Antioxidants

Nicole Chrusciel

Huh?
Although weve all heard the term antioxidants,

many people are not very clear about what antioxidants are, what they are supposed to do, and if-and when and why-it is advisable to take them.

What antioxidants are anti to:

Oxygen, the breath of life; or oxygen, the first toxic

oxidizing air pollutant? (Halliwell 2007)

Free Radicalsoxidizing agentsneedy, greedy thieves
Superoxide Hydroxyl

Reactive Oxygen Speciesboth oxygen-derived free

radicals and associated compounds;

hydrogen peroxide

Attack!
Fats Proteins

Necessary evils

Antioxidants fight back

The good guys: Antioxidants Defense systems! Vitamins,

Minerals, Herbs, Proteins Endogenous and Exogenous sources

vital amine

Hydrophobic

and Hydrophilic. The strategies:

Preventative Chain-breaking

Its a battle.
The bad guys: team free radicals Call for reinforcementsOxidative stress:

an expanding, self-perpetuating, and reinforcing series of metabolic events, which promote the generation of more reactive oxygen species and impair potential protective mechanisms. CasualtiesOxidative damage: the biomolecular damage caused by attack of reactive species upon the constituents of living organisms. Striving for peaceAntioxidants Any substance that delays, prevents or removes oxidative damage to a targeted molecule

Striving for peace

The main men.

Small molecules: scavengers Protein antioxidants: neutralize or sacrifice Small Molecule; water-soluble
Vitamin C Glutathione

Small Molecule: fat-soluble

Vitamin E Meta-carotene Lipoic acid

Large-molecule antioxidants: enzymes

Superoxide dismutase Catalase Glutathione peroxides

Beta-Carotene
Where?
Dark yellow and dark

Pros/cons
Cancer study safe or minimally

green vegetables: carrots, carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, spinach, broccoli, and kale may prove

hazardous Supplements and smokers Those who have had a heart attack Alcoholics Macular degeneration Yellowing of skin

Vitamin E
Where?
Margarine Vegetable oils Wheat germ Whole-grain breads and

Pros/Cons:
Boosts immune

responses
Coagulation defect;

cereals

vitamin K deficiency Blood platelet counts

Mystery
We live in an age in which millions of people in the

United States and elsewhere take vitamins to supplement their diet under the belief that these will help to maintain good health and ward off illness. An enormous industry has grown up to meet this needNewspapers, magazines, and talk shows are brimming with discussions of antioxidants. These accounts claim that antioxidants are effective in helping to prevent cancer, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses. But the mass media also carry reports on some alleged alarming side effects of antioxidants

So what do you do? Its all about balance