Vitamin C And Antioxidant Sources Pre-empt Free Radical Damage

Every person produces free radicals simply by living. They are a byproduct of the burning process going on in the body every day. As the body burns the food, contaminants form and vitamin C and antioxidant vitamins E and beta-carotene help scrub the smoke for free radicals before they can pollute the body.

Free radicals are an atom or group of atoms with an unbalanced number of neurons. To fill the gap, they will attach themselves to cells or to the cell membranes causing damage to the cell. This is a daily occurrence and your body needs the vitamin C and antioxidant help to prevent this from happening. Vitamin C works in the fluids surrounding the cells while Vitamin E, which is soluble in fat, works inside the cells.

In order to reduce the damage caused by free radicals, there must a sufficient supply of vitamin C and antioxidant resources. Other than vitamins C and E, additional sources of antioxidants will be needed. Vitamin C and antioxidant benefits can be found in natural sources such as grape seed extract and melatonin, which are water soluble antioxidants, helping to fight the effects of the free radicals.

Antioxidants Meant To Prevent Not Cure

As Dr. Linus Pauling, one of the first champions of vitamin C and antioxidant use pointed out, antioxidants are only good for the prevention of cancer. Those who disagreed with him often highlight that both he and his wife died of cancer despite his use of vitamin C and antioxidant fruits, but do not bother to bring up the fact they were both in their 90s and had survived with cancer for over 40 years.

Various supplements on the market often claim to contain cancer-fighting agents and it is possible that in the right combination of vitamin C and antioxidant chemicals in their natural form, may serve some purpose. However, most research suggests that vitamin C and antioxidant benefits are received through a perfect balance of these products, attained by eating fresh fruits and vegetables known for their beneficial content.

Having the various vitamins and minerals in fruit and vegetables working in harmony is known to offer protection against cancer, whereas additional, single antioxidant chemicals may cause additional harm. Certain products containing vitamin C and antioxidant vitamin E and beta-carotene may prove more useful, once the appropriate studies and research is completed.