The best natural ingredients to protect the optic nerves

The best ways to protect the optic nerve are to ensure adequate blood flow to the optic nerve cells and to limit exposure to harmful oxidative stress from free radicals.The optic nerve, also called the second cranial nerve, is a bundle of over 1 million nerve fibers that provides the link between the eye and the brain. When we see something, light rays are transmitted to the retina, a structure in the back of the eye. The retina then takes light energy and converts it to electrical energy and transmits nerve impulses via the optic nerve to the brain, where a visual image is formed.  Some causes of optic nerve degeneration may be due to poor oxygen or blood supply to the optic nerve, which can be the result of a traumatic injury to the eye, an infection, exposure to toxins, a stroke, a tumor or the consequence of other retinal disorders.

How can I protect my optic nerve?

The main causes for degenerative damage to the optic nerve are thought to be due to impairment of good blood flow to deliver nutrients and remove waste products, and oxidative stress that causes cell damage and cell death to many eye tissues. There are ways to counteract this:

1. Maintaining optimal blood flow to the optic nerve.  Optimal blood flow is vital to maintain a healthy optic nerve. Blood carries important nutrients and oxygen which help nourish the optic nerve. 

2. Maintaining a healthy intraocular pressure.  The pressure in the eye is very important to help support optic nerve health. A healthy eye pressure leads to a healthy optic nerve.

3.  Supporting mitochondrial health.  Mitochondria are the power houses of the human cells. They take in nutrients from blood and create energy rich molecules for the cell. Healthy mitochondria are essential for a healthy optic nerve.

4.   Limiting exposure to oxidation with antioxidants.  Oxidation can impact retinal cells, which are critical for vision and feed impulses to the optic nerve. Limiting exposure to oxidation is important for optic nerve health.

Antioxidants play a vital role in our bodies is to help prevent cellular damage from oxidative stress. They help to deactivate harmful free radicals, which are atoms of oxygen that can damage cells within the body (oxidative damage and oxidative stress). Free radicals are unstable atoms that cause damage to healthy cells when they move through the body in search of an electron to make them more stable. Research has shown that the damage caused by free radicals can lead to increased risk of cancer, heart disease and eye disease. Oxidative stress can also directly contribute to cell death in the inner retinal layers, which can be further compounded by elevated pressure inside the eye in people with glaucoma. 

StemActiv contains the best natural ingredients to help protect the optic nerves, such as: angelica sinensis, acorusgramineus, goji berry, atractylodesmacrocephala, licorice, poria, paeonialactiflora. We use the concentrated extract to help manage circulation issues and disorders of the retina. The pharmacologically active ingredients of these natural herbs have powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action. Studies have shown that StemActiv has the neuroprotective effects and the ability to suppress death of retinal ganglion cells. It also increased the levels of a specific protein that has an underlying neuroprotective effect after optic nerve injury or retinal injury.