Are SOD Enzyme Supplements the Right Choice for Fighting Free Radicals?

Enzymes are simply proteins that act as catalysts to induce natural chemical reactions in the body. Every enzyme has a specific function. That of the enzyme Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) is important in the destruction of free radicals in the body.

SOD has been said to provide better protection against free radicals than popular antioxidants. Is SOD something you should supplement in your diet? The Food and Drug Administration does not recognize SOD as a necessary dietary supplement, but with a little information you can decide for yourself.

Antioxidant enzymes are involved in the reduction of free radicals created as a byproduct of normal body function. SOD is one enzyme that helps rid the body of free radicals produced from oxygen related functions of the body. Essentially, these enzymes help mop up metabolic waste.

Live animal and human trials seem to indicate that additional SOD reduces the residual amounts of free radical wastes, when subjects were tested following tasks that required significant oxygenation. More studies, however, are needed before science and medicine are prepared to back the use of SOD enzyme as a supplement.

SOD can be added to your diet by eating dark green plants, alfalfa, barley grass, broccoli, brussel sprouts, and cabbage.

The only problem with supplementing SOD through your diet is that it is not clear how much SOD actually survives digestion and makes it to the cellular level where it is needed. That is where SOD supplements come in. SOD supplements that are worth buying will be coated to enable them to survive digestion and enter the small intestine where SOD is absorbed into the bloodstream.

SOD enzymes extracted from plants and microbial sources are among the best choices for supplements. While the enzyme can be extracted from animals this type is less likely to be effective. SOD and catalase perform the same function in neutralizing oxidants. A supplement that contains both is likely to be more effective.

As you age your body is less able to produce SOD at the rate it did when you are younger. Herbalists believe that the ability to produce the enzyme decreases dramatically after the age of 40. Perhaps that is the time when you should take a closer look at SOD, its function and determine whether a supplement is right for you.

Sources:
"Induced Overexpression of Mitochondrial Mn-Superoxide Dismutase Extends the Lifespan of Adult Drosophila melanogaster," http://www.genetics.org/content/161/2/661.abstract
"Oxidative Damage and Aging: Spotlight on Mitochondria," http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/66/5/2497.abstract
Radioprotectors: chemical, biological, and clinical perspectives, Book.
"Superoxide Dismutase," Webmd.com