Reference Information about SOD

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SOD ... What Is It?
Excerpts from an article written by Dr Milton Fried,
"The Journal of Longevity Research", June, 1992.

"We may have in our grasp a system of enzymes which allows us to slow down and possibly reverse aging, and prevent disease."

The world of nature is full of paradoxes --- indeed, Einstein has shown that the physical nature of the universe is full of paradoxes. To me, one of the great paradoxes of biology is the apparent fact that oxygen, the element which sustains and supports life, is the element which eventually ages, damages, and destroys cells, and limits life itself.

In other words, oxygen, the great sustainer of life, is toxic. The most toxic form of oxygen is formed as a product of the biological reduction of molecular oxygen, forming a free radical of immense reactivity.

The reduction of molecular oxygen occurs with the cell forming a free radical called superoxide. Superoxide ages and damages cells, and translated into the lives of individual people, superoxide must be neutralized quickly with the body's cells or the body ages and grows sick. It is likely that many degenerative illnesses as well as the outward appearances of aging are the result of superoxide radical. To remain young and healthy, superoxide radical must be disarmed quickly, within the cells.

For our scientific readers I will describe the productions of superoxide. Superoxide is an ion, 0₂, and is formed by the univalent reduction of oxygen.

There exists within the cells of all respiring organisms a class of enzymes whose function is to disarm the superoxide time bomb. These life-sustaining enzymes are called SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASES, or collectively, SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE (SOD). SOD is found in the living cells of all organisms which use oxygen, and are indispensable in defending against the toxicity of oxygen.

One primary step of SOD action is: SOD + 0₂+2H+----SODH₂0₂.   Unhappily, SOD is not always present within the cell in large enough quantities to protect the cells against premature aging and degenerative changes. This unhappy circumstance can occur when too much superoxide is produced too quickly, as when exposed to radiation or after the ingestion of toxic substances. Problems occur, too, when the body is unable to manufacture enough SOD as when the raw materials for production of SOD, minerals, vitamins and the proper proteins are not present in optimum quantities. The discovery of SOD has generated an explosion of scientific activity around the globe of a magnitude similar to what followed upon publication in 1953 by Watson and Crick on the double helical structure of DNA.

As a physician who specializes in nutritional medicine, I have been involved in the study of SOD for the past several years. The therapeutic possibilities of SOD are mind boggling, for we may have in our grasp a system of enzymes which may allow us to slow down (and possibly reverse) aging, and to prevent and reverse a large list of degenerative diseases.

For example, the natural radiation to which we are all exposed, acts as a time clock, forming superoxide in our cells. Superoxide free radical sets off a chain reaction in the cell which damages organelles and cell membranes. The latter damage is observed in the individual as aging of the body and as disease. If we can increase SOD in the cells, we may have the fountain of youth and health for which man has searched for generations.

Another example pointing to therapeutic usefulness of SOD is the protection afforded the human white blood cells in inflammation and in the presence of free radicals. SOD protected white blood cells remained alive, where nonprotected cells died, in the experiments of M.L. Salin and J.M. McCord of the Department of Medicine and Biochemistry of Duke University.

Superoxide dismutase opens a vista of research in the treatment of shock, allergies and inflammatory diseases, and the auto immune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. According to R.B. Johnston, Jr. and J.E. Lehmeyer of the Department of Pediatrics and Microbiology and the Comprehensive Cancer Center of the University of Alabama Medical Center "...these same mechanisms might contribute to the capacity of phagocytes to participate in the rejection of cancer."

Research for over a decade by W. Huber and M.G.P. Saifer on a preparation of SOD has established the safety of the tested SOD and its anti-inflammatory action "without the antipyredc, analgesic, or immunosuppressive action of other drugs used in inflammatory disease." Saifer has researched SOD on humans, horses, and dogs, in diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, chronic post operative cystitis, Peyronies Disease, Herpes Simplex, Multiple Sclerosis, Uveitis.

They summarize their results by stating that orgotein (SOD) has the following characteristics:

1) It is an effective and-inflammatory.

2) Its effects are long lasting.

3) It can be used with other and-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin and corticosteroids, and provides additional improvement.

4) Treatment can be adjusted to the localization of the pathology.

5) It is unique in its lack of tissue toxicity and adverse reactions.

6) Its immunologic potential is at very low order.

7) In combination with other anti-inflammatories it does not increase the incidence and/or severity of their side effects.

Superoxide dismutase is a complex group of substances. SOD found in human blood contains copper, zinc, and manganese proteins. SOD of the human liver contains manganese as the active metal."