Antioxidants: Effects, Uses & Risks

Antioxidants are wonder weapons against disease and age. Those who take them regularly and in sufficient quantities are more likely to stay longer, fit, healthy and beautiful than someone who hardly takes antioxidants. The reason for this lies in the way antioxidants work.

What are antioxidants?

Antioxidants are a preventative wonder weapon against oxidative stress, which has been linked to a number of diseases. They are found in foods such as fruits and vegetables, as well as grains. Antioxidants are naturally occurring ingredients in various foods that can protect human body cells from all sorts of negative influences. Antioxidants are plural because they include not only vitamins and minerals, which are essential for the body’s survival, but also secondary plant compounds. But how do antioxidants work and why are they so important? Every day, our bodies are exposed to psychological and physical stress – disease-causing influences that we or our environment cause. This ranges from cigarette smoke to sunbathing for too long, which damages the skin, to unhealthy food. These things or activities trigger oxidation processes in our bodies. And this oxidation creates something in the body that, in larger quantities, leads to skin aging, disease and all kinds of symptoms: free radicals. On its own, an organism is only able to fight off a certain amount of negative influences and the resulting free radicals. At a certain point, our body needs help. This is where antioxidants come into play. Antioxidants such as vitamins C, E, beta-carotene, trace elements such as zinc and selenium, but also valuable secondary plant substances from polyphenols to phytoestrogens are also called “radical scavengers”. No wonder, because antioxidants make the free radicals in the body harmless.

Pharmacological action

Free radicals, the antagonists of antioxidants, are responsible for an endless array of health ailments, the onset of which they can accelerate or cause in the first place. This is because they attack our cells, the basic building blocks of our lives, and in the worst cases can render them completely non-functional. If a large number of cells in a particular organ are affected, it no longer functions optimally and disease is often the result. But how do antioxidants work? Free radicals, these are molecules containing oxygen. They are very unstable, because in their chemical structure they have one electron too few. This is a real problem in the body, because the free radicals immediately go in search of such an electron to complete them – in a very ruthless way. They simply take away such a molecule from somewhere else – without regard to loss, be it from a cell membrane, from DNA – wherever. This electron robbery is called oxidation. If it occurs too frequently, medicine speaks of oxidative stress. This can occur quite quickly, because free radicals trigger a regular chain reaction in the body. This is where antioxidants come into play as rescuers in an emergency, because they can interrupt the chain reaction. They voluntarily give up an electron so that one is not stolen from the cell membrane or from a body protein. This means that as long as there are enough antioxidants in the body, the cells are protected.

Medical application and use

Antioxidants are a preventive wonder weapon against oxidative stress, which has been linked to a number of diseases. Since they are found in foods such as in fruits and vegetables, but also in grains and, for example, in coffee, we ourselves can ensure sufficient supply of the little protectors, without a doctor, by designing our diet accordingly. Fresh vegetables, salads, fruits and sprouts, nuts and co should be consumed often. In addition, many doctors consider it increasingly important not only to supply enough antioxidants, but also to curb the formation of free radicals. Quitting smoking, limiting alcohol consumption and paying attention to reducing stress and getting enough exercise can help.

Risks and side effects

The best thing about antioxidants is: they don’t carry any risks or side effects.