Fighting free radicals

Help protect the body against damage from ‘free radicals’ – the unstable molecules that can lead to degenerative diseases and premature ageing.

Continuing research has confirmed that many of the twentieth century’s most common diseases are associated with a shortage of antioxidant nutrients. These diseases are thought to be the result of free radical damage. By increasing your daily intake of antioxidants you can work to prevent the damage that free radicals can cause to your body.

But what are free radicals and what do they do?

Free radicals are highly unstable atoms with unpaired electrons that travel around the body in search of a partner. This instability makes them highly reactive with other molecules during this quest for partnership. This reactive state then triggers a process known as oxidation, a process that can have damaging consequences on our health including damage to our DNA (our genetic material), cell mutation and damage to cellular membranes. Of particular concern are the vulnerable brain cells and it is this sort of damage that has increasingly linked free radicals to Alzheimer’s, and other diseases such as premature ageing, heart disease, strokes, allergies, arthritis and immune deficiency.

Free radicals are produced as natural by-products of our body’s own cellular functions. To defend against this the body produces its own antioxidant supply to combine with free radicals to prevent them from attaching to and damaging the cells in our body. This seems pretty straight forward but the cycle becomes more serious when other manufacturers of free radicals such as excess and unprotected exposure to sun, smoking and smoky environments, fried and burnt food, stress, and other environmental pollutants come in to play. This can put the balance between free radical and antioxidant protection out of kilter, leaving antioxidant demand to exceed supply; perfect for those free radical baddies, but not so great for our health.

Where do we find antioxidants?

We now know that it is important for the body to have a plentiful supply of antioxidants and there are a number of natural sources. Foods rich in natural colour such as carrots, squash, watercress and other green leafy vegetables, red berries such as blackberries and red grapes, and more recently discovered to be in meat, have a high antioxidant status. These should be included as staples in our daily diets.

Is that all we need?

Unfortunately it is not quite as simple as that. Soil depletion, increased daily exposure to environmental freeradicals damage from those previously mentioned, topped with shortage of time and expense means that often our demand for antioxidants cannot be met by diet alone. With a combination of conscious healthy eating and supplementation you can ensure you provide your body with the perfect partnership to support its vital supply of antioxidants.

So which supplements are available to us?

The principle antioxidants are Vitamin E, beta-carotene (Vitamin A), and Vitamin C. Additionally, Selenium, a trace mineral required for proper function of the body’s antioxidant enzyme systems. The body cannot manufacture these micronutrients so they must be supplied in the diet. There are however other potent antioxidants that have attracted particular interest more recently, such as read more