Ever heard that eating fruits or taking supplements is good for you because of “antioxidants”?
You’ve probably seen the word on food labels, supplement bottles and skincare ads. But what does it actually mean? And why are antioxidants so important for your health?
The answer lies in something called oxidative stress—a natural process that affects cellular health.
Oxidative stress occurs as part of your body’s normal functions, like converting food into energy or fighting infections. But here’s the problem: when it isn’t kept in check, it causes oxidative damage to your cells.
This can speed up aging and contribute to serious health problems. In fact, oxidative stress is the culprit behind many chronic diseases, including the leading causes of death among Americans [1].
Luckily, you can fight back against oxidative stress, which may help you look younger, feel healthier and live longer.
Below, you’ll learn what oxidative stress is, what causes it and how it affects your health.
Most importantly, you’ll discover how to protect yourself from oxidative damage to keep you feeling your best.
What is Oxidative Stress?
Oxidative stress is a natural process that occurs when there is an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in the body. Oxidative stress causes cell damage, which contributes to aging, inflammation and chronic diseases. Antioxidants help neutralize free radicals and reduce oxidative stress.
In plain English, oxidative stress is the wear and tear your body suffers over time. It’s caused by free radicals, which result from both internal processes (such as your immune system fighting intruders) and external triggers like pollution and second-hand smoke.
Free radicals are like tiny troublemakers bouncing around your cells and doing damage wherever they can. They can only be stopped by antioxidants, which neutralize them and prevent oxidative damage.
To understand oxidative stress better, think of your body like a car engine. As the engine runs, it produces exhaust. If that exhaust isn’t properly filtered and removed, it can start clogging up the system, causing damage over time.
In your body, free radicals are like the exhaust—natural byproducts of metabolism and daily functions. Antioxidants act like the cleanup crew, neutralizing free radicals and preventing them from causing harm.
But loading up on antioxidants is easier said than done. The typical American diet is sorely lacking in antioxidants, which may be why oxidative stress-related conditions like heart disease and neurodegenerative diseases are spiking [2,3].
What Causes Oxidative Stress?
Oxidative stress is caused by many internal and external factors. Some of these are unavoidable, such as metabolizing food. Others are under your control, such as smoking. Limiting the triggers of oxidative stress in your life may improve your overall well-being.
Here are some of the primary causes of oxidative stress:
Internal processes (natural bodily functions)
- Normal metabolism: The body naturally produces free radicals when converting food into energy.
- Immune response: Fighting infections generates oxidative stress as the body attacks pathogens.
- Aging: The body’s ability to produce antioxidants declines with age, which can cause an imbalance and accelerate signs of aging.
- Inflammation: Chronic inflammation triggers continuous free radical production, damaging tissues over time.
External processes (lifestyle factors)
- Pollution and environmental toxins: Exposure to air pollution, pesticides and chemicals in food and household products increases free radical production.
- Smoking: Cigarette smoke contains thousands of harmful chemicals that flood the body with free radicals.
- Excessive alcohol consumption: Alcohol stresses the liver, increases inflammation and raises free radical levels.
- Unhealthy diet: Processed foods, refined sugars and trans fats contribute to oxidative damage.
- Stress: Chronic emotional stress leads to hormone imbalances that promote inflammation and free radical production.
- Intense physical exercise: Overtraining increases oxygen consumption, leading to excess free radicals.
How to Combat Oxidative Stress
Oxidative stress isn’t something you can avoid completely, but you can keep it under control by getting plenty of antioxidants. When your antioxidant levels are high, your body is better equipped to fight back against free radicals and maintain good cellular health.
One of the best ways is to get more antioxidants in your diet. Fruits and vegetables are the richest sources, so bring on the salads and smoothies! Berries, leafy greens, citrus fruits and colorful vegetables are particularly rich in powerful antioxidant compounds.
Remember, one salad every few days won’t cut it. You need to consume multiple servings of fruits and veggies per day to keep your antioxidant levels topped up—and that’s not always easy.
That’s where supplements can help. Vitamins A, C and E are essential antioxidant vitamins, and you can get them all in a daily multivitamin.
Another powerful antioxidant is Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), which plays a role in energy production and is critical for heart health. CoQ10 declines as you age, so it’s an important supplement for seniors.
One of the most studied antioxidants, curcumin, has strong anti-inflammatory properties, making it ideal for those suffering from inflammatory-related conditions like arthritis.
You should also take steps to limit the triggers of oxidative stress in your life. This can help reduce the number of free radicals wreaking havoc in your body. Managing stress levels through activities like meditation can help lower free radical production.
Regular exercise is also beneficial—but it’s important not to push yourself too hard, as excessive exercise can increase oxidative stress. Getting enough sleep is another key factor. Sleep allows the body to repair itself and fight oxidative damage. Of course, it’s also important to limit harmful activities like smoking, excessive drinking and eating junk food.
De-stress Your Cells and Fight Aging with Antioxidants
Feeling stressed? Your cells might be, and that can take a major toll on your health over time. Oxidative stress may be a fact of life, but by making the right choices, you can minimize its impact.
A healthy diet and good lifestyle habits can help balance free radicals and antioxidants, keeping your body strong and resilient. Supplements can provide extra support, ensuring your body gets what it needs to neutralize free radicals even if you don’t eat salads and get exercise every day.
Manna Liposomal Supplements are designed to maximize absorption and deliver powerful antioxidants directly where your body needs them most.
Manna’s unique liposomal formula promotes maximum bioavailability, helping your body absorb up to 10 times more nutrition.
Adding a multivitamin, CoQ10, or curcumin supplement to your daily routine can help combat oxidative stress, promote better cellular health and keep you feeling youthful for years to come.
FAQ
Oxidative stress occurs when there’s an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in the body, leading to cellular damage that contributes to aging and disease.
Common causes include pollution, smoking, poor diet, excessive alcohol consumption, chronic stress, intense exercise, and normal metabolic processes.
Oxidative stress has been linked to aging, inflammation, and chronic diseases like heart disease, neurodegenerative disorders, and cancer.
You can minimize oxidative stress by eating a diet rich in antioxidants, exercising moderately, managing stress, avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol, and getting enough sleep.
Fruits (like berries, oranges, and grapes), vegetables (like spinach, kale, and broccoli), nuts, green tea, and dark chocolate are all excellent sources of antioxidants.
Sources:
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5551541/
- https://www.nbcnews.com/health/heart-health/adults-us-heart-diabetes-syndrome-risk-research-rcna151215
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8272181/
