
One of the prevalent theories in the current literature revolves around free radicals, which are molecules containing unpaired, highly reactive electrons, as causal agents in the process of aging. In the 1950s, Harman proposed the “free radical theory,” postulating that damage to cellular macromolecules via free radical production in aerobic organisms is a major determinant of life span [6]. Free radicals are natural by-product of aerobic cell metabolism. They are produced by a number of actions including infections, diseases and lifestyle. The generation can be endogenous (within the body) or exogenous (outside the body). The exogenous source of free radical is from the environment. These include oxidizing agent i.e. Ionizing radiations (from industry, sun exposure, cosmic rays, medical x-ray); Ozone and nitrous oxide (primarily from automobile exhaust); Heavy metals (such as mercury, cadmium and lead); Cigarette smoking (both active and passive); Alcohol; Unsaturated fat (this may create a strain on the natural antioxidants of the body) and other chemicals (pesticides) and compounds from food, water, drugs and air. Endogenous free radical formation occurs continuously in the cells as a consequence of both enzymatic and non-enzymatic reactions. Endogenous free radicals are produced in the body by four different mechanisms [8].
Free radical reactions are expected to produce progressive adverse changes that accumulate with age throughout the body. Fortunately the body is naturally equipped with antioxidants defense system to detoxify these dangerous agents but unfortunately the body’s defense system becomes less effective as we get older leading to accumulation of oxidative damage and the development of chronic degenerative diseases Antioxidants are clearly important to human life. Supplementation with excessive quantities of antioxidants can shift the oxidant - antioxidant balance toward the antioxidant side [8]. However there are situation in which this common trend or pattern are influenced by genetic and environmental differences. If the generation of free radical is much more than can be handled by the antioxidant enzymes or antioxidant nutrients, then trouble arises, and they create damage in the cell membrane.
As soon as these free radicals are created, they are checked by enzymes in the body, which are known as antioxidant enzymes or nutrients in our food that are known as antioxidant nutrients (vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, flavonoid are common examples). Free radicals are referred as oxidants while the defense mechanisms against these free radicals are called antioxidants. Antioxidants are substances that prevent tissue damage due to free radical action [7]. In the dictionary of Food and Nutrition, antioxidants are defined as food additive or chemical that opposes oxidation or inhibit or retard reactions promoted by oxygen (or peroxides). In another definition, antioxidants are defined as compounds that help protect against free radical damage. They are able to disarm free radicals and break the vicious cycle. Biological systems antioxidants could work in various ways including catalytic removal of free radical, as scavengers of free radicals or in the form of proteins that minimize the availability of pro-oxidants such as metal ions [2]. Some antioxidants including glutathione, ubiquinol and uric acid are produced during normal metabolism in the body. Glutathione can neutralize free radicals many times before it (glutathione) is oxidized; it also restores vitamin C and vitamin E to their reduced form so that they can continue scavenging free radicals. Glutathione also helps repair DNA and prevents free radical damage to DNA. Other lighter antioxidants are found in the diet. Although about 4000 antioxidants have been identified, the best known are vitamin E the best known are vitamin E, vitamin C and the carotenoids [4]. Vitamin C is an oxygen scavenger. It transfers its hydrogen atoms to oxygen, making the oxygen unavailable for further reactions. Other dietary vitamin antioxidants includes vitamin E and A (including lycopene) which serve as bodyguards giving the body protection against free radical damage since the body cannot provide enough antioxidants needed. Vitamin E when present in food acts as an antioxidant and protects other nutrients against oxidation for example vitamin A is preserved by vitamin E [10]. Coenzyme Q10 is an antioxidant, which can regenerate vitamin E from its radical form and is capable of scavenging oxygen radicals and preventing disruption of lipid cell membranes.
- Antioxidants and Free Radical (2005).
- Colbert MD. “What You Don’t Know May Be Killing You”. Siloam Pub. Florida, (2000): USA
- Dhalla NS., et al. “Role of Oxidation Stress in Cardiovascular Diseases”. Hypertension 18.6 (2000): 655.
- Halliwell B., et al. “Health promotion by flavonoids, tocopherols, tocotrienols, and other phenols: direct or indirect effects? Antioxidant or not?” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition81 (2005): 268S-276S.
- Hurst RD and Hurst SM. “Bioactive Food as Dietary Interventions for Arthritis and Related Inflammatory Diseases”. Academic Press Publisher (2013).
- Kregel KC., et al. “An integrated view of oxidative stress in aging: basic mechanisms, functional effects and pathological considerations”. American Journal of Physiology - Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology 292.1 (2007): R 18-36.
- Laskey J. “Potential Health Benefits of an Antioxidant-Rich Diet”. (2009):
- Lobo V., et al. “Free radicals, antioxidants and functional foods: Impact on human health”. Pharmacognosy Reviews 4.8 (2010): 118-126.
- McGee SA., et al. “What Advanced Practice Nurses Need To Know About Free Radicals’, The Internet”. Journal of Advanced Nursing Practice 6.1 (2003).
- Onyeka UE. “Food & Nutrition, Charismatic Forum Pub”. Owerri, Nigeria (2005).
- Simone, F., et al. “Cellular Stress Responses: Cell Survival and Cell Death”. Journal of Cell Biology (2010): 214074.
- UMIM n.d. “Healing Food Pyramid”: Fruits and Vegetables. (2009).
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