Bioflavonoids: what is it that contains

The topic of healthy nutrition is relevant at all times, and the benefits of vitamins and minerals have always been emphasized. The most important micro and macro elements have been heard by everyone today, but do you know about such substances as bioflavonoids? What this is and what they need for your body, we will tell you in detail in our article today. Let's start with a brief description. So, what kind of connections are these?

general characteristics

Vitamin-like compounds, or substances with P-vitamin activity, have a specific name - bioflavonoids. What it is? Scientifically speaking, these compounds are polyphenolic in nature. They can be synthesized only in plants. It is thanks to them that we can see on the table delicious fruit, painted in all colors of the rainbow. To date, scientists have isolated about 5,000 different bioflavonoids, which have the same chemical structure and have similar biological activity. That is, despite some differences, all bioflavonoids have similar biological effects, although their intensity may be different.

Complex composition

Why do we need bioflavonoids? What is it from the point of view of science, we briefly told you, and in our body they are primarily responsible for the permeability of capillaries. It was this property that scientists first identified, after which vitamin P was recognized as an essential element, extremely important for the nutrition system. However, this brief excursus did not end, because as vitamin P - it is a generalized name. It includes a group of substances, which include rutin and zinc, flavones and quercentin, flavonals and hesperidin. However, the list does not end there either. Another 120 substances form a unique compound, which was appropriately named bioflavonoids. What this is, we will continue to consider on the examples of direct influence of the substance on the organs and systems of our body.

In fact, we even visually can notice the bioflavonoids around us. It is thanks to them that citrus fruits become so bright, yellow and orange. And not at the expense of these compounds themselves, they simply act as catalysts. And if we talk about matter in its pure form, then it is crystals of yellow, green and orange colors. Bioflavonoids have a specific taste, but do not have a characteristic odor. Most are soluble in ethyl alcohol and benzene.

Effects on the body

Let us now go a little deeper into the benefits that our body derives from these compounds. So, why do we need this vitamin? Bioflavonoids enter the body from plant foods, they are quickly absorbed. Their uniqueness lies in the fact that they turn into active forms already in the mucous and on the walls of the intestine. These substances are very important and necessary, as they actively participate in cellular regulation. However, this is a very general definition, so we will dwell in a little more detail on its decoding.

Metabolism

At first glance, this question may seem complicated, but we will try to explain everything extremely simply. So, the bioflavonoids themselves are neutral, they do not have any biological effect, like, for example, other vitamins. However, you remember that these are polyphenolic compounds, and in our body, a mass of substances that have phenolic rings in the molecule is synthesized. These are hormones and mediators, such as adrenaline and serotonin, tryptamine and thiamine. It should be well understood that the body always tries to save resources. Therefore, most often these animal polyphenols are synthesized from the amino acids tyrosine and tryptophan. And only as a sidetrack the organism considers the possibility of their synthesis from bioflavonoids.

Cell renewal

Indeed, this is the main purpose of these substances. Thanks to bioflavonoids, the elasticity and elasticity of capillaries is maintained. This is extremely important for the health of our circulatory system. But that's not all: vitamin p (bioflavonoids) acts as a structural component in the synthesis of collagen. Thus, the intake of a normal amount of this substance in the body helps to keep your hair, nails and skin in a normal state.

Antioxidant effects

As antioxidants, bioflavonoids have proven themselves well. We will not describe this process in detail, let's just say that antioxidants are substances that bind and release free radicals. And the latter are not something dangerous in themselves, they are just molecules that have lost the electron and are looking for someone to take it away from. Moreover, the free radical that returned the molecule becomes stable, and the molecule giving it changes its structure. Now transfer this mechanism to your body. Exposed proteins and nucleic acids, hormones and enzymes can be exposed to the attack of free radicals. But they become dangerous in a changed form. Bioflavonoids also bind to a molecule of radicals, and they leave our body.

Requests of the body

What is vitamin P? Bioflavonoids are substances that our body needs regularly. An adult who leads an active lifestyle should consume at least 50-70 mg of flavonoids daily. However, this does not mean that it is urgent to start taking special medications. If you stick to a healthy diet, there will be no problems. The fact is that there are a lot of products around us that are sources of this substance. Bioflavonoids are found in all plant products - vegetables and fruits, berries and citrus fruits, herbs and natural juices. But products of animal origin, as well as flour products do not contain them at all. Proceeding from this, we can say that it is very important to regularly have vegetable salads and fruits on the table, then you will not experience a deficit in the substances we are considering.

How does lack of vitamin P

In fact, the shortage of these substances is felt only by the inhabitants of the Far North, whose diet is poor in vegetables and fruits. But in this case, there will be a shortage of other important substances, so the lack of exclusively vitamin P is very rare. It can manifest itself in general weakness and malaise, rapid fatigue and pain in the limbs.

What preparations can contain bioflavonoids

If you suspect a lack of vitamin P in your body, you should first enrich your diet with fruits and vegetables. If for some reason this is impossible, then the doctor can appoint an additional source that will supply your body with bioflavonoids. Drugs for the treatment of varicose veins practically all contain flavonoids. These include "Venoruton" and many others. If you are interested in the source of vitamin P in tablets, then pay attention primarily to dietary supplements, it is in their composition most often include bioflavonoids.

To summarize, I want to say that these substances are not vital, but they do have some usefulness. They are easily isolated by the body from products of plant origin. That is, you only need to eat fully - and you will not have to worry about your own health. Most bioflavonoids are found in onions, apples and cranberries, spinach, citrus fruits. You can not discount the berries: apricots and blueberries, grapes and raspberries, blueberries and sweet cherries - all this is not only delicious desserts, but also sources of vitamin P.