What are the free radicals?

• May 17, 2024

Surely more than once you've heard about free radicals, but you may not really know what they are and how they can affect our health. Well, in order to explain this, we will have to resort to some basic concepts about atoms and molecules.

Each of our body cells is made up of molecules and these are atoms. Each atom is composed of subatomic particles called neutrons, protons and electrons, the latter responsible for forming the bonds between the other atoms to finally form more complex molecules.

Normally the electrons of an atom are found in pairs, however there are a series of substances called "free radicals", which have "unpaired" electrons.

The electrons, when they are not forming pairs, need to react with another molecule in order to "steal" an electron and finally stabilize, thus forming a new pair of electrons.

If a molecule is "stolen" an electron, it becomes a free radical, which will try to react with another molecule, causing a chain reaction that ends up damaging the cells.

The body naturally produces a small amount of free radicals. These are necessary for a series of metabolic reactions; they are well controlled and can be neutralized by the same antioxidant mechanisms of the organism or by those obtained from the diet.

Antioxidants

Antioxidants, on the other hand, are molecules capable of avoiding oxidation or the "theft" of an electron, which prevents damage to them.

It is important to mention that antioxidants are present in foods such as fruits and vegetables. There are many types, from carotenoids, contained in carrots; even flavonoids, present in grapes and wine; also some vitamins such as C, E and minerals such as selenium and zinc.

However, when exposed to pollution, cigarette smoke, a diet high in fat and solar radiation, the formation of free radicals can be greater and neutralization by the body's own mechanism or by consumption of antioxidants is is affected

Some diseases have been associated with this increase in free radicals in the body. In some cases the organism becomes unable to put front on them.

Cancer is one of the diseases that has been most closely associated with this situation, but also diseases such as atherosclerosis, asthma, diabetes and senile dementia, are related to the oxidative stress .

Finally, the production of free radicals and their correct neutralization by our body depends very much on the quality of our diet, so the consumption of fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants is important to prevent the development of some degenerative diseases such as mentioned before.

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Video Medicine: What are Antioxidants and Free Radicals Anyway?! (May 2024).