Oxygen, essential for survival, has one major drawback: As part of its combustion in the metabolism arise by means of oxidizing substances with devastating effects. The most dangerous among them are the so-called free, ie unbound radicals. You have an unpaired electron, which is an extremely unfavorable energetic state. Therefore, free radicals are highly reactive and very happy connection. Are you looking for a new partner molecule access to existing connections, set by healthy tissue under oxidative stress. Often their reaction partner leaves turn an unbound radical. So many free radicals solve a chain reaction, continue to produce new destructive molecules that attack the body. They damage the cells - each one is bombarded daily average of 10,000 of free radicals. Furthermore, they resort genetic material and sperm to cause numerous diseases and are heavily involved in the aging process.
In the course of evolution, to protect against oxidative stress have developed: the antioxidants. Readily oxidizable substances, easily bind the free oxygen in itself and can protect against oxidation in this way.Antioxidants thus preventing the formation of free radicals and therefore are called radical scavengers. The more antioxidants available to the body to fight the free radicals have, the better the protection of our health and the easier it is the immune system.
Now our body itself has this protection squads, the antioxidant enzymes. The protection of these enzymes is not sufficient. Therefore, you should perform the adversaries of free radicals from the outside. About the food: A rich in antioxidant substances diet can fight free radical scavengers significantly mitigate oxidative stress and the range of its fatal consequences. The most effective radical scavengers are vitamins C and E and beta-carotene - the triumvirate against the free radicals.Furthermore, well are selenium, zinc, coenzyme Q 10, and phytochemicals.