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.

Up until recently I didn’t know that such a theory existed but now, not only do I know that it exists, I also understand that it seems to be a leading contender to explain the aging process.
The Free Radical Theory of Aging was first proposed by Dr. Denham Harman and I’ve paraphrased what he is proposingas follows:
Free radicals can be produced within the body as part of the normal metabolic process and outside of the body from toxic sources like cigarette smoking. The changes that these free radicals induce in our bodies are a main cause of aging, disease development and inevitably -death. When the bodies defense mechanism against free radicals – namely antioxidants – are no longer produced or available in sufficient numbers to combat the free radicals, the changes that they create in the cells accumulate, creating mutations in the sequence of genetic material. As these mutations accumulate the systems of the body deteriorate leading to the development of aging and degenerative diseases.
In short – when we are missing out on the antiaging benefits of enough antioxidants in our systems, the free radicals are left to damage cell structure, cluttering up our system with damaged cells, toxins and making it more difficult for our bodies to adapt to environmental stresses.
Now, we’re all going to age, but clearly if I’m going to live to be 105 then I would like to spend as many of those years in the best shape I can be in and to do that, I will need to keep my body well supplied with the best antioxidants.
maybe I’ll choose antioxidant supplements like CoEnzymeQ10 and maybe I’ll provide my body with the nutrients it needs to produce it’s own antioxidants – like Glutathione. But I’m convinced that I’m going to call on the anti aging power of antioxidants for a long time to come.