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*Intro* *Free Radicals and Oxidative Damage *

*Nature's Antioxidants* *Your Antioxidant Status* *What Does This Mean For Me?*

Your Antioxidant Status -----------------------------------------------------------------------Free Radical Antioxidant status is the balance between prooxidants and the antioxidant system. This balance is dynamic and, in the human body, is probably tipped slightly in favor of oxidation, which is essential for the production of energy. A serious imbalance favoring oxidation is defined as oxidative stress. It may result from: * excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and free radicals and/or * weakening of the antioxidant system due to lower intake or endogenous production of antioxidants or from increased utilization. Oxidative stress can cause cell damage and is believed to contribute to aging and the development of chronic disease. Thus, prevention of oxidative stress may be important for good health and prevention of disease (discussed below). Factors affecting antioxidant status. The antioxidant status is affected either from increased dietary supply of antioxidants or from endogenous production. It is also affected by the production of free radicals and ROS, which cause increased utilization of antioxidants. Major factors affecting the antioxidant status are summarized in Table 1. *Table 1*. *Factors that affect our antioxidant status* *Antioxidant effect* *Prooxidant effect* *Genetic factors* *Genetic factors* *Diet * * * * * Antioxidant vitamins (A, C, E) Antioxidant food components and phytochemicals Minerals, components of antioxidant enzymes (Se, Zn, Cu, Mn, Fe) Food antioxidants and supplements

*Diet * * Lipids, especially PUFA * Divalent minerals (Cu, Fe) * Prooxidant nutrients and phytochemicals *Environment *

* Pollutants * Tobacco smoke * UV radiation *Alcoholic drinks (wine and other) containing antioxidants* *Alcohol* *Injury, disease, and medications * * Trauma, injury/ reperfusion * Other diseases * Drugs and medical treatment (radiation therapy, etc.) *Physiological stage or conditions * * Prematurity * Aging * Strenuous exercise *Exercise* *Stress * * Physiological * Emotional Evaluation of antioxidant status. There is very strong interest and large potential benefits in accurate and easy-to-use methods for evaluating the antioxidant status in humans. Antioxidant status can be evaluated by direct measurements of components of the antioxidant system such as glutathione, tocopherol, ascorbate and others. Because free radicals and ROS are extremely reactive and have very short life, they can be measured directly only by electron spin resonance. In practice, the electron spin trap is used to measure radical spin adducts. More commonly, antioxidant status is measured indirectly by measuring oxidative stress. Indirect methods measure adducts, end-products, or other compounds which are indicators of oxidative damage. These include lipid hydroperoxides, oxidized DNA, TBARS, malondialdehyde, conjugated dienes, oxidized LDL, volatile hydrocarbons, eicosanoids, H2O2, and others. Due to strong preference for non-invasive methods for humans, the focus has been on indicator products present in breath (volatile hydrocarbons, H2O2), urine (TBARS, malondialdehyde, eicosanoids) and blood (TBARS, oxidized LDL, H2O2, glutathione, and others). Antioxidant status: What is optimal? Scientists agree that a significant imbalance in the antioxidant status favoring prooxidants is harmful. Would tipping the balance in favor of prooxidants, however, be beneficial? The answer is probably no - for several reasons. We derive our energy from oxidation, which requires at least slightly prooxidant

conditions. In addition, it is not practical or even desirable to eliminate production of reactive oxygen species and free radicals because, at least some, are essential components of our body?s defense mechanism against invading microorganisms. For this reason, the current focus is on preventing or reversing oxidative stress but not in creating an overall environment which completely inhibits oxidation and production of free radicals. At this time we do not have sufficient knowledge to establish normal or preferred ranges of antioxidant status. Before we are able to do so, we need to find accurate and easy-to-use measures of the antioxidant status oxidative stress. In addition, we need to understand better the benefits and risks of changing the antioxidant status. While this is a very daunting and challenging task, there is significant reason for optimism based on the scope and quality of ongoing research.

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