Antioxidants for human health

Abstract

Antioxidants are chemical or biochemical substances that are capable to prevent or slow damages occurred to cells caused by free radicals. Free radicals are the chemical entities that are produced due to sharing of unpaired electrons and are with free existence but unstable in nature. Organism’s body produces free radicals as a reaction to environmental and other internal and external stressors. If not neutralized, free radicals can damage cellular architecture by oxidizing all bio-molecules. They are neutralized by antioxidants which are chemicals or biological in origin. Therefore, free radicals and antioxidants are simultaneously and widely discussed in the clinical and nutritional literature. Cellular or endogenous antioxidant defenses includes enzymes (superoxide dismutases, H2O2-removing enzymes such as catalase, and peroxidasses), and non-enzymes such as vitamin C (ascorbic acids, vitamin E and reduced glutathione. Diet-derived antioxidants are important in maintaining health. Many dietary compounds have been suggested to be important antioxidants: Therefore recent interest on dietary vitamins E and C, carotenoids and plant pigments, plant phenolics, especially flavonoids are growing to mauanitn human health. Experimental approaches to the optimization of antioxidant nutrient intake are already known and must be adapted for health management.