Fighting Free Radicals: Antioxidant Vitamins And Minerals

There are many important processes that the healthy human body performs on its own. For example, the digestive system, when the individual eats properly, helps to digest the food which provides nutrition to all parts of the body and expels the waste through the intestinal tract.

Another important bodily function is the antioxidant process. Therefore, to ensure that the body is fairly clear of free radicals, it is important to know about the antioxidant process and the role of antioxidant vitamins and minerals in this antioxidant process.

What Is the Antioxidant Process?

The body creates energy by burning nutrients and oxygen together. This process is known as the oxidation process. It is important to know that this is a normal bodily function and is critical for the body to maintain the health of every cell and provide the energy that is needed for the body to function.

However, as it is with the burning of any fuel, there are waste products that are created. For example, if wood is burned for heat or utilized for cooking, the waste that is produced is the ashes that remain from the burning of wood. The same is true when it comes to the oxidation process within the body. There are waste products that are created. These waste products are known as free radicals.

When these free radicals are released into the bloodstream of the body they then attack other molecules within the body in an attempt to take their electrons. In turn, these damaged molecules then create other problems within the human body. Specifically, some of those problems could include brain, liver and heart disease.

Normally, the healthy individual is able to neutralize all or the majority of the free radicals that are created through this oxidation process. However, there are factors that can deter the neutralizing of these free radicals. Some of those factors can include the aging of the body or the introduction of free radicals from outside sources. Some of those free radicals are introduced from outside sources and can include pollutants found in the air, the drinking of too much alcohol, cigarette smoking, etc.

The Role Of Antioxidant Vitamins And Minerals

Therefore, the individual may wish to look into the possibility of utilizing antioxidant vitamin and mineral supplements. Specifically, the common antioxidant vitamins and minerals found in supplements are antioxidant vitamins A, E and C. along with minerals selenium and zinc.

Subsequently, by taking antioxidant vitamins and minerals, there is the introduction of additional antioxidant resources that help to fight the free radicals that circulate within the body. Generally, the introduction of other antioxidants through the ingestion of antioxidant vitamins and minerals can help to enhance the normal process and introduce antioxidants within the body to help stem the influx of additional free radicals.

In addition, the importance of taking vitamin C is underscored in that this particular vitamin cannot be created by the human body and must be taken from outside sources. In addition, its action is to protect the molecules in the body. These molecules could be carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, etc. In addition, Vitamin C helps to stimulate the renewal of other antioxidants within the body.