Phytochemicals might be beneficial as low dose toxins that stimulate antioxidant enzymes like SOD, GPX and CAT

phytochemicals findings from National Institute on Aging NewsRX via LEF 12/22/06 ""Neurohormetic phytochemicals: Low-dose toxins that induce adaptive neuronal stress responses"..."Although some beneficial phytochemicals might function solely as antioxidants, it is becoming clear that many of the beneficial chemicals in vegetables and fruits evolved as toxins (to dissuade insects and other predators) that, at subtoxic doses, activate adaptive cellular stress-response pathways in a variety of cells including neurons."..."Examples of such 'preconditioning' or 'neurohormesis' pathways include those involving cell-survival signaling kinases, the transcription factors NRF2 and CREB, and histone deacetylases of the sirtuin family. In these ways, neurohormetic phytochemicals such as resveratrol, sulforaphanes and curcumin might protect neurons against injury and disease by stimulating the production of antioxidant enzymes, neurotrophic factors, protein chaperones and other proteins that help cells to withstand stress," wrote M.P. Mattson..."

Not news to us... much of our antioxidant formula for dogs is designed to stimulate antioxidant enzymes in dogs. Works in us as well.

DogVitals antioxidant supplement for your dogs health