Free radicals

Free radicals are highly reactive molecules that can oxidize and damage essential bio-molecules such as lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. In the human body they have been implicated in the development of many disorders such as cardiovascular and malignant disease, aging, autoimmune disease, rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, cataracts, and Parkinson’s disease. Free radicals may be from of exogenous origin (smoking, pollution, , x-rays, sunlight: ozone layer hole facilitates exposition to ultraviolet energy, fats etc..), but also are constantly produced as a result of normal biological and metabolic processes: the “oxidative stress”. Furthermore heavy exercise in athletes increases free radicals formation.

 

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