Antioxidants and Free Radicals

We often hear how various foods and even drinks are great antioxidants. But what is an antioxidant and how are they connected with free radicals?

The whole concept started with Dr. Denham Harmon, M.D., Ph.D., who first proposed a theory that aging was due to the indiscriminate chemical re-activity of free radicals possibly leading to random biological damage. Dr. Harmon's theory stated that antioxidants such as vitamin C and vitamin E, which prevent free radicals from oxidizing (removing electrons from) sensitive biological molecules, will slow the aging process. Dr. Harmon launched his theory by showing, for the first time, that feeding a variety of antioxidants to mammals extended their life spans.
By what mechanisms do free radicals cause damage and disease?

Theories suggest that our body’s free radicals contribute to many different diseases.

So what is a free radical? A free radical is any atom or molecule, which has an "unpaired electron" in the outer ring. An "unpaired electron" will also always mean that there is an odd number since "pairing" of electrons goes by twos.

Protons have a positive electrical charge. Electrons have a negative electrical charge. The electrons move around the central mass made up of protons and neutrons. Neutrons have no electrical charge. The word is related to "neutral."

Being neutral, the molecule seeks to attract an electron or positive charge. Free radicals will seek out electrons from another molecule that is more willing to give one up.

The unsaturated lipid molecules of cell membranes are particularly susceptible to this damaging free radicals process and readily contribute to the uncontrolled chain reaction. Oxidative damage, another name for the chemical reaction that free radicals cause, can lead to a breakdown or even hardening of lipids, which makeup all cell walls. If the cell wall is hardened (lipid peroxidation) then it becomes impossible for the cell to properly get its nutrients, get signals from other cells to perform an action (such as firing of a neuron) and many other cellular activities can be affected. In addition to the cell walls, other biological molecules are also susceptible to damage, including RNA, DNA and protein enzymes.

The primary site of free radical damage is the DNA found in the mitochondria. Mitochondria are small membrane-enclosed regions of a cell, which produce the chemicals a cell uses for energy. Mitochondria are the "energy factory" of the cell. Every cell contains an enormous set of molecules called DNA, which provide chemical instructions for a cell to function. This DNA is found in the nucleus of the cell, which serves as the "command center" of the cell, as well as in the mitochondria. The cell automatically fixes much of the damage done to nuclear DNA. However, the DNA in the mitochondria cannot be readily fixed.

When this happens, extensive DNA damage accumulates over time and shuts down mitochondria, causing the cells to die and the organism to age.

The free radical generation process can disrupt all levels of cell function. This is why free radical damage is thought to be such a basic mechanism of tissue injury. It damages us at the cellular level.
The more toxic metals in your body, the higher the free radical activity.

So, to stop the oxidization process of the free radicals requires the intake of antioxidants. Foods highest in antioxidants include red beans, red kidney beans, pinto beans, blueberries, cranberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, applies and artichoke hearts. These are just to name a few.

So to sum it all up, if you want to slow the aging process, try eating more berries and beans or take your antioxidant supplements.

R. Fredriksen is the Vice President of Nutrition Dome, a leading provider of Jarrow Formulas, Pioneer Nutritional Forumulas, Lipodrene and other quality supplements. For more information, please visit www.nutritiondome.com.