• The body naturally generates free radicals as a byproduct of energy production.
• Free radicals are molecules with at least one unpaired electron. Paired electrons are stable, while unpaired electrons are always looking for a mate.
• As free radicals move through the body, they steal electrons from other molecules, damaging the cells they touch.
• Free radical damage has been linked to many common health concerns, from wrinkles, to abnormal cell replication, to heart disease.

• They quench unstable free radicals, preventing damage to adjacent cells.
• The body produces antioxidants to combat free radicals. But its natural production cannot address the added free radical stress caused by pollution, tobacco smoke, ultraviolet light, radiation and other factors.
• The good news: antioxidant supplementation can.

Antioxidants are the body’s natural defense against free radicals.
As free radicals move through the body, they react with other molecules and damage the cells they touch, resulting in health concerns that range from premature aging to abnormal cell growth and heart concerns. Antioxidants deactivate free radicals before they can damage adjacent cells. In addition to combating free radicals, antioxidants also indirectly build healthy new tissues.

Because no two antioxidants are exactly alike, make sure you are taking an antioxidant with an array of free radical quenchers. Antioxidants have an affinity for specific parts of the body. While one might work best in the liver, another helps protect the eyes. In addition, some antioxidants are fat-soluble, some are water-soluble and a few are both. Antioxidants also have different capacities for scavenging free radicals.

Antioxidants and ORAC
The potency of antioxidants can be quantified by determining their Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) values. These values not only allow for a guarantee of the quality of an antioxidant, but they also help you choose the antioxidants that are right for you. However, it is important to understand that the ORAC value is just one measure of a product’s value. Products with higher ORAC values may directly prevent oxidative damage as free radical scavengers, while products with lower ORAC values may exert health benefits through other avenues, such as improving blood flow or supporting the body’s detoxification process.