One of the best known anti-oxidants is vitamin C and despite continual research, no-one body involved can decide just exactly how much our body should consume on a daily basis. Skin care treatments that are based on vitamin C, pose the problem of becoming oxidized themselves as they come into contact with air during their usage.

More stable skin care treatments are now available that are almost as efficient and actually cost less to manufacture. These new anti-oxidant products are not quite as good as vitamin C although other naturally occurring compounds, vitamin E and lipoic acid can achieve the same effect.

Vitamin E is found in the blood and is an antioxidant that is also used to increase the body’s defenses against other health problems; it helps build resistance against infection like cancer for example. Lipoic acid, which is found inside every cell of the body, helps generate the energy that keeps us alive and functioning; it is also known to combat the signs of aging very effectively by repairing skin damage caused by the aging process.

Another group of products used to reduce the visible signs of ageing are phytochemicals which are compounds extracted from various plants and used in many anti-ageing skin care products. Like lipoic acid, phytochemicals help reduce the occurrence of cancers; for instance:

*Cancer that attacks the Prostate

*Breast Cancer

*Colon Cancer

All of which are on the increase globally.

Other vitamins from the B group are also used in anti-ageing skin care like vitamins B5, B6 and B12 for example. The field of anti-ageing skin care products is vast and needs a great deal more research. There is no doubt that what has been learned so far is only a small part of the jigsaw puzzle; more long term effective methods will eventually be found to reverse or slow down the effects of aging.

In time it is hoped that less expensive and more reliable anti-ageing skin care products will become available for a larger number of people to use. It may be time to learn that not every synthetic anti-aging product is going to work; man-made products may never replace those that are available naturally! You know all these things but how many do you practice? Regular exercise, restful sleep, drinking plenty of water, eating a healthy diet and keeping your stress levels low are all necessary.