Free radicals have been related to ageing and a variety of illnesses, but what are they exactly?
You may recall that atoms are bound together by chemical bonds, which are made up of paired electrons. A molecule’s stability is maintained by this chemical connection.
The molecule becomes unstable when an electron is unpaired, i.e. when the chemical link is broken. It’s now extremely reactive. That’s what we call a free radical.
But what causes this to happen? Processes that are absolutely natural.
– Chemical bonds are destroyed when the body turns food into energy.
– In order to convey messages to neighbouring cells, free radicals are occasionally required.
– They’re also produced by the immune system in order to combat dangerous germs and viruses.
The bad news is that UV radiation from the smoke, pollution, sun, and other environmental factors all disrupt chemical bonds, resulting in the formation of free radicals. We have a problem with too many free radicals.
This is why:
Free radicals have a high level of reactivity. They go after the next stable molecule, “stealing” its electron in a frantic attempt to re-stabilize. When a molecule is “attacked,” it loses an electron and becomes a free radical. This sets off a chain reaction that leads to the death of a live cell.
Free radical damage to cells is the root cause of ageing and a variety of illnesses (e.g., Parkinson’s disease, atherosclerosis, cancer, arthritis and so on).
Fortunately, in form of antioxidants, there is a mechanism to prevent damage caused by free radicals.
Free radicals are neutralised by antioxidants, which stop the “stealing” of electrons. One of their own electrons is donated. They do not become free radicals after donating an electron since they are stable in both forms.
What are antioxidants and where do they come from?
They are produced by the body in order to defend itself. When the amount of free radicals in the body is increased due to external causes, the body is unable to cope, and illnesses develop.
You can’t change the environment, but you can help your body protect itself by eating antioxidant-rich foods or taking antioxidant supplements.
Antioxidants such as lycopene, beta-carotene, http://www.quanutrition.com vitamin E and vitamin C can be found in foods and supplements. Given the ever-increasing need for environmental protection, researchers are working to identify new sources of antioxidants.
Scientific data shows that a grape seed extract has 20 times the antioxidant strength of vitamin E and 50 times the antioxidant power of vitamin C.
Antioxidants for sportsmen are quite effective. In my work, I’ve noticed that when athletes are given antioxidants, their preexisting insufficiency levels improve. Read more here.
To summarise, free radicals may cause a lot of damage in the body if they aren’t prevented by antioxidants. That’s why it’s critical to consume sufficient of them via your diet!
If you wish to reach out to my team for a customized nutrition plan, call us at +91-9743430000 or visit us at www.quanutrition.com.
Ryan Fernando is an Award-winning celebrity Sports Nutritionist with 2GUINNESS world record and 2 Olympic medals under his belt. His client list include Olympic wrestler Sushil Kumar, cricketer Shikhar Dhawan & bollywood superstars Aamir Khan & Abhishek Bachchan. He is Chief Nutritionist at QUA Nutrition Signature Clinics.
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