REV0422 – Your Oxidative Balance Score: the 20-input “terrain score” linked to mortality risk #2

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Why this matters
Oxidative stress isn’t one chemical — it’s a pattern: the daily balance between pro-oxidant pressure and antioxidant defenses. Researchers capture that pattern with an Oxidative Balance Score (OBS) — a composite built from 16 nutrients + 4 lifestyle factors — and then test whether people with higher OBS live longer.

Featured study from the Journal of Nutritional Oncology
Using NHANES research, this cohort study reports that higher OBS is associated with lower all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality. (1)
1) The OBS “20 Components”  (OBS = 16 nutrients + 4 lifestyle factors)
A) The 16 nutrients (brief explanation of each)

14 antioxidant-side nutrients
  1. Fiber — improves metabolic stability and lowers inflammatory/oxidative load.
  2. Carotenoids — protective plant pigments tied to lower oxidative burden.
  3. Riboflavin (B2) — supports redox enzymes and mitochondrial energy pathways.
  4. Niacin (B3) — supports NAD/NADP systems (core redox currency).
  5. Vitamin B6 — supports amino-acid metabolism and antioxidant defense pathways.
  6. Folate (B9) — supports methylation/repair chemistry that stabilizes the terrain.
  7. Vitamin B12 — supports methylation and neurologic stability.
  8. Vitamin C — classic water-phase antioxidant (circulation and tissue protection).
  9. Vitamin E — classic membrane antioxidant (lipid protection).
  10. Calcium — included as a protective dietary factor in OBS models.
  11. Magnesium — broad enzyme cofactor tied to metabolic resilience.
  12. Zinc — supports antioxidant enzymes and immune balance.
  13. Copper — part of antioxidant enzyme systems (balance matters).
  14. Selenium — required for glutathione peroxidase enzymes.
2 pro-oxidant-side nutrients
  1. Total fat — scored as pro-oxidant in OBS, but fat type matters: the harmful direction is best described as saturated animal-fat patterns (fats contained in meat, poultry, dairy, etc.), while plant fats (nuts, seeds, avocado, olives/olive oil) are consistently associated with better outcomes.
  2. Iron — essential, but higher exposure is scored pro-oxidant in OBS frameworks because excess availability can amplify oxidative chemistry in susceptible contexts.
B) The 4 lifestyle factors (brief explanation of each)
  1. Physical activity — protective; strengthens endogenous antioxidant defenses.
  2. BMI/adiposity — pro-oxidant pressure; higher adiposity drives inflammatory signaling.
  3. Alcohol — pro-oxidant at higher intake.
  4. Smoking — one of the strongest pro-oxidant exposures.
2) Best evidence diet pattern to drive OBS upward
Green Mediterranean (greens-centered, plant-fat–centered)
Think: Mediterranean foundations pushed more plant-dense, with daily green leafy vegetables as a centerpiece and a broad reduction in animal-fat patterns.
Clinic-clear pillars:
  • Green leafy vegetables daily (abundant): spinach, arugula, romaine, kale, mixed greens, herbs
  • Plant fats as the default fats: nuts, seeds, avocado, olives/extra-virgin olive oil
  • High-fiber plant base: legumes, vegetables, whole plants
  • Minimize animal fats broadly: meat, poultry, dairy fat patterns
Green-Mediterranean dietary interventions (DIRECT-PLUS) have shown meaningful cardiometabolic and liver-fat improvements in randomized trial publications.
3) A RONS note
Peroxynitrite is a key reactive nitrogen species formed when nitric oxide reacts with superoxide. In a crossover study, one day of animal-based protein meals significantly increased serum peroxynitrite, while the plant-based protein day did not.
Take home message
OBS is powerful because it doesn’t ask, “Did you take an antioxidant?” It asks, “What is your overall pattern—nutrients + lifestyle—doing to your terrain?”
When you shift toward greens + fiber + micronutrients + plant fats and away from saturated animal-fat patterns + smoking + excess alcohol + inactivity, you change the whole oxidative equation, not one variable.

