymes that produce signaling molecules responsible for regulating physiological responses like inflammation. Polyphenols interact with reactive oxygen species (ROS) in your cells to terminate the chain reaction before it destroys cell structure and viability.

Inflammatory stimuli like ROS caused by oxidative stress can trigger inflammatory processes that result in the secretion of chemicals that cause chronic diseases. Polyphenols and other antioxidants can control these inflammatory processes to prevent serious illnesses.   

 

Improving Cellular Health

By counterbalancing free radicals, antioxidants keep your cells healthy and viable. Furthermore, they can enhance the regeneration of damaged cells by countering the effects of inflammatory inducements like ROS, especially in heart complications.

Healthy cells improve your body’s ability to handle stress by activating survival pathways. These pathways protect cells against stress and help them recover quickly. If too much stress persists, cells will trigger death signaling paths for the body to eliminate the dead cells.

 

Common Stress Relief Antioxidants

Your body acquires different types of antioxidants from the foods and drinks you take. However, these sources may not give you enough antioxidants to help you manage stress.

Fortunately, you can easily find antioxidant supplements to bridge this gap. Here are the most effective antioxidants for stress relief:

• Vitamins C and E: Vitamin C modulates the production of the stress hormone cortisol and enhances immune function. Vitamin E prevents oxidation and cell damage.
• Polyphenols: These antioxidants reduce anxiety through enhanced neuronal function, improving brain health.
• Glutathione: This antioxidant is also referred to as the ‘master antioxidant’ because of its ability to detoxify the body, reducing stress-related complications.

 

In Conclusion

Sufficient intake of antioxidants is important for your wellbeing. However, high doses of antioxidants can have negative effects on your health. This is why it’s important to consult your medical provider before taking antioxidants for stress relief.