What are they?
Antioxidants are molecules that have the ability to prevent oxidation of other molecules. In the chemical oxidation reaction occurs electron transfer and these reactions can produce free radicals, which in excess impair cellular metabolism.
What are antioxidants for?
Its function is to protect the cell and its structures against the action of free radicals that attack for example the cell membrane and genetic components causing damage.
How does antioxidants work?
Some diseases can be triggered by overproduction of reactive oxygen species, such as cancer, cataracts, heart problems, among others. These reactive oxygen and nitrogen species attack proteins, polyunsaturated fatty acids and DNA. Thus, antioxidants act by controlling and/or eliminating such degradation processes.
When do you need to supplement?
Some nutrients have high antioxidant capacity such as vitamin C (ascorbic acid), vitamin E (tocoferol), copper, manganese and also zinc. In addition to these, studies show the antioxidant effects of alpha lipoic acid (ALA) supplementation, coenzyme Q10, some phenolic compounds, carotenoids, glutathione and astaxanthin that can be used in various metabolic disorders and inflammation situations.
Reference
Article
Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory modulation:
Galle, F. A., Martella, D., & Bresciani, G. (2018). Modulación antioxidante y antiinflamatoria del ejercicio físico durante el envejecimiento [Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory modulation of exercise during aging]. Revista espanola de geriatrics y gerontologia
, 53
(5), 279–284. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.regg.2018.03.003
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