Oxidative Stress: Difference between revisions

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'''[[Antioxidants]]''' are compounds that can prevent or slow down the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that can produce free radicals, leading to chain reactions that may damage cells. Antioxidants terminate these chain reactions by removing free radical intermediates and inhibiting other oxidation reactions. They do this by being oxidized themselves, making them crucial in the body's defense against oxidative stress.
'''[[Antioxidants]]''' are compounds that can prevent or slow down the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that can produce free radicals, leading to chain reactions that may damage cells. Antioxidants terminate these chain reactions by removing free radical intermediates and inhibiting other oxidation reactions. They do this by being oxidized themselves, making them crucial in the body's defense against oxidative stress.
== Antioxidative Stress ==
== Antioxidative Stress ==
The fundamental opposite is [[Oxidative stress|oxidative stress]]
'''Antioxidative stress''' is an overabundance of [[Bioavailability|bioavailable]] [[Antioxidant|antioxidant]] compounds that interfere with the [[Immune system|immune system]]'s ability to neutralize pathogenic threats. The fundamental opposite is [[Oxidative stress|oxidative stress]], which can lead to such disease states as coronary heart disease or cancer.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Valko|date=2006-03-10|issn=0009-2797|doi=10.1016/j.cbi.2005.12.009|pages=1–40|issue=1|volume=160|journal=Chemico-Biological Interactions|title=Free radicals, metals and antioxidants in oxidative stress-induced cancer|first5=M.|first1=M.|last5=Mazur|first4=M.|last4=Izakovic|first3=J.|last3=Moncol|first2=C. J.|last2=Rhodes|pmid=16430879}}</ref>
Antioxidant compounds reduce [[Reactive oxygen species|reactive oxygen species]] (ROS), which reduces emitted [[Free radical|free-radicals]]. When ROS function is impaired, there is more susceptibility to [[Atopy|atopic]] disorders or diseases due to impairment of the attack-kill-present-respond behavior of the [[T helper cell|Th-1 immune response chain]]. Over-consumption of antioxidants could thus lead to antioxidative stress, where antioxidants might weaken or block the adaptive stress responses and cause dangerous health conditions and cause harm.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|title=The Neglected Significance of "Antioxidative Stress"|journal=Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity|volume=2012|pages=480895|date=Feb 17, 2012|doi=10.1155/2012/480895|pmid=22655114|pmc=3357598|last1=Poljsak|first1=B.|last2=Milisav|first2=I.|doi-access=free}}</ref>
== Health effects ==
The concept of antioxidative stress may best be described by excessive or detrimental nutritional consumption of a diet rich in antioxidants,<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last1=Katharina Schroecksnadel|title=Antioxidants Suppress Th1-Type Immune Response In Vitro|pmid=19356038|doi=10.2174/187231207781369816|pages=166–171|issue=3|volume=1|journal=Drug Metabolism Letters|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/24266258|date=2007-09-01|first1=Bentham Science Publisher|first5=Bentham Science Publisher Dietmar|last5=Fuchs|first4=Bentham Science Publisher Guenter|last4=Weiss|first3=Bentham Science Publisher Harald|last3=Schennach|first2=Bentham Science Publisher Birgit|last2=Fischer|issn=1874-0758}}</ref> unbalancing the immune systems' pathogenic response processes. Serious health conditions can result if these processes are chronically unbalanced, ranging from acute to chronic. Immunological stress by over-supplementation of antioxidants facilitates adverse health effects specifically including allergies, asthma, and physiological alterations (especially of the skin).
Many foods contain [[List of antioxidants in food|antioxidant content]], while numerous dietary supplements are exceptionally rich in antioxidants.<ref name="Carlsen 3">{{Cite journal|last1=Carlsen|first8=Haruki|pmid=20096093|pmc=2841576|issn=1475-2891|doi=10.1186/1475-2891-9-3|pages=3|volume=9|journal=Nutrition Journal|title=The total antioxidant content of more than 3100 foods, beverages, spices, herbs and supplements used worldwide|date=2010-01-22|first9=Yuko|last9=Umezono|last8=Senoo|first1=Monica H|first7=Carol|last7=Willey|first6=Laura|last6=Sampson|first5=Steinar|last5=Dragland|first4=Siv K|last4=Bøhn|first3=Kari|last3=Holte|first2=Bente L|last2=Halvorsen|doi-access=free}}</ref> Products marketed with health benefits routinely tout antioxidant content as a beneficial product aspect without consideration of overall dietary oxidative balances.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://healthland.time.com/2013/08/06/the-truth-about-antioxidants/|title=The Truth About Antioxidants|last=Sifferlin|first=Alexandra|date=Aug 6, 2013|publisher=Time Inc.|newspaper=Time}}</ref> This is generally due to the biological effects of antioxidants being misunderstood in popular culture, focusing only on their beneficial qualities to reduce ROS to prevent excessive free-radicals which may otherwise lead to well-known disease conditions.


== Conclusion ==
== Conclusion ==