There are two main sources of free radicals – one source is the outside environment – think of pollution and cigarrette smoke and the other source is our own bodies. We produce free radicals through four different mechanisms.

Free Radicals from Normal Metabolism and Our Immune System

- I’ll keep the long scientific words out of this explanation because they’re just too hard to spell. But suffice to say that our body, in the process of creating energy uses oxygen as fuel and converts it to water, but in the process the oxygen molecule is not completely and cleanly utilized. There are by products- our own version of nuclear waste- So that’s one – huge source of free radicals.

Our own white blood cells use oxidants to combat viruses and parasites and bacteria and chronic infections will expose our tissues to free radicals.

Some processes that break down fatty acids and other molecules can result in hydroden peroxide escaping from the antioxidants that should have broken it down, and damaging other cells.

Antioxidants like Glutathione Fight Free Radicals

These processes are always going on in our body and happening in millions of cells. It’s no small wonder that antioxidant supplements have become so popular and no small miracle that our body also produces glutathione to help us deal with them. Too bad there is no easy way to take a glutathione supplement, but luckily MAX GXL the glutathione precursor will help us increase our own glutathione production.

The final process through which our body produces free radicals – that age us – is the same process that’s also one of our primary defenses against drugs, pesticides and other toxic foreign chemicals. There is an enxyme called cytochrome P450 which our body uses for this job, but in calling up a supply of this enzyme, the body also produces oxidants – more free radicals. You can see what a double whammy drugs, pesticides and external toxic substances are- not only do they damage us in and of themselves, it ages us to fight them.