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Free Radicals
- Environmental pollutants are an important concern to humans
and their effects on our bodies. Auto exhaust, second-hand
cigarette smoke, pesticides, or even ultraviolet radiation from
the sun - create what are known as free radicals in our bodies.
Free radicals are molecules that are highly reactive and
unstable because they contain an unpaired electron in their
molecular structure. Electrons are most stable in pairs, and the
free radical tries to stabilize itself by attaching to cell
membranes in the body, robbing their molecules of electrons.
This attack spontaneously generates another unstable free
radical molecule, starting a chain reaction that eventually
leads to the cell's death.
Free radicals are formed naturally in the
body - for example, as byproducts of normal metabolism, by the
breakdown of bacteria by white blood cells, or by enzymatic
reactions; they are also formed, in ever-increasing numbers,
outside the body by pollution, radiation, cigarette smoke, motor
vehicle emissions, and many other processes. These environmental
free radicals then enter the body through the skin, respiration,
and other means. Even oxygen, which we need in order to
survive, can initiate a free-radical chain reaction in our
bodies.
A good example of oxygen free-radical
damage can be seen when an apple is sliced in half and left
exposed to air. Within a short time, the apple begins to turn
brown. This browning is caused by free-radical damage and will
eventually destroy the fruit. Whether formed endogenously or
exogenously, once in our bodies, these unstable free radicals
rob electrons from other molecules to make themselves more
stable. In the process, they often cause damage to the body's
cells and metabolic processes and many times turn the molecules
they have attacked into free radicals themselves. Those
molecules, now missing an electron and highly reactive, rob
electrons from other molecules, and a chain reaction occurs.
This process is called oxidation. It happens all the time in our
bodies. In fact, it is estimated that every cell in our body is
attacked by free radicals thousands of times a day.
The effects of free
radical damage
Heart disease and cancer are two of the most
widespread diseases associated with free radical damage. Heart
disease is the leading cause of death in America today, killing
an estimated one in every three Americans. Several factors, such
as high blood cholesterol levels, hypertension, cigarette
smoking, and diabetes, are chief culprits in the promotion of
heart disease.
Overall, free radicals have been
implicated in the development of at least 50 diseases! A partial
list includes arthritis and other inflammatory diseases, kidney
disease, cataracts, inflammatory bowel disease, colitis, lung
dysfunction, pancreatitis, drug reactions, skin lesions, and
aging, to mention a few. Literally, free
radicals are the major factors of aging.
The protection of
antioxidants
Fortunately, the body is able to curb free-radical damage by
producing antioxidant molecules and enzymes. Their purpose is
to neutralize oxidizing free radicals by donating an electron to
them or robbing one from them. The body's arsenal of
antioxidants appears to be sufficient for keeping oxidation in
check in children and in youths, but once we reach our twenties,
the effectiveness of the body's antioxidant defense mechanisms
appears to lessen, and free radicals are given greater rein to
do damage. The results appear to be, that many of the diseases
we associate with aging, including coronary heart disease,
cancer, skin damage, Alzheimer's disease, strokes, and
rheumatoid arthritis are from free-radical damage. Our
prognosis need not be bleak, however. Plants, like humans,
produce antioxidants for their own natural defense mechanisms.
So, growing all around us are sources of antioxidants that can
be ingested to augment our body’s natural supply. Indeed,
researchers believe that increased dietary intake of
antioxidants can slow the process of free-radical damage and
associated diseases. Although fruits and vegetables contain the
greatest amount of antioxidants in nature, their effectiveness
as dietary antioxidants is diminished by two factors: (1) the
concentrations of the different types of antioxidants in the
plant tissues vary widely, and (2) ripeness, storage, and
growing conditions affect these concentrations. For these
reasons, it is important to measure the actual antioxidant
capacity of fruits, vegetables and dietary antioxidants.
Thus, free radicals create havoc
and cause a wide range of serious diseases in the body.
To combat this daily damage, we need antioxidants.
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