What is oxidative stress?

Oxidation, which causes oxidative stress, is a natural process that happens to all cells in nature, including the cells in your body. Antioxidants provide an important defense against the daily assault of free radicals on healthy cells.

Oxidative stress is a condition in which antioxidant levels are lower than normal level. Oxidation in the form of free radicals is all around us. In the air we breathe, the foods we eat and the liquids we drink. Antioxidant levels are usually measured in blood plasma.

Oxidative stress is also one of the major causes of cataracts. Experimental evidence suggests that oxidative stress due to the accumulation of free radicals plays a role in the cause of cataracts and that the process can be prevented or ameliorated by antioxidants.

All of us are constantly exposed to factors in everyday life that exert oxidative stresses on our tissues. Unless those stresses are properly dealt with by protective systems in cells, free radical damage can occur. Some of that damage may be involved in cancer formation, A clearer understanding of the biological function of vitamin E may prove useful in developing anti-cancer agents and in minimizing tissue damage in premature infants treated with oxygen.

Oxygen – Friend or Foe?

The giver of life, oxygen is needed for all livings things on planet Earth. For us humans it’s a paradox – to little oxygen, we die; to much oxygen, we die. Without the proper balance of O2 in our environment we are in a world of hurt.

Even with an environment having properly balanced oxygen our cells can become oxidized or chemically a molecule gives up an electron. This oxidation occurs from free radicals in our environment such as; the air we breathe, foods we eat, social habits we partake in, and the extreme stress of an active productive life.

Even exercising causes oxidation, for example notice how marathon runners always look emaciated. Indeed, wouldn’t you think marathon runners would be extremely healthy?

Antioxidants = Anti Oxidative Stress

Free radicals are the precursors to oxidative stress. Contrary to the medical/pharmaceutical cartel the only effective means of limiting or preventing free radical damage is from the daily use of antioxidants.

Antioxidants hunt down and snuff out free radicals. Saving you the science babble an antioxidant scavenges the unpaired molecule from the free radical, rendering it harmless. But in doing so the antioxidant becomes unstable and possibly oxidized requiring more antioxidants. Other antioxidants help regenerate these – a principal reason why you should always supplement with a broad spectrum mega-antioxidant, rather than just one.