Dr. Nemec’s Review 

What a powerful research article published by the Journal of Nutritional Oncology. We’ve been teaching this for over 40 years at Revolution New Medicine, but it is so nice to see the research in science is starting to confirm what we’ve always said. This article specifically talks about 16 dietary factors and four lifestyle factors. Very important to note that of the 16 dietary factors they localize two very negative ones: saturated fat, and iron, which is highly oxidative and is associated with greatly increased cancer risk. What has saturated fat and iron? Meat. What else has saturated fat? Chicken, dairy, eggs. All other animal proteins are predominantly saturated fats. So indirectly what the article is stating is that a green diet high in plant fats, low in animal fats, high in greens and in vegetables is the best diet to be on. This is more of a living raw plant-based diet. The best research has confirmed that by adding more greens to a standard Mediterranean diet. The overall percentage of inflammation drops almost 60% comparatively between the two diets, so Mediterranean is the best, and the green Mediterranean is the best of the best. But that’s only because of one reason: because of the plants, the greens. So what would be the best of the best of the best? A living raw diet high in greens and raw plant fat. This is a living raw plant-based diet.
So where do you get the 14 nutrients that they listed, and where do you get them in the ultra pure state where they have no additives or preservatives whatsoever? Do you get this from the food, the living raw plant food? Yes, and no: the living raw plant food is what the animals eat to get all their nutrients. But with farm-raised crops, even organic crops over the years have been grown in overused soils not rested enough, so even organic produce has some mineral and vitamin deficiencies compared to 60 years ago. That means everyone needs base supplementation in this day and age, even if you eat the perfect diet, but you must make certain those supplements are pure with no additives, preservatives, binders or fillers. We have researched this extensively for our patients that are extremely sensitive. That’s why we made our own custom line, because even the purist physician grade supplement line still adds some fillers. In our formulas, they’re 100% filled up with the product. There’s absolutely zero filler or anything else added into the capsule because we write the exact formula for each product.
So they cover the nutrient bases we have every patient take our three basic supplemental micronutrients: Essential Food 1, Essential Food 2, and Ultra EPA/DHA.
Also, we promote seven basic epigenetic steps to restore health and maintain vitality and longevity. These include oxygen, water, food, sleep, exercise, fasting and detoxification, then finally prayer –listening to the heart and living in the moment.
When you follow these nutrient products and you’re eating more green plant based you are on course for restoring or maintaining your health life and longevity.
Trust without action steps is dead. You can believe something is good and a benefit to you but until you implement it and do it, it means nothing so start doing something today.

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Research References (written out)
1. Ge, Dan-Gen; Tang, Jie. “Association of oxidative balance score and all-cause, cardiovascular disease, and cancer mortality: A cohort study based on 1999–2018 NHANES.” Journal of Nutritional Oncology. 2025;10(4):141–149. Journal page: https://journals.lww.com/jno/fulltext/2025/12000/association_of_oxidative_balance_score_and.4.aspx
2. Kaneko, T; Yoshioka, M; et al. “Effects of plant- and animal-based-protein meals for a day on serum nitric oxide and peroxynitrite levels in healthy young men.” Endocrine Journal. 2024;71(2). Full text (J-STAGE): https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/endocrj/71/2/71_EJ23-0355/_article  PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38220201/
3. Zhao, B; Gan, L; Graubard, BI; et al. “Plant and Animal Fat Intake and Overall and Cardiovascular Disease Mortality.” JAMA Internal Medicine. 2024. Full article: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2821738  PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39133482/
4. Ma, S; et al. “Association of oxidative balance score with all-cause and cause-specific mortality” (NHANES 1999–2018; open full text). [Open-access full text in PubMed Central]: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12366913/
5. Yaskolka Meir, A; et al. “Effect of green-Mediterranean diet on intrahepatic fat: the DIRECT PLUS randomised controlled trial.” Gut. 2021;70(11):2085–2095. Journal page: https://gut.bmj.com/content/70/11/2085