What Is an Antioxidant Scanner?

An antioxidant scanner is a noninvasive instrument that measures the levels of antioxidants in the human body. Using an antioxidant scanner is as simple as moving the small laser reader over the palm of the hand. It produces a number, which ranks the effectiveness of the vitamins and supplements taken by the person receiving the scan.

The origins of the antioxidant scanner goes back to the 1920s, when the Nobel Prize-winning Indian physicist C.V. Raman developed Raman spectroscopy. In simple terms, the method allows the identification of molecules through the scattering of light and study of resulting energy changes. The possibilities of Raman's findings were explored in the 21st century by Dr. Werner Gellerman of the University of Utah in the US. He incorporated Raman's initial conclusions with technology resulting in the Pharmanex BioPhotonic Scanner, the world's first antioxidant monitoring system.

The scanner makes measuring antioxidants a smooth, pain-free process, and is primarily utilized by healthcare professionals. Doctors, nurses, and alternative medicine specialists cite several notable benefits to using an antioxidant scanner. It allows for a base reading of a patient's antioxidant defense system and helps attending experts decide on an appropriate nutritional or supplemental therapy. Throughout a patient's course of treatment, regular scans can observe the body's response to the vitamins, and adjustments can be made as necessary. The scanner also offers a way for patients to see concrete results in their treatment, inspiring them to continue on a path of health and wellness.

While the antioxidant scanner is mainly used by those working in medicine, scanners are also sold for home use. Pharmanex manufactures a portable antioxidant scanner that patients can utilize without a costly visit to the doctor's office. A simple wave of the hand over the scanner will gauge the patient's antioxidant levels, and the patient can then adjust his or her vitamin intake accordingly. But, as in any self-treatment, a doctor or other healthcare professional should be consulted as a point of reference throughout treatment.

Like many modes of emerging technology, the scanner has been met with some skepticism. As it straddles the line between alternative and mainstream medicine, the credibility of an antioxidant scanner has been questioned by some in the medical community. This skepticism, however, has proved to be largely unfounded. Pharmanex, the manufacturer of the antioxidant scanner, has received glowing recommendations from the Prostate Cancer Research Institute, the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association, and the independent review website SupplementWatch.com, among others.