Antioxidant and Free Radicals

You might ask what free radicals are and why they cause harm to the human body. You might also want to know how vitamin E and other antioxidants aid in protecting against the harm caused by free radicals.

Hopefully, this article will aid your understanding about free radicals and antioxidants and increase your awareness of the necessity of including nutrient sources rich in antioxidants in your diet.

A Bit of Chemical Bonding Background

Getting into biochemistry is unavoidable when discussing free radicals and antioxidants. You will no doubt recall studying molecules which make up the cells that comprise the human body in high school biology class. One ore more elements combine to make atoms, which in turn combine to make molecules and are held together through chemical bonding.

A combination of protons, neutrons forming a nucleus and electrons provide the structure of most atoms. Not all atoms have neutrons but all have protons forming the nucleus which is orbited by electrons. Protons have a positive charge while electrons have a negative charge. Neutrons, when present, have no charge. A stable atom has eight electrons orbiting the nucleus and will not seek to enter into chemical reactions.

Atoms that have less than eight electrons will attempt to reach optimum stability by doing one of the following things:

Try to empty or fill its orbit by losing or gaining electrons

To form a more complete orbit, bond with other atoms and share electrons

The Formation of Free Radicals

At times, the bond between atoms is weak and can split, causing the formation of free radicals. Atoms that become free radicals have an odd electron that is unpaired. This makes it unstable and subject to quick reactions with other compounds. Because it is natural for atoms with unpaired electrons, such as free radicals, to try to become stable, they will attempt to take the electron needed from another molecule. When a free radical successfully steals an electron from a molecule, it causes that molecule itself to become a free radical. This begins a chain reaction that will continue if not stopped. The formation of free radicals will escalate, eventually disrupting the living cell.

Free Radicals' Natural Enemy: Antioxidants

Vitamins C and E are antioxidants believed to provide the body with protection from the damaging effects of free radicals by neutralizing them. They accomplish this by contributing on of their own electrons which prevent the ongoing 'stealing' from other molecules in the body.