NATURAL ANTIOXIDANTS – A REVIEW
S. Shalini
Sree Vidyanikethan College of Pharmacy, Tirupati, Andhra pradesh, India.
Antioxidants are believed to play a very important role in the body defense system against reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are the harmful byproducts generated during normal cell aerobic respiration. Increasing intake of dietary antioxidants may help to maintain an adequate antioxidant status and, therefore, the normal physiological function of a living system, to protect the cells and organ systems of the body against reactive oxygen species. Humans have evolved a highly sophisticated and complex antioxidant protection system. It involves a variety of components, both endogenous and exogenous in origin, that function interactively and synergistically to neutralize free radicals. The benefits of antioxidants have not been studied long enough to draw definitive conclusions about how much longer antioxidants may help a person live. However, when you consider that antioxidants can help you ward off cancer, heart disease and other ailments, and they can make you feel generally healthier, there’s a good case to justify adding them to your diet. It seems quite likely that a significant intake of antioxidants will not only help you live longer, but will also help you live a healthier, fuller life.
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