Role of Antioxidants
By: Micheal BergerTotal Views: 183, Word Count: 668,
Free radicals are a natural by-product which if unchecked may cause harmful oxidation. These free radicals can also be produced during smoking or radiation exposure. Role of antioxidants is very important for proper functioning of body cells.
If you take a diet rich in antioxidants or just antioxidant supplements, you will have a very small risk of harmful effect of free radicals.
Antioxidants are of two types depending on their role, nutrients and enzymes. Nutrients are the best known in the market which include vitamins along with minerals. Enzymes are basically proteins that help in maintaining the body’s chemical balance.
General Role of Antioxidants
- Antioxidants bind with free radicals and neutralize their harmful effects keeping the body disease free.
- Antioxidants have hold on the conditions like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases.
- They help to delay the onset of wrinkles and other type of skin aging
- They prevent body from the effects of sun damage
- Antioxidants lighten the inflammation and fever
- They defend cells from injury and repair them
- Antioxidants also help to boost immunity, and avoid cancer and other related infections.
- Antioxidants prevent degenerative situation like macular degeneration, heart diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, glaucoma, autoimmune diseases and diabetes.
Role of Antioxidant in Vitamins
Vitamins A, E and C are known to be powerful antioxidants which help to minimize cell damage.
1. Beta carotene which is a form of vitamin A helps to make the immunity strong by stabilizing the free radicals.
2. Vitamin E blocks the carcinogens forming in the stomach due to some kinds of food. It also repairs DNA, preventing breast cancer, diabetes along with aging. It controls cholesterol level and prevents heart diseases along with improvement in eyesight.
Specific Role of Other Antioxidants
Other antioxidants apart from their general functions play specific roles. They are listed as below:
- Lycopene is a type of antioxidant which is advantageous for the prostate gland.
- Lutein helps to have a healthy vision, avoids macular degeneration and raises the quantity of macular pigment in the eye. It also helps to avoid cardiac problems.
- Zeaxanthin is another antioxidant which takes part in maintaining good eyesight.
- Flavonoids are a group of antioxidants that help to retain cellular health. They also develop the good functioning of the heart, urinary tract and brain. Green tea is the main source of flavonoids that increase blood circulation and guard the heart.
- Catechins antioxidant present in tea save artery walls from any type of injury.
- Curcumin present in turmeric is used as antiseptic, and also protects the liver from formation of free radicals.
- Betacyanin present in beet root stimulates the liver as well as the immune systems.
In this way, antioxidants clean up free radicals before they can oxygenate and cause harm to the body. Those who are health conscious make demand for vitamins and foods which contains more amounts of antioxidants. Keep in mind that, like other supplements if you take overdose of antioxidant, it can cause health damage. So try to consult your physician before taking any action regarding antioxidants.
About the Author
Dr Micheal Berger is a General Physician practicing in Seattle for 9 years. He likes to share medical and good health information for the benefit of mankind through his articles.
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