What is an antioxidant?
Antioxidants are inhibitors of the process of oxidation. Oxidation is one of the many processes that occur in our body that is responsible for devising ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species), commonly known as free radicals. The free radicals kick start a chain of horrendous reactions that damage the cells of the organisms, turning them into free radicals too that make up for a never-ending cycle of the generation of free radicals and the vandalism brought upon by them.
In order to balance the state of oxidative stress, our body has an innate overlapping antioxidant system (glutathione, catalase, superoxide dismutase) that reduces the extent of cell injury. Excessive accumulation of ROS can cause serious physiological cell dysfunction and cell mutilation. If left unattended, extreme oxidative stress can lead to cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, chronic inflammatory conditions, infertility in males, asthma, and chronic fatigue syndrome.
What are the herbal benefits of antioxidants?
Antioxidants, also known as free radical scavengers, can help prevent a lot of maladies, such as:
- Loss of vision
- Heart diseases
- Cataracts
- Memory loss
- Skin damage
- Chronic and inflammatory conditions (like arthritis and asthma)
- Diabetes