Using antioxidants to prevent aging

There are numbers of biochemical reaction inside our body. Two major biochemical reactions occur in our body. There are catabolic and anabolic reactions. In fact, they are the metabolism inside our body. For example, we need energy to maintain our body. The ultimate source of energy is Adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP produced by catabolic reactions provides the energy for anabolic reactions. Anabolic and catabolic reactions are coupled (they require each other) via using ATP.

During the biochemical reactions, a numbers of unwanted “free radicals” produced. Why it is called unwanted material in our body? It is because it will cause a number of adverse effects in our body.

What are free radicals?

The metabolic reactions inside our body involve many molecules. These molecules normally will not split in a way that leaves a molecule with an odd, unpaired electron. But when a relative weak bonds split, free radicals are formed. Free radicals are very unstable and react quickly with other compounds they meet, trying to capture the needed electron to gain enough stability. Generally, free radicals attack the nearest stable molecule, by “stealing” its electron. When the “attacked” molecule loses its electron, it becomes a free radical itself, starting a chain reaction. Once the process is started, it can be in a cascade way, finally resulting in the damaging out body cells.

Besides free radicals producing inside our body, environmental factors such as pollution, radiation, cigarette smoke and herbicides can also produce free radicals.

Generally, the body can handle free radicals, but if antioxidants are unavailable, or if the free-radical production becomes excessive, damage can occur. The worst condition is that free radical damage accumulates with age. Therefore we need enough antioxidants inside our body.

What is antioxidant

An antioxidant is a chemical that reduces the amount of oxidation inside our body. Oxidation usually produces free radicals. Therefore antioxidant can remove free radicals.

What is the source of antioxidant?

An antioxidant originates mainly from plants. Examples of antioxidants would be vitamin A (beta-carotene), vitamin E and lycopene. Beta-carotene comes from carrots; vitamin E from leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds; and lycopene from red-ripe tomatoes.

Effects on Health.

Because an antioxidant kills the harmful oxidation that can attack your body’s cells, it has an overall positive impact on our body; the antioxidant reverses the impact of carcinogens (cancer causing elements) and atherogenics (heart problems) which are caused by the damage of oxidation processes. Therefore, antioxidants help to prevent cancer. There are numbers of searches revealed that large amounts of antioxidants can slow down the process of aging. This means that antioxidants help prevent dementia and other types of neurological damage due to age.

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