Where free radicals come from?
When oxygen is metabolised (called oxidation), it creates free radicals. Free radicals are naturally produced. Oxidation happens everyday in our normal metabolic processes and our exposure to environment like tobacco, smoke and radiation. Breathing, eating, going out in the sun all contribute to the process of oxidation. Oxidation can be accelerated by stress, cigarette smoking, sunlight, pollution things that people put into their bodies such as alcohol, unhealthy foods and other factors. Free radicals are very unstable molecules that can freely react with and destroy healthy cells, leading to cell dysfunction. Free radicals are believed to play a role in cancer, heart, eye, neurological and other diseases because they can bind to and alter the structure of DNA (genetic material) thus leading to mutations and eventually to cancer. The effects of free radicals Some of the degenerative conditions caused by free radicals include: speeding up of the ageing process various forms of cancers
