Antioxidants are substances that prevent the oxidation of other substances. They protect cells and enzymes from oxidative damage. Antioxidants help reduce the risk of developing cancer, heart disease, and a number of other diseases. They can also prevent or delay the effects of aging and slow down the aging process.
Why Are Antioxidants So Crucial?
Free radicals are unstable chemicals that may cause cell damage and even cancer, and antioxidants seek to neutralize them. Chemical reactions in the body create free radicals, and the resulting damage is known as oxidative stress.
As an example, free radicals are produced whenever oxygen is used by the body. Pollution, cigarette smoke, radiation, medicines, and pesticides all contribute to oxidative stress and free radical production.
Antioxidants are beneficial for more than only fighting free radicals; they also have additional health benefits, such as lowering inflammation, safeguarding brain function, and boosting immunity.
23 Antioxidants are helpful for minimizing post-workout inflammation and other forms of tissue damage because of their anti-inflammatory properties.
Heart health is only one example of an organ that might benefit from inflammation’s opposite impact. For instance, antioxidants may help with things like lowering cholesterol, maintaining healthy blood pressure, and preventing atherosclerosis (the hardening of the arteries).
Antioxidants also provide preventive effects against cognitive decline and have been shown to lessen the risk of eye disease, diabetes, and heart disease.
Since oxidative stress is a consequence of aging, many people think of antioxidants as anti-aging substances.
How Do Free Radicals Work?
Your body is continually producing free radicals. Without antioxidants, free radicals would rapidly cause severe damage and, without intervention, lead to death. On the other hand, free radicals perform very crucial roles that are necessary for human health.
Some of your immune cells rely on free radicals to help them fight infections. Therefore, it is important for the body to have an appropriate ratio of free radicals to antioxidants. In the presence of more free radicals than antioxidants, oxidative stress may develop.
DNA and other crucial components in your body may be harmed by chronic oxidative stress. It may also cause cell death in extreme cases. In addition to raising cancer risks, DNA damage is also suspected of playing a major part in the aging process.
Excessive free radical production and oxidative stress have been linked to a number of lifestyles, stress, and environmental variables, including:
- Pollution of the Air
- A puff of smoke from a cigarette
- Harmful effects of alcohol consumption
- Glucose intolerance
- Consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids that are too high in UV radiation, particularly prolonged sun exposure. Bacterial, fungal, or viral infections
- Too much or too little oxygen in the body, severe and continuous exertion that damages tissues
- Antioxidant insufficiency caused by an overabundance of vitamins C and E
Cardiovascular disease and certain forms of cancer are only two of the many bad health effects that may result from chronic oxidative stress.
Various Antioxidant Foods
Water-soluble and fat-soluble antioxidants are the two main types. Antioxidants that are fat-soluble typically work on cell membranes, whereas those that are water-soluble work in the fluid within and outside of cells.
Antioxidants in food include:
- Vitamin C: This antioxidant is a need in the human diet because of its water solubility.
- Vitamin E: This antioxidant is especially important for its function in preventing oxidative damage to cell membranes.
- Flavonoids: Health benefits abound from exposure to this class of antioxidants found in plants.
A lot of important things are done by things that are antioxidants as well. Curcuminoids in turmeric and oleocanthal in extra virgin olive oil are two good examples. These substances work as antioxidants, but they also fight inflammation very well.
Also, saffron is another high antioxidant source that can be helpful in human health. You can read about antioxidant properties of saffron in related article.
Why Are Antioxidants Good for Your Health?
Scientists have known for decades that people who eat a lot of antioxidant-rich foods are less likely to get sick. Part of this protection comes from the fact that antioxidants can fight free radicals and lower oxidative stress.
Here are six health benefits of Antioxidants:
1. Cut Down on Oxidative Stress
When we are out of balance, our bodies and brains can be hurt by oxidative stress. It is linked to heart disease (atherosclerosis), cancer, diabetes, age-related macular degeneration, neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease), autoimmune diseases (systemic lupus), mental stress, depression, and memory loss. And oxidative stress gets worse when there is more stress, mood disorders, or a long-term illness. A vicious cycle occurs.
Oxidative stress causes inflammation. Cardiovascular disease and depression are caused by inflammation. Inflammation produces free radicals, which raises oxidative stress.
Anti-inflammatory antioxidants vitamin C reduces c-reactive protein (CRP). CRP increases cardiovascular disease. Vitamin C reduced high CRP by 25% in one trial. Statins reduce CRP similarly.
The body fights oxidative stress. It produces a lot of antioxidants, but the body’s antioxidant system is not adequate. Plant-rich diets minimize free radicals.
