What are Free Radicals and Their Negative Impact on Health? Also Know How to Counteract Them

Kapanlagi.com - Excessive exposure to free radicals is said to be a trigger for health problems. So what are free radicals and their negative impact on health?

The source of free radicals can come from external and internal factors. This means that the exposure to free radicals can come from within our own bodies or from external factors such as the environment.

The negative impact of excessive and continuous exposure to free radicals on health can be felt. These free radicals can accumulate in the body, causing inflammation. That is why certain health problems can occur due to high exposure to free radicals.

Below are explanations of what free radicals are and their negative impact on health. Here are some references about free radicals and their impact on health, as well as ways to counteract them, compiled by kapanlagi.com from various sources.

1. What Are Free Radicals?

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The term free radicals is often associated with the causes and triggers of certain health problems. However, not many people may know what free radicals are. Here is an explanation of the definition of free radicals.

Free radicals themselves are known to be molecules or atoms that are formed imperfectly, with one electron. That is why free radicals try to find other molecules to bind to and pair with. As a result, free radicals become unstable and cause cell damage.

Exposure to free radicals does not have a negative impact on the body if the amount or level is low. However, excessive and continuous exposure to free radicals is what can cause damage to body cells or inflammation. As a result, it can trigger the emergence of health problems due to high exposure to free radicals.

2. Sources of Free Radicals

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Free radicals can be obtained from external and internal factors. External means they can come from outside the body, or known as exogenous. Meanwhile, internal sources come from inside the body, known as endogenