Oxidative stress and why your supplements may not be helping you fight it off
You may have heard about oxidative stress on social media. A TikTok search offers dozens of videos that claim to break down the complex chemical process and, in some instances, offer up “treatments” to combat damage caused by oxidative stress.
But oxidative stress can’t be easily understood from sound bites.
Dr. Gerardo Mackenzie is an associate professor in the Department of Nutrition at the University of California at Davis. His research focuses on the role of diet and other lifestyle factors in cancer development, prevention and treatment. He helps us break down what is evidence-based and what is not.
What are free radicals and antioxidants?
First, to understand oxidative stress, we must understand free radicals and antioxidants.
Our cells are made of atoms. Atoms are surrounded by electrons. A stable atom has the “right” number of electrons. If there are too few electrons, that atom goes looking for more and may bond with another cell, creating free radicals. These free radicals will take electrons from anywhere, even your own healthy cells, which can lead to damage. Free radicals are often associated with aging skin, cancer, dementia and other diseases.
Antioxidants give up some of their own electrons to satisfy the free radicals, and this puts the molecules back in balance.
It’s important to have enough antioxidants to neutralize free radicals. Too many free radicals and not enough antioxidants create oxidative stress, which damages cells.
Mackenzie defines oxidative stress as, “An imbalance or difference between reactive oxygen species being generated by our cells, through metabolic processes that occur in our cells, and the ability of our antioxidant defenses to interact and quench these reactive products.”
How harmful is oxidative stress?
Mackenzie explains free radicals play a normal, vital role in some cell processes, “They can be beneficial. They play an essential role in multiple important biological processes such as intracellular destruction of bacteria by phagocytes and cell signaling.”
Additionally, Harvard Health writes, “When the immune system musters to fight intruders, for example, the oxygen it uses spins off an army of free radicals that destroy viruses, bacteria and damaged body cells in an oxidative burst. Some normal production of free radicals also occurs during exercise. This appears to be necessary in order to induce some of the beneficial effects of regular physical activity, such as sensitizing your muscle cells to insulin.”
While some low-level oxidative stress may be helpful, Mackenzie speculates that what most people think of when they talk about oxidative stress is likely the chronic, overload of oxidative stress, “This occurs when oxidative stress cannot be properly counteracted or detoxified by antioxidants. That can be a bigger problem.” He adds, “When it’s too much for our antioxidant defense systems, it can damage our cells. Oxidative stress can damage our cell's membranes, it can damage proteins, and it can also damage the DNA. By damaging the DNA, this can potentially lead to mutations, and in the long run, if not repaired, the mutations in some genes can eventually lead to the process of developing a tumor.”
How do you get rid of oxidative stress in your body?
We can get the antidote to oxidative stress through diet, in the form of antioxidants. Mackenzie says that vegetables and fruits are great sources of antioxidants. “The best-known antioxidants are vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, carotenes, lycopene, etc., and they are found in many nuts, fresh fruits and vegetables.” He recommends:
Citric fruits
Squashes
Apples
Tomatoes
Onions
Carrots
When it comes to oxidative stress, do supplements work?
“I am not a big fan of supplements,” Mackenzie explains. “There is data out there showing that supplements are not proven to be protective against many of the diseases. We have to be cautious.”
He stresses that there are some situations where supplements may be helpful or even necessary, “If someone has osteoporosis and needs calcium supplements, and under the guidance of a physician, that’s one thing. But with the food we have, especially here in the United States, we can easily reach the adequate levels we need simply through our foods.”
Read more about vitamins, supplements here:
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More: Many people aren't getting enough vitamin E, but read this before you take a supplement
What is the healthiest vegetable? There isn't one 'best,' but these are great nutrient-dense options.
Another vitamin to be aware of: What is vitamin B12 good for and how often should you take it?
Do collagen supplements work? Experts weigh in on popular anti-aging pills, creams.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Oxidative stress: What it is and why supplements may not help