2. Destroy the Free Radicals
Antioxidants protect cells from free radicals. Free radicals? Highly reactive, unstable molecules striving to stabilize. They steal electrons to be stable. They steal electrons from nearby lipids or proteins.
Now a free radical, the “robbed” molecule attacks another molecule, starting a chain reaction. Theft damages our cells and DNA. Damage causes accelerated aging, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
Free radicals are unavoidable. Breathing, exercising, and converting food to energy produce them. Smoking, air pollution, and sunshine also release free radicals. To fight these robbers, we need plenty of antioxidants.
Vitamin E stops the chain reaction of damage by donating an electron to a free radical, but it requires assistance to be active. Vitamin C revives vitamin E.
Free radical damage requires plenty of dietary antioxidants. We want diversity too. Antioxidants fight different free radicals. Vitamin C will not eliminate free radicals.
Free radicals have a role; hence they should not be eliminated. They boost immunity, for instance. Too many free radicals overwhelm our antioxidant crew. Most Americans eat too few fruits and vegetables, which causes oxidative stress.
3. A Healthy Brain
Dementia and other forms of neurodegeneration are associated with neuronal death brought on by oxidative stress. Antioxidant therapy has been the subject of research because of the potential neuroprotective benefits it may have.
Multiple studies have linked antioxidant vitamin insufficiency to neurological illnesses, including Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. One of these trials revealed that giving persons 65 and above vitamin C and/or vitamin E lowered their risk of cognitive deterioration.
Nearly 6,000 men older than 65 took part in a research experiment called The Physicians’ Health Study II, in which they were randomly assigned to receive either a placebo or a 50 mg beta-carotene supplement. The males who took beta-carotene supplements for at least 15 years showed cognitive improvements, according to the study.
4. Healthy Mind
Free radicals are highly dangerous to the brain. The hippocampus, a brain region important for learning and memory, suffers severe damage. Besides directly killing hippocampal cells, oxidative stress also inhibits neurogenesis (growth of new brain cells).
Growing evidence links low antioxidant defenses, oxidative stress, and mental health issues. Antioxidants show promise as an additional therapy for neuropsychiatric diseases. Antioxidant-rich meals may help alleviate sadness and anxiety, according to certain studies.
Vitamin A, C, and E were found to be at lower levels in persons with anxiety disorders and depression, according to recent research. There was a decrease in depressive and anxious symptoms and an increase in antioxidant levels in the blood after treatment for 6 weeks. Total carotenoids (especially beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthins) were linked to lower levels of depression in another research.
Antioxidants are beneficial, but it is best to use caution when taking supplements containing large amounts of them. This could cause more oxidation to occur (prooxidation) and disrupt the beneficial roles that free radicals play. Before making any significant dietary changes, it is recommended that you speak with your doctor.
5. Good Eyesight
Antioxidants prevent age-related eye degeneration, according to research (AMD). Age-related AMD affects the macula. AMD causes most visual loss in adults over 50. It affects central vision without blinding us. Reading, driving, seeing faces, and cooking need central vision.
Antioxidant supplements helped in big clinical studies performed by the National Eye Institute and NIH. Vitamin C, 500 mg; vitamin E, 400 IU; beta carotene, 15 mg; and zinc, 80 mg, decreased AMD incidence by 25% in a six-year clinical study. Antioxidants alone cut risk by 17%. Another research indicated that lutein and zeaxanthin treatment maintained eyesight in late AMD patients for five years.
6. Foster Successful Aging
Oxidative stress, inflammation, and aging are linked. Oxi-inflame-aging is a hypothesis. Chronic oxidative stress changes our neurological, endocrine, and immunological systems as we age, according to the notion. Inflammation follows immune system activation, creating a cycle.
Cellular aging is also thought to induce age-related disorders, including heart disease and cancer. Telomeres measure cellular aging. Many studies link shortened telomeres, aging, and bad health.
Telomeres? They are like the shoelace’s protective plastic end. Telomeres shield our DNA-containing chromosomes. Cell division shortens telomeres. Telomeres wear down, diminishing DNA protection. DNA damage accelerates aging and illness.
Antioxidants protect DNA. Antioxidants may protect telomeres. Good news. Control is ours. Diet and exercise slow telomere shortening. Antioxidants prevent oxidative stress, inflammation, and telomere shortening.
Antioxidant-rich foods reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, protecting telomeres and DNA against age-related illnesses.
Consuming a Diet Rich in Antioxidants
Protecting humans from free radicals and oxidative stress, antioxidants are chemicals found mostly in plants. Dietary antioxidants have been studied for decades, and the results show they may help keep us healthy. Antioxidants may be obtained through foods high in vitamin E, vitamin C, beta-carotene, selenium, and phytochemicals. Eating a wide variety of colorful vegetables and fruits every day is a great way to easily boost your antioxidant intake.
