Powerful Antioxidants

To understand the way that free radicals and antioxidants interact, you must first understand a bit about cells and molecules. This is a quick course in Physiology/Chemistry lesson: The human body is composed of many different types of cells.

Cells are composed of many different types of molecules. Molecules consist of one or more atoms of one or more elements joined by chemical bonds.

An atom is made up of a nucleus, proton, electrons. and neutrons. The amount of protons (particles that are positively charged) in the nucleus is what determines how many electrons (particles with a negative charge) will surround the atom.

Electrons are responsible for the chemical reactions that take place inside the atom as well as the substance that holds the atom together to form molecules. Electrons orbit the atom in one or more shells.

The innermost shell is full when it has two electrons. When the first shell is full, electrons begin to fill the second shell. When the second shell has eight electrons, it is full.

The single most important feature in determining the chemical behavior of an atom is how many electrons are contained in the outer shell.

A compound that has a full outer shell usually does not enter in chemical reactions. Atoms look to reach a point of maximum stability by one of the following:

Eradicate or pick up electrons to fill or empty the shell

Share electrons with other atoms to complete the outer shell

Atoms regularly complete their outer shells by sharing electrons with other atoms. Sharing electrons allows the atoms that are bound together to satisfy the conditions of maximum stability for the molecule.

Usually when a split occurs, it never leaves the molecule with an odd, unpaired set of electrons. However, when bond does split, free radicals are created–they tend to move and react quickly to other compounds as they begin to attempt to capture as many electrons as they can to achieve maximum stability.

The most common way free radicals attack is by finding the closest molecule that is stable and from there they begin the process of stealing electrons. When the molecule that is attacked starts losing the electrons, it becomes a free radical as well. When this process begins, it creates a chain reaction in which the end result is a disruption of a living cell.

Some free radicals usually occur during metabolism;at times the body’s immune systems cells will even purposefully create them to neutralize viruses and bacteria. However, environmental factors such as pollution, radiation, cigarette smoke and herbicides can also spawn free radicals.

The body usually can defend free radicals, however when antioxidants are unavailable or the production of free radicals becomes too much, damage can occur. The most important thing to remember here is that free radical damage hastens the aging process.

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