Antioxidants and free radicals report.
Researchers say that antioxidants are the best defence against free radicals and even the orignal scientifc skeptics now agree!
Free radicals are toxic molecules caused by radiation, cigarette smoke, car exhaust, and other pollutants. Free radicals eat away at healthey cells and turn them defective, similar to the way cancer cells run amok. Over time the damage done by free radicals can cause the development of cancer, turn innocuous cholesterol into sticky plaque that cogs arteries and accelerate the natural aging process and the disease that it brings.
Researchers say that the best defence against free radicals is to get plenty of antioxidant vitamins, which stop free radicals from overtaking healthy cells. Everyone would therefore benefit from taking vitamin supplements expecially those containing plenty of antioxidants.
Fruits and vegetables are high in antioxidant nutrients, notably vitamins A, C and E. These nutrients play a key role in preventing oxidative damage that we now know contributes to both cancer and heart disease.
How does this damage begin? It all begins with oxygen, which is absolutely essential to life. As oxygen circulates throughout the body, fueling our cells, some oxygen molecules lose an electron and become highly reactive - and chemically unstable. These altered oxygen molecules are known as ions or free radicals! To regain stability, they snatch electrons from other molecules, damaging them. This is oxidative damage.
Over time this damage can alter DNA, the bodies repository of genetic information and lead to cancer amd build up of atherosclerotic plaques. Normal biological processes produce a cetain amount of these ions but more are produced by exposure to things like cigarette smoke and toxic chemicals. Vitamins A, C and E come to the rescue by graciously donating electrons to these free radicals so they don't have to steal them from the body's cells. That's how these vitamins protect the body from oxidative damage.
Scientific understanding of antioxidants has eveloved slowly over the last 15 years. the fine points remain controversial, but researchers now generally agree on the big picture. That picture came into sharper focus in 1993 when three large studies persuaded most remaining scientific skeptics that these type of nutrients were indeed crtical for the prevention of cancer and heart disease.
Recent research has found antioxidant products that are many times more powerful than normal vitmains!
For futher information on free radicals and antioxidants, and an insight into these marvelous new products, please visit the CockUp.com resource on antioxidants.
Dr. Pauling a twice nobel prize winner and one of the original advocates of large quantities of vitamins and minerals was shunned by the orthodox medical profession but he outlived virtually all of his critcs!