Oxygen, can’t live with it, can’t live without it!
Because we are an oxygen-based lifeform, oxygen both provides life and at the same time can be harmful to cells, (in the form of oxidative stress). To maintain health our body must not only use oxygen but produce anti-oxidants to prevent the oxygen from damaging tissues in the body. We all know what happens to the paint on your car when it oxidizes--it rusts. Well, so does your tissue when exposed to too much oxygen. Excessive oxidation has also been linked to heart disease, cancer, autoimmune diseases (such as arthritis and colitis) and neurodegenerative conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinsons and Alzheimers. Recent research indicates that oxidative stress appears now to also be a key factor in autism.
What is currently being intensively studied by researcher is the Methionine/Glutathione Transsulfuration Pathway, That’s a mouthful! This pathway is also critical to the body's ability to remove toxins through methylation which means binding the toxins to methyl groups and excreting them from the body.
Research results suggest that supplementation with folinic acid (the metabolized version of Folic acid) and trimethylglycine also known as betaine had a strong positive impact on antioxidant capacity. Targeted nutritional intervention with folinic acid and betaine successfully increased both the ability to methylate toxins and build levels of active glutathione, (a powerful antioxidant), especially after 3-4 months of intervention.
I found this very impressive product Glutathione Assist by Kikman which has Folinic Acid, Methyl B12, Zinc and Trimethylglycine or Betaine in it.
As an added bonus, betaine, is not a new supplement by any means, but older research focused largely on its potential to reduce risk of heart disease. Only more recently have researchers realized the extent of the benefits it can offer athletes looking to boost muscle strength, power, and mass.
Reported in a 2013 issue of "The Journal of The International Society of Sports Nutrition" subjects supplementing with Trimethylglycine (or betaine) increased muscle mass by 4 pounds and arm size by 10 percent, while they decreased body fat by 7 percent. On the other side, the placebo group experienced no increase in muscle mass or arm size and no body fat loss. Glutathione Assist has a gram of Betaine per serving in it.
