What are Antioxidants, and How Can They Help Your Body?

Article by Tom Rybicki

By now, you've probably heard about antioxidants, and that you should be taking them. But what are antioxidants, how can they help your body, and where does your body get them from? This article helps answer these questions and also provides some tips on how to obtain the antioxidants your body needs.

To begin with, what are antioxidants? Well, antioxidants are nutrients that help stabilize "free-radicals" in your body. They are believed to reduce the physical effects of aging, and possibly prevent disease. The human body produces some antioxidants naturally, while food and supplements provide others.

What are Antioxidants, and How Can They Help Your Body?

Next, how can antioxidants help your body? Antioxidants do exactly what the name implies. They help prevent the oxidation process in the body. Pollution, environmental factors, natural body functions, and a sundry other things create "free-radicals." "Free-radicals" are molecules in the body that are missing an electron and are constantly trying to replace that missing electron. In order to stabilize themselves, the "free-radicals" steal electrons from your body. This causes "oxidative stress," which is damage to the body's cells and tissues. Some scientists believe that the "oxidative stress" can cause disease and early signs of aging.
Antioxidants provide the extra electrons to the "free-radicals" and prevent them from causing damage to the body's cells and tissue. This is why many believe that antioxidants can reduce the physical effects of aging, and prevent disease.

What are Antioxidants, and How Can They Help Your Body?

Finally, what are some sources of antioxidants? The body naturally produces some antioxidants. However, many of the antioxidants the body uses come from the food we eat. "Oxidative stress" occurs when the body does not have enough antioxidants to stabilize the "free-radicals." Therefore, it is important for your body to obtain enough antioxidants to fight the "free-radicals." The best natural sources of antioxidants are fruits and vegetables. Some of the best sources of natural antioxidants include green tea, ginseng, many types of fruits, leafy vegetables, nuts, and various other items. However, if your normal diet does not include enough antioxidants dietary, supplements are a potential alternative. Dietary supplements can provide antioxidants when your body is not getting enough. It is important to be careful when taking antioxidant supplements. Although it seems like the more antioxidants the better, it has been shown that too many antioxidants can be harmful to the body. Therefore, it is advisable not to overdo it, and take multiple supplements with a great deal of antioxidants.

Antioxidants are important to your body, and although the benefits are not fully known, you should try to obtain a reasonable amount through your diet, or supplementation. Monitoring your antioxidant intake can help you prevent the damage sustained from "free-radicals" and potentially reduce the effects of aging, and possibly prevent disease.