Free radicals have been implicated in the progression of numerous conditions including cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, ageing and neurological disorders.
The body has three levels of defence against free radical attack:
- Preventative antioxidants to inhibit the formation of free radicals e.g. metal binding proteins like; Ceruloplasmin, Metallothionine, Albumin, Transferrin, Ferritin and Myoglobin.
- Scavenging antioxidants to remove any reactive species once formed. e.g. Superoxide Dismutase, Glutathione Peroxidase, Catalase and small molecules such as Ascorbate, Tocopherol, Bilirubin, Uric Acid, Carotenoids and Flavonoids.
- Repair enzymes to repair damaged biomolecules e.g. DNA repair enzymes.