We also extract free-radical fighters from food. The body, long used to this relentless attack, makes many molecules that quench free radicals as surely as water douses fire. We aren’t defenseless against free radicals. An excessive chronic amount of free radicals in the body causes a condition called oxidative stress, which may damage cells and lead to chronic diseases. Or it can alter a cell’s membrane, changing the flow of what enters the cell and what leaves it. It can make a circulating low-density lipoprotein (LDL, sometimes called bad cholesterol) molecule more likely to get trapped in an artery wall. Free radical damage can change the instructions coded in a strand of DNA. This electron theft can radically alter the “loser’s” structure or function.
What they all share is a voracious appetite for electrons, stealing them from any nearby substances that will yield them. įree radicals come in many shapes, sizes, and chemical configurations. Free radicals are also formed after exercising or exposure to cigarette smoke, air pollution, and sunlight. The body generates free radicals as the inevitable byproducts of turning food into energy. In very high levels, they are capable of damaging cells and genetic material. Another constant threat comes from chemicals called free radicals. The body’s trillion or so cells face formidable threats, from lack of food to infection with a virus. – Bottom line on antioxidants and disease prevention What are antioxidants? – Studies of antioxidant supplements and disease prevention – Health benefits of antioxidants: what’s the buzz? Often used as a marketing buzzword, learn about the role of antioxidants beyond the hype, and some of the research on health and disease prevention.
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