What is Antioxidants' Role in Your Body?

By Dr. Magdy Badran 

CAIRO, March 8 (SEE) - Antioxidants are molecules that fight damage by free radicals, unstable molecules that can harm cellular structures.

Free radicals are oxygen-containing molecules with an uneven number of electrons. The uneven number allows them to easily react with other molecules. Free radicals can cause large chain chemical reactions in your body because they react so easily with other molecules.

Antioxidants are the only defense mechanism to neutralize free radicals. Antioxidants can donate an electron to a free radical without making themselves unstable. This causes free radical to stabilize and become less reactive.

Oxidative stress is an imbalance between the production of free radicals and the ability of the body to counteract or detoxify their harmful effects through neutralization by antioxidants.

When there are more free radicals present than can be kept in balance by antioxidants, the free radicals can start doing damage to fatty tissue, DNA, and proteins in your body. The damage can occur at a molecular, cellular or organ level or can affect the whole body.

Free radicals are not only generated internally in our body system but also through external sources in the environment. Some sources include ozone, certain pesticides, and cleaners, cigarette smoke, radiation and pollution. A diet high in sugar, fat, and alcohol may also contribute to free radical production.

One of the most powerful leverage points in your physiology that can help reduce free radical production is to keep blood sugar levels low. Elevated blood sugar binds to a protein in a process called glaciation, and glaciated proteins are associated with increased production of free radicals by as much as 50-fold.

It has been estimated that 10,000 oxidative interactions occur between DNA and endogenously generated free radicals per human cell per day.

Proteins, lipids, and DNA make up a large part of your body so that damage can lead to a vast number of diseases over time. These include heart diseases, diabetes, allergies, fatigue, renal diseases, skin exposure damage, acne, Alzheimer's disease, and cancer.

There is ample evidence that allergic disorders, such as asthma, rhinitis and atopic dermatitis, are mediated by oxidative stress. In bronchial asthma, oxidative stress aggravates airway inflammation by inducing perse inflammatory mediators, enhancing bronchial hyperresponsiveness, stimulating bronchospasm and increasing mucus secretion.

The impact of free radicals on brain aging is pronounced. The brain is more susceptible to oxidative stress than other organs. Although the brain only accounts for 2% of body mass it consumes 20% of the energy generated in the entire body.

The high mass-specific metabolic rate is attributed to the high proportion of omega-three polyunsaturated fatty acids in brain tissue. These phospholipids are highly susceptible to peroxidation. Moreover, brain tissue contains high levels of redox-active iron and copper further enhancing its vulnerability to oxidative stress. The brain also has little potential to replenish damaged cells.

Oxidative stress is increased in autism and levels of major antioxidant serum proteins are decreased in children with autism. There is a positive correlation between reduced levels of these proteins and loss of previously acquired language skills in children with autism. Environmental and genetic factors may increase vulnerability to oxidative stress in autism.

Oxidative stress is generated during normal placental development; however, when the supply of antioxidant micronutrients is limited, exaggerated oxidative stress within both the placenta and maternal circulation occurs, resulting in adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Our diet is an essential source of antioxidants. Most fresh fruits and vegetables provide a natural source of antioxidants.

Eating five servings per day of a variety of fruits and vegetables is the best way to provide your body what it needs to produce antioxidants. Eat a diet full of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains. The richer the color and more variety in these foods, the more nutrients, and antioxidants they will provide.

Each different color in fruits and vegetables represents a different nutrient and antioxidant. Antioxidants in supplement form provide minimal benefit.

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin and the body's first line of defense against illnesses. Vitamin C is an electron donor and this property accounts for all its known functions. As an electron donor, vitamin C is a potent water-soluble antioxidant in humans. Because this vitamin cannot be stored by the body, it is important to eat a diet that supplements vitamin C daily. Foods rich in vitamin C are guava, kiwi, citrus fruits, papayas, bell peppers, strawberries, broccoli, lemon, and tomatoes.

Beta-carotene is an antioxidant. There are ten types of carotenes that are synthesized by plants, but alpha and beta carotene are the only types that the human body can use as a precursor to Vitamin A. It can be found in dark green, yellow, and orange-colored fruits and vegetables, including broccoli, carrots, pumpkins, tomatoes, cantaloupe, peaches and apricots.

Tocopherol, or Vitamin E molecule, is a fat-soluble vitamin. Vitamin E exists in eight different molecular forms. Each vitamin E molecule has its own biological activity. Alpha-tocopherol is the most active form of vitamin E in humans and is a powerful biological antioxidant. Sources of this vitamin include whole grains, nuts and seeds, wheat germ, green leafy vegetables, and fish-liver oil.

Selenium is a powerful antioxidant that fights oxidative stress and helps defend the body from chronic diseases, such as heart disease and cancer. It helps lower oxidative stress in the body, which reduces inflammation and enhances immunity. The best dietary sources of selenium include fish, shellfish, eggs, garlic, and grains.

Glutathione is an essential antioxidant. It is naturally produced in the body. The best dietary sources of glutathione include spinach, avocado, zucchini, broccoli, watermelon, strawberries, cantaloupe, peaches, and squash.

While you can’t completely avoid exposure to free radicals, you can make lifestyle choices regarding exercise, and environment to help keep your body in balance, and prevent damage and disease. Try to reduce the free radical formation and help ensure an abundance of antioxidant support. Reduce the consumption of trans fats, alcohol, high glucose-containing foods. Increase fiber intake to reduce the production of free radicals.

Increase mitochondrial formation and number through exercise. Regular exercise alleviates the negative effects caused by free radicals