Preventing Oxidative Stress

Yes You Can!

I believe I have found the missing message with regard to free radicals and aging and damage to our bodies through oxidative stress.

Every action has a reaction – we know this. When our body experiences something either involuntary and internal or voluntary and applied – a reaction occurs. The residue is the release of chemicals or molecules that are referred to as free radicals.

Some events produce a lot more of these chemicals than others – things such as smoking, exposure to radiation or disease, and even extreme exercise – like 100 mile races.

I began learning about free radical damage when I took some graduate courses in Gerontology in 2000. I knew that the chemicals could be eaten up by little pac man like molecules called antioxidants and that oxidative stress was a result of the free radicals. Oxidative stress led to damage and aging.

Recently I learned that antioxidants can be endogenous and exogenous – what the body produces and what we introduce to the body with our diet. I also learned that cigarette smokers not only have more free radical damage than nonsmokers, but have LESS endogenous antioxidant activity.

Today I learned even more from an article in the ACSM’s Health and Fitness Journal (14;3) lead author Scott Powers, PhD and M.Ed (brainiac).

According to the article, which I have no reason to doubt, the antioxidants don’t eat up free radicals but neutralize them. It is also true that oxidative stress is NOT a given, but occurs when the balance tips in the favor of the radicals. So our body can usually prevent any damage from occurring, especially if we are eating a diet that is high in foods with antioxidant properties, like our fruits and vegetables. Dr. Powers also pointed out that the body responds well to exercise in that it becomes even more adept at neutralizing radicals – becomes conditioned if you will.

The article ends with the conclusion that people who are able to eat a plant based diet will have ample supply of antioxidants as long as they are not in a disease state that is inhibiting the bodies own antioxidant production and action. There was some discussion on how the type of activity (intense vs. moderate vs. easy, the duration of activity, and the environment such as heat or altitude) can cause more or less damage.

In the end there is not sufficient evidence to suggest that supplemental antioxidants – pills and such, have any affect on the body and that they may indeed be counterproductive by preventing the body from using its own adaptive techniques.

What Kind of Stress?

Any action that occurs in our bodies on a cellular level will leave a residue, if you will, or a trace of activity which is referred to as oxidative stress. We have oxidative stress just from being alive, but it is also exacerbated and accelerated by exposure to toxins and by inflammation from illness and even from exercise. Left unchecked it can cause free radical buildup and DNA damage and disease.

What you may not know is that the body has a mechanism for clearing up this damage and for the most part, oxidative stress is normal and not a cause for alarm. The body has its own little "pac men" (are you old enough to know what video game I am referring to?) and they are antioxidants.

We hear about antioxidants all the time, but they don't start in our diet they start in our body. In other words, we have endogenous antioxidants that clean up this residue. I understand that there are five main ones, but the one that I am most familiar with is called superoxide dismutase which is abbreviated sod.

Two things can happen that lead to disease processes from free radical damage. The diseases include cancer and cardiovascular disease. Either the stresses are too much for the endogenous antioxidants to clear up or the body is exposed to other elements that actually reduce the amount of natural antioxidants in the body (the chemicals in tobacco smoke can do that).

Either way, it is important for us to also take advantage of outside or exogenous sources of antioxidants which can be found in our fruits, vegetables and grains - and a plant based diet. The science that supports the positive effect of introducing antioxidants and phytochemicals is in large part related to foods, not supplements. At least one study found supplements to be harmful in smokers, even though they are antioxidant deficient.

A diet that is high in fruits and vegetables and all the vitamins they provide can protect the heart and brain from the effects of cellular damage. This damage would include problems with blood flow. It is our blood that provides nutrient rich oxygen to all our tissues, cells and organs - so your fruits and veggies along with Omega 3 fatty acids can protect against heart attack, stroke and apparently dementia related illnesses.