Let’s dive into what you need to know. Oxidative stress starts with molecules called free radicals1. They’re created as byproducts of exposure to sources like UV damage and air pollution (among other things, but these two are most prominent in the summer). Your body can fight these free radicals on their own, but if there’s too many, that’s when issues arise: Excess free radicals can damage cellular structures, including DNA and cell membranes2. (Read: premature aging.) And if your body’s production of free radicals surpasses its ability to control them, the result is oxidative stress. Since increased outdoor time in the summer usually means more sun and pollution exposure, you increase your risk of entering oxidative stress. The first is the adaptogen rhodiola. Adaptogens are herbs3 that help your body adapt to stressors like oxidative stress.* They “are antioxidant powerhouses,” explains Jessie Cheung, M.D., board-certified dermatologist. “[Adaptogens] help scavenge free radicals, increase cellular resistance to stress, and improve resistance to toxic chemicals."* Or as Kyle Hilsabeck, PharmD, CWCP, tells mbg, “Adaptogens function like buffers to help your body adjust more quickly.”* The second is the antioxidant astaxanthin. Antioxidants’ primary function is to neutralize free radicals, but some are better at this job than others—and in different ways. Astaxanthin is so particularly important in the summer because of its ability to manage photodamage and the oxidative stress that comes with it—it’s nearly 1,000 times more effective4 at fighting free radicals from UVs than its other antioxidant counterparts.*
