Antioxidants Benefits with Cancer Prevention Evidence

Antioxidants are substances that may protect cells from the damage caused by free radicals (unstable molecules). Some examples of antioxidants are:

Antioxidants stabilize free radicals and may prevent some of the damage they would otherwise cause, like cancer and heart disease.

Antioxidants neutralize free radicals, natural byproducts of normal cell processes. Free radicals are molecules with incomplete electron shells.

In humans, the most common free radical is oxygen. When an oxygen molecule (O2) becomes electrically charged (radicalized) it goes around trying to steal electrons from other molecules. This taking causes damage to that molecules DNA and over time, such damage may become irreversible and lead to disease.

Antioxidants “mop up” free radicals by neutralizing their electrical charge, this stops them from taking electrons from other molecules.

Exposure to various environmental factors can also lead to free radical formation.

Considerable laboratory evidence indicates that antioxidants may slow or possibly prevent the development of cancer. However, clinical trials are less clear.

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