Something you wrote 4 years ago.

[ofonorow]

Putting some of this "oxidative stress" work together, Jaffee and Boyd Haley and Levy, Jaffee says that alpha-lipoic acid is the antioxidant protecting the cell nucleus. (Vitamin E /selenium protect the lipid cell membranes, ascorbate is the primary antioxidant in the cell, etc. GSH is also water soluble, so probably not found in the nucleus or cell membrane.)

I think the mitochondria are considered to be in the nucleus, but we know that ALA is produced endogenously in the mitochondria. (Fascinating listening to Boyd Haley discuss his OSR invention - a "fat soluble" antioxidant. Too bad the FDA squashed it, because in theory, being more powerful than ALA, even more spectacular anti-aging and detox effects would be expected.)

Back to ALA/CARNITINE. ALA getting carnitine to the mitochondria is apparently what creates young rats out of old ones!

[skyorbit]

OK, this is interesting b/c I always thought that ALA existed in the bloodstream itself. one of the forum members here stated that ALA regenerates Vitamin C in the bloodstream -- so I thought ALA was more an inter cellular anti-oxidant (regardless of where it's made).

Tracy

[ofonorow]

need to research, but since most of the vitamin C in our bodies exist inside cells (according to Jaffee, the ratio of C in cells to C in the blood is 33 to 1). If ALA does recycle ascorbate, like GSH can, it doesn't have to be in the blood.

And there is this issue of the oxidized form of ascorbate entering cells through the glocuse receptors.

[skyorbit]

Well if ASA recycles VC inside the cells, then GSH doesn't have to be the intracellular anti-oxident that regenerates VC then like I believe I originally thought in the thread that morphed into glutathion.

Tracy

[ofonorow]

In one of those Jaffe lectures he mentions that ascorbate sacrifices itself before other antioxidants, e.g. GSH and ALA inside the cell when dealing with oxidative stress - various free radicals.

Reminding myself (since I have read that an antioxidant can both donate and accept electrons)

Think of it this ... Antioxidants work by donating an electron to a free radical so it becomes a stable oxygen molecule.

Normally, bonds don?t split in a way that leaves a molecule with an odd, unpaired electron. But when weak bonds split, free radicals are formed. Free radicals are very unstable and react quickly with other compounds, trying to capture the needed electron to gain stability. Generally, free radicals attack the nearest stable molecule, "stealing" its electron. When the "attacked" molecule loses its electron, it becomes a free radical itself, beginning a chain reaction. Once the process is started, it can cascade, finally resulting in the disruption of a living cell.

Some free radicals arise normally during metabolism. Sometimes the body?s immune system?s cells purposefully create them to neutralize viruses and bacteria. However, environmental factors such as pollution, radiation, cigarette smoke and herbicides can also spawn free radicals.

Normally, the body can handle free radicals, but if antioxidants are unavailable, or if the free-radical production becomes excessive, damage can occur. Of particular importance is that free radical damage accumulates with age.

The vitamins C and E, are thought to protect the body against the destructive effects of free radicals. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals by donating one of their own electrons, ending the electron-"stealing" reaction. The antioxidant nutrients themselves don?t become free radicals by donating an electron because they are stable in either form They act as scavengers, helping to prevent cell and tissue damage that could lead to cellular damage and disease.

With this background, I guess Jaffe is saying that it is easier for vitamin C to donate an electron than either ALA or GSH