Radiation, polluted environment, unsafe food, industrial chemicals… dozens of toxins from the external environment are attacking us every day and are the cause of increasing disease burden. But the metabolic process right in the cells also creates endogenous toxins, typically free radicals – killers that destroy cells in the body.
What are free radicals?
Free radicals are molecules that have lost an electron, making them “unstable” in terms of chemical structure. These free radicals tend to “steal” electrons from neighboring stable molecules. At this time, while the free radical has become a stable molecule, the molecule that has just lost an electron becomes a free radical, creating a chain reaction that is not beneficial to the body, especially when the molecules that have lost electrons are important structural components of cells such as DNA, proteins, lipids, etc.
Free radicals are generated from many different sources, but mainly from the metabolic process in cells. External factors such as radiation, polluted environment, cigarette smoke, alcohol, toxic chemicals (heavy metals, pesticides, preservatives, etc.) are also the cause of increased free radical production.
The number of free radicals accumulates with age and the damage becomes more and more serious. As age increases, the number of free radicals is constantly produced, attacking many parts of the body. Notably, stress also causes the “army” of free radicals to “take advantage” of the opportunity to increase rapidly, promoting aging and causing diseases to develop early. It is estimated that each cell must endure about 10,000 free radical attacks every day. Therefore, in the life of a person who lives to be 70 years old, about 17 tons of free radicals are created.
How do free radicals destroy our cells?
Free radicals have the ability to attack important cell structures, causing cells to quickly deteriorate.
According to researchers, free radicals destroy cells in the following process: First, free radicals oxidize cell membranes, hindering the excretion of waste and the absorption of food and oxygen; then free radicals attack mitochondria, making cells unable to produce energy. Finally, by oxidation, free radicals attack DNA in the cell nucleus, causing changes in DNA structure, leading to cell mutations – the first step in the cancer process.
Free radicals also cause loss of elasticity of collagen and elastin, causing wrinkled skin and stiff joints. It also causes lipofuscin to accumulate under the skin, causing age spots on the face and back of the hands. According to Dr. Denham Harman, free radicals are one of the many causes of aging and death of organisms.
According to scientists, free radicals can be the culprit causing more than 60 different diseases, most notably: cancer, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, cataracts, diabetes, high blood pressure without cause, cirrhosis.
How to protect the body from free radicals?
Medical experts warn that in modern society, people will be under more pressure, exposed to many harmful agents from the environment, causing free radicals to be produced faster and more, making health increasingly threatened. Therefore, it is necessary to proactively deal with diseases caused by free radicals as soon as possible, by:
● Limiting factors that increase free radicals: Free radicals are not only produced from metabolic processes in cells but also formed under the influence of external factors such as: polluted environment (dust, sunlight, radiation, etc.), cigarette smoke, chemicals, bacterial infections, food, etc. Therefore, it is necessary to minimize the impact of these factors.
● Increasing anti-free radical active ingredients:
There are two ways to supplement anti-free radicals for the body:
Supplement directly through diet: A diet rich in anti-free radicals can help the body increase its defenses and neutralize free radicals effectively. Anti-free radicals are found in many vegetables and fruits such as oranges, lemons, carrots, tomatoes, turmeric, ginger, garlic, etc.
In addition to supplementing external free radical fighting agents, some active ingredients such as BroccoRaphanin in broccoli seeds can activate the body to increase the synthesis of endogenous antioxidants – which have the ability to fight free radicals many times stronger than external supplements. These substances can enter the cells and clean up internal free radicals, helping to protect the cells.
