Free Radical

The threat of Free Radicals
Cells are continually under attack from compounds
called 'free
radicals'. Generated as a 'by-product' of the
body's own
metabolism or as a result of external factors like
pollution, free
radicals can kill cells by damaging the membrane,
the enzymes
and the DNA contained within.
Free radicals pose a particular
risk to the cells of the nervous and immune
systems, and they
are even thought to contribute to the progression
of many
diseases and the onset of premature ageing.
The threat of Oxidative stress
Oxidative stress is an attack on cells when a
biological system
cannot readily detoxify the redox reactive
intermediates or easily
repair the resulting damage.
Oxidative stress is involved in many diseases, such
as
atherosclerosis, Parkinson's disease, heart failure,
myocardial
infarction, Alzheimer's disease, fragile X syndrome
and chronic
fatigue syndrome, but short-term oxidative stress
may also be
important in prevention of aging by induction of a
process
named mitohormesis.
How antioxidants help?
Antioxidants help prevent the free radicals from
damaging cells.
Whilst the body's normal antioxidant defences
provide some
protection, the addition of antioxidants to the diet
provides an
additional 'active shield' that supports those
natural defences.
Antioxidants are free radical scavengers: they slow
or prevent
the oxidation of other molecules by capturing free
radicals.
Oxidation is a chemical reaction that transfers
electrons from a
substance to an oxidizing agent. Oxidation
reactions can
produce free radicals, which start chain reactions
that damage
cells.
Antioxidants terminate these chain reactions by
removing
free radical intermediates, and inhibit other
oxidation reactions
by being oxidized themselves. As a result,
antioxidants are often
reducing agents such as thiols or polyphenols.
Fight oxidative stress and free radicals! Take C24/7
Natura-
ceuticals.