Free Radicals (Oxidants) and Antioxidants?

Free radicals and antioxidants are the terms we often hear, but many people may not know what the free radicals really mean.

In fact, free radicals or often called oxidants are highly reactive molecules in the body and can essentially damage important bioopia in cells, including DNA. This is a major cause of fatal diseases such as heart attack, cancer to premature aging.

Based on research scientist Musa Gomberg and other sciences, the term free radical is defined as a relatively unstable molecule inside a cell, having one or more unpaired electrons in its outer orbit. This molecule is reactive in search of its electron pair, which is usually "stolen" from other body cells. This is what damages the cells of the body, so leads to premature aging.

Free radicals that are therefore reactive can also cause chemical changes and damage the various components of living cells such as proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids. More disturbed, if free radicals are formed in the body there will be a chain reaction and produce new free radicals that eventually run out continues to grow.

Antioxidants are substances that can neutralize or destroy free radicals. Free radicals are a type of oxygen that has a high reactive level and naturally exist in the body due to the results of biochemical reactions in the body. Free radicals also exist in our surroundings from air pollution, tobacco smoke, excessive alcohol evaporation, preservatives and fertilizers, Ultra Violet rays, X-rays, and ozone. Free radicals can damage body cells. This can lead to the development of cancer cells, liver disease, arthritis, cataracts, and other degenerative diseases, and even speed up the aging process.

Cause
The sun's ultraviolet rays between 10am - 3pm, smoke and factories, alcohol, motor vehicle emissions are external factors that spur free radical formation in the body. Every time breathing by inhaling oxygen there must be oxidation that produces oxidation remnants called oxidants. It is this oxidant that also forms free radicals.

In addition, excess nutrient is an internal factor of its formation. In our daily diet there is no excess fat, vitamins, protein, and so on. Because when our body digests food, in addition to generating energy, also produces free radicals as part of the body's metabolic processes.

Oxidative stress is an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants triggered by two common conditions of antioxidants, and overproduction of free radicals. The state of oxidative stress on oxidative damage ranging from cell level, tissue to body organs, the cause of accelerated disease of the aging process and the embrace of disease. Various diseases that have been studied and contracted strongly associated with free radical activity include stroke, asthma, diabetes mellitus, colitis, chronic blockage of blood in the heart, Parkinson's, to AIDS.

The theory of aging and free radicals was first rolled out by Denham Harman of the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, USA in 1956 which states the existence of the body due to aging due to oxidation attacks from harmful substances. Cancer and tumors are much likened to scientists as a disease that starts from a mutation of a gene or cell DNA. Free radicals are evident in this mutation process. Another danger is the low density lipoprotein (LDL) lens-cholesterol becomes a reactive form as a risk factor for heart disease

ak consumption of vegetables and fruits.

This free radical (oxidant) can be overcome by counteracting the entry of this oxidant to the body by wearing sunscreen on the skin, and also with antioxidants. Antioxidants in the body can provide protection to the body from the threat of free radicals and serves to neutralize it. The benefits can slow the aging process and prevent the above diseases.

Foods Containing Oxidant (Free Radicals)
Certain types of foods such as fast food and packaged food or cans are suspected to potentially leave toxins in the body, because these types of foods are abundant in fat and contain preservatives. Whereas for today's habit of eating high fat foods into something that is difficult to avoid because of changes in lifestyle, especially in urban areas.

Food, nutrition, and health experts say fatty foods can be a source of free radicals in the body. That is, any molecule or atom that is highly unstable because it has one or more unpaired electrons.According to Prof. Dr. Dr. Harijono KS, SpKK, lecturer of the Faculty of Medicine UNS, this free radical is dangerous because it is very reactive looking for electron pairs. If free radicals are formed in the body then there will be a chain reaction and generate new free radicals that eventually the number continues to grow. Next will attack the cells of our body so that there is tissue damage that will accelerate the aging process.

Foods Containing Antioxidants
There are some foods that are anticosidant sources. Namely foods containing Vitamins A, C, E, melantonin, beta-carotene such as vegetables, beans, corn, soybeans and fruit. Currently available supplements and milk containing antioxidants. Meat contains lots of oxidants, so it's best to counsel
Vitamin E and C are known as potent and widely consumed antioxidants. A recent study based on the results of epidemiological studies showed a daily intake of vitamin E over 400 IU would increase the risk of death and should be avoided. While the dose of vitamin E intake for normal adults is quite 8-10 IU per day.
All this time on the market supplements of vitamin E and C are generally sold in relatively high doses. Some products contain vitamin C 1,000 mg per tablet. In fact, the nutritional adequacy of vitamin C per day for adults who live quietly, not stressed or other unhealthy conditions, is about 60-75 mg per day. For those living in big cities full of pollution such as Jakarta, a dose of 500 mg is acceptable.

In addition there are several compounds in plants that are also useful, one of which is a compound felonik contained in vegetables, fruits, spices, and so forth. Various research results proved the curcumin phenolic compounds of turmeric and catechin polyphenols from tea are protective against gastric and intestinal cancers. Or other examples are isoflavones that are found in soy, ginseng, fruit and vegetables, can reduce the risk of breast cancer.

Other useful compounds are carotenoid compounds that are commonly found in tomatoes. The inhabitants of Mediterranean countries, such as Italy, Greece, Spain, Egypt, Cyprus and Morocco have tradition of consuming tomatoes. Epidemiological studies in several regions of Italy and Greece show a low incidence of cardiovascular disease and some cancers such as colon, breast, and prostate.