Free radicals are unstable atoms, molecules, or ions that contain an unpaired number of electrons. Free radicals are associated with a long list of diseases including neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, respiratory disorders, cataract development, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, cancers, premature aging, and many more. But from where those free radicals come from? Here you will know about free radicals, sources of free radicals, how free radicals damage health, and free radical fighters in foods.
Quick Glance
- Free radicals are atoms, molecules, or ions that contain an unpaired number of electrons. Due to unpaired electron, they are highly unstable and reactive and can start a chain reaction.
- The free radicals are derived from both body’s internal processes and external sources including pollution, alcohol, tobacco smoke, heavy metals, transition metals, industrial solvents, pesticides, certain drugs like halothane, paracetamol, radiation, and toxin generating foods.
- Free radicals are reported to be involved in several diseased conditions such as diabetes mellitus, neurodegenerative disorders (such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and Multiple sclerosis), cardiovascular diseases (heart and blood vessel disorders, heart attack and hypertension), respiratory diseases (asthma), cataract development, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome and in various cancers (colorectal, prostate, breast, lung, bladder cancers).
- The body needs antioxidants to neutralize free radicals. Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Beta carotene and trace mineral selenium contains antioxidant properties.
In Details
What is free radical?
Free radicals are atoms, molecules, or ions that contain an unpaired number of electrons. Due to unpaired electron, they are highly unstable and reactive and can start a chain reaction. They react with biological molecules of various cell components including proteins, fats, cells, and DNA, and try to steal electron in order to become stabilized. In results, molecules lose electrons, and cells are disturbed by altering their basic structure and leads damage and death of cells. The process is called oxidation. The reacted molecule from which electron is stolen becomes unstable. And as it becomes unstable it also tries to steal an electron to become stable. In that way, a chain reaction begins.
Source of Free radicals:
The free radicals are derived from both body’s biochemical processes and external sources including pollution, alcohol, tobacco smoke, heavy metals, transition metals, industrial solvents, pesticides, certain drugs like halothane, paracetamol, radiation, and toxin generating food sources. (1) Some toxin generating food sources which introduce free radicals include damaged fats, rancid fats, trans-fats, food containing damaged fats such as overheating, overheated oil, charred or burnt foods, and alcohol with exception of antioxidant-rich wine.
Normal processes of the body like cellular metabolisms, such as cellular respiration, which involves oxygen also form free radicals. Human cells use oxygen and nutrients to produce energy and other processes. But oxygen that giving life also acts as a double-edged sword. Oxygen is actually toxic to biological molecules and cells and cell processes involving oxygen including cellular respiration leads to a by-product as free radicals. Some stressors such as physical stress such as illness, vigorous physical workout, psychological stress also promote free radical production.
Also, read about 8 lesser-known foods that cause inflammation you
and top foods to reduce inflammation and protect your body.
Free radical can cause oxidative stress
The human body has a protective system to neutralize the reactive free radicals. But when the concentrations of free radicals become higher and not controlled by the body’s internal defense system, oxidation overpowers the body’s antioxidants system or protective system. In such a condition the body’s protective system fails to neutralize totally free radicals. Such a condition develops stress called oxidative stress which causes much internal damage to the body. (2) And oxidative stress can deteriorate your health in a continuous way.
Disease-related to free radicals:
Free radicals can cause chronic inflammation. The free radicals induced oxidative stress has been reported to be involved in several diseased conditions such as diabetes mellitus, neurodegenerative disorders (such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and Multiple sclerosis), cardiovascular diseases (heart and blood vessel disorders, heart attack and hypertension), respiratory diseases (asthma), cataract development, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome and in various cancers (colorectal, prostate, breast, lung, bladder cancers). (3)
Antioxidant-Free radical fighters in food:
An antioxidant is a molecule which can donate an electron to unstable free radical to become stable without being destabilized itself. Beta carotene, vitamin E, Vitamin C, and trace mineral selenium are identified as principal antioxidants that the human body needs to neutralize free radicals.
Vitamin E:
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin found in nuts, seeds, oils, whole grains, fortified cereals, and green leafy vegetables. The current recommended daily allowance (RDA) is 15mg per day for adults and 19 mg for lactating women. (4) Vitamin E has eight different natural forms some of which exhibits many beneficial results whereas some act negatively. Know more about this article for good and bad of vitamin E sub-group.
Vitamin C:
Also known as ascorbic acid is a water-soluble vitamin present in citrus fruits, including lemon, guava, orange, green peppers, cabbage, spinach, broccoli, kale, tomato, cantaloupe, kiwi, and strawberries.
Current Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) for vitamin C is 90mg for an adult male, 75 mg for an adult female, pregnancy 80-85mg, lactation 115-120 mg. (5)
Also, read details about vitamin C along with safety measures.
Phytonutrients
Phytonutrients are nutrients derived from plant foods. They usually give protection to the plants from environmental damage such as toxins, pests, UV, etc. In today researchers give tremendous importance in phytonutrients due to their wide health beneficial properties. Phytonutrients usually pose antioxidant anti-inflammatory properties as well as play many beneficial roles in human health. You can identify them from their vibrant colors as usual. Scientists have identified more than 25000 varieties of phytonutrients to date. However out of them carotenoids, researchers identified ellagic acid, resveratrol, flavonoids, phytoestrogens, glucosinolates as more important to date. Some people also called phytonutrients as phytochemicals.
By including a wide variety of colorful foods in your menu, you can able to get those phytonutrients. Due to extreme potential researchers giving more importance in plant nutrients. Recently I got updated from Prof. Atanas G. Atanasov, Professor and Head of Molecular Biology Department at IGAB PAS, Poland and Team International Natural Product Sciences (INPST) that they are giving more importance in plant nutrients than vitamins and minerals due to their antioxidant properties and have started working on this field. (6)
You can get more about these with our update in plant nutrients with this link.
Carotene
It is a precursor to vitamin A (retinol) and a carotenoid. Carotenoid is naturally occurring pigment usually found in plant-derived foods responsible for vibrant colors of some fruits and vegetables. You can identify beta carotene from their natural pigment in basic plant-derived foods typically yellow/orange/red color. Food sources include yellow, orange, and green leafy fruits and vegetables such as spinach, carrots, squash, lettuce, broccoli, yams, tomato, kale, peas, cantaloupe, peaches, onion, squash.
One question can arise here. Endurance exercise increases oxygen intake and utilization. From this prospect, an endurance athlete is more prone to free radical formation and suffering damage to cells. But practically we are not seeing this usually. So, does an athlete need extra antioxidants to protect their cells?
Studies found that regular exercise increases the body’s antioxidant defense system and protects against exercise-induced free radical damage. On the other hand, intense exercise in untrained individuals overwhelms defenses resulting in increased free radical damage. People with a predominantly sedentary lifestyle when suddenly engaged with vigorous exercises may do more harm to the body than good. (7)
Free radicals also damage collagen which is a structural protein responsible for the formation of various organs, tissues including skin. Due to free radicals damage, the collagen of the skin loses elasticity. For that reason, some skincare products manufacturers add antioxidants in their formulation to help in reducing oxidative damage to skin collagen. However, it is a better way to get healthy skin which starts from the inner side with the ingestion of the right nutrients.
Also, read about top foods that neutralize free radicals as well as lower inflammation.
Bottom line:
Nature has a perfect rule for all living things. No one can live forever. Free radical health damage or oxidative damage or cell degeneration is inevitable. You can not end or reverse this process. Reactive molecules generated during the biochemical process also act as cell signaling molecules. However, you can slow down this degeneration process by neutralizing toxic free radicals. That can help you with a disease-free long life.
Controlling exposure to pollutants, toxins, pesticides, smoking, tobacco, alcohol, toxin generating deep-fried food, burnt food, trans fat, damage or rancid fats can limit the body’s exposure to free radicals.
Usually consuming a wide variety of fruits and vegetables helps to get a considerable amount of antioxidants and acts as free radical fighters. In most cases, plant foods contain flavonoids in the pulp or below the skin portion of the foods. Flavonoids also called bioflavonoids are plant-based phytonutrients with many health beneficial effects and also help in the absorption of vitamins. It is better to add a portion of the pulp or skin of plant foods in the diet. However, most phytonutrients or phytochemicals are very delicate and loss its property when heated and cooked. You should handle them carefully. Protecting your cells or tissues of the body will help you to be disease-free and prevent premature cell degeneration.
Turmeric or curcumin has a powerful antioxidant profile, we have written about researched-based health benefits of turmeric or curcumin and turmeric home preparation as curcumin the most effective compound of turmeric badly is absorbed in the intestine.
Disclaimer: Information provided here are generalized information for informational and entertainment purpose only, not intended to provide one to one health consultation or replace practice of a qualified practitioner.Different people may have different health condition and may have different reaction to the same food. Hence it has been advised to consult with health care provider before application of any of above information
Source and reference: 1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4310837/ 2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and- molecular-biology/oxidative-stress 3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4310837/ 4. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminE-HealthProfessional/ 5. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-HealthProfessional/#en8 6. https://inpst.net/researchers-of-antioxidants-are-switching-from- vitamins-to-plant-compounds/ 7.http://www.rice.edu/~jenky/sports/antiox.html Book reference: Secrets of Supplements by Gloria Askew and Jerre Paquette
