Definition, Effects on the Body, and Prevention of Oxidative Stress
What is Oxidative Stress?
Oxidative stress is an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in your body. This imbalance can cause damage to organs and tissues and result in various diseases. You can help your body maintain balance by living a healthy lifestyle.
What are Free Radicals?
Free radicals are oxygen-containing molecules with an uneven number of electrons. This uneven number of electrons allows free radicals to react easily with other molecules. Free radicals can cause large chain chemical reactions in your body because they react so easily with other molecules. These reactions are called oxidation. They can be beneficial or harmful.
What are Antioxidants?
Antioxidants are molecules that can donate an electron to a free radical without making themselves unstable. This causes the free radical to stabilize and become less reactive. We’ve partnered with C60 Power to explore how oxidative stress affects the body, as well as how to manage and prevent this imbalance.
Oxidation and Oxidative Stress
Oxidation is a normal and necessary process that takes place in your body. Oxidative stress, on the other hand, occurs when there’s an imbalance between free radical activity and antioxidant activity. When functioning properly, free radicals can help fight off pathogens. When there are more free radicals present than can be kept in balance by antioxidants, the free radicals can start doing damage to fatty tissue, DNA, and proteins in your body. There’s a link between oxidative stress and the onset or progression of certain diseases, including:
* Cancer
* Diabetes
* Alzheimer’s disease
* Parkinson’s disease
* Age-related macular degeneration
* Cardiovascular disease
Causes of Oxidative Stress
Everyone produces some free radicals naturally in their body through processes like exercise or inflammation. This is normal and part of the body’s intricate system of keeping itself healthy. You may also be exposed to free radicals in the environment from sources such as:
* Ozone
* Certain pesticides
* Cigarette smoke
* Radiation
* Pollution
* High-fat or high-carb diets
* Exposure to chemicals
Prevention of Oxidative Stress
It’s impossible to completely avoid free radical exposure and oxidative stress. However, antioxidants in food may have protective health effects. Eating five servings per day of a variety of fruits and vegetables is one way to provide your body with what it needs to produce antioxidants. Examples of fruits and vegetables include:
* Berries
* Cherries
* Citrus fruits
* Prunes
* Dark leafy greens
* Broccoli
* Carrots
* Tomatoes
* Olives
Other examples of dietary antioxidant sources include:
* Nuts and seeds
* Fatty fish
* Whole grains
* Legumes
Other healthy lifestyle choices can also prevent or reduce oxidative stress. Here are some lifestyle choices that will help:
* A regular, moderate exercise routine. This has been associated with higher natural antioxidant levels and decreased damage caused by oxidative stress.
* Don’t smoke. Avoid exposure to secondhand smoke as well.
* Use caution with chemicals. This includes avoiding unnecessary radiation exposure and being aware of other sources of chemical exposure, such as pesticides used on food or in gardening.
* Be environmentally conscious. Environmentally friendly initiatives like carpooling help reduce free radical production for you and your community by limiting pollution and improving air quality.
* Wear sunscreen. Sunscreen prevents ultraviolet light damage to your skin.
* Decrease your alcohol intake.
* Get plenty of sleep. Ample sleep is very important for maintaining balance in all of your body systems.
Conclusion
While free radicals and antioxidants are part of your body’s natural and healthy functioning, oxidative stress occurs when free radicals and antioxidants are out of balance. Oxidative stress can cause damage to many of your tissues, which can lead to a number of diseases over time. While you can’t completely avoid exposure to free radicals, you can make lifestyle choices regarding diet, exercise, and environment to help keep your body in balance and prevent damage and disease.
FAQs
Q: What is oxidative stress?
A: Oxidative stress is an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in your body.
Q: What are free radicals?
A: Free radicals are oxygen-containing molecules with an uneven number of electrons.
Q: What are antioxidants?
A: Antioxidants are molecules that can donate an electron to a free radical without making themselves unstable.
Q: What are the causes of oxidative stress?
A: The causes of oxidative stress include natural processes like exercise or inflammation, as well as exposure to free radicals in the environment.
Q: How can I prevent oxidative stress?
A: You can prevent oxidative stress by eating a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables, engaging in regular exercise, avoiding exposure to chemicals and pollutants, and getting plenty of sleep.
Q: What are the effects of oxidative stress on the body?
A: Oxidative stress can cause damage to many of your tissues, which can lead to a number of diseases over time, including cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
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