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Antioxidants and Free Radicals: Hope or Hype? | The Doctor Weighs In
By: Fayne Frey, MD
The results of studies examining the impact of antioxidants and free radicals on health are mixed showing benefits and harm for both.
Antioxidants protect your skin. They make you young. Blueberries have lots of antioxidants. Vitamin C is an antioxidant. Vitamin E is an antioxidant. Vitamin A is an antioxidant. As are beta-carotene, lycopene, selenium, and superoxide dismutase (SOD), a naturally occurring enzyme found in nearly all living cells. There are thousands of different molecules that can act as an antioxidant. Antioxidants are GOOD!
If only it was that simple.
And if “anti” oxidants are good, should we conclude that plain oxidants must be bad?
What is an antioxidant?
Antioxidants are a group of compounds that share a chemical property.
Chemistry 101: A chemical property is a behavior of a substance that is observed when that substance undergoes a chemical change or reaction. For example, “flammables” are any substances that can ignite or burn. Flammables include paper, wood, gasoline, nail polish, hand sanitizer, and rubbing alcohol.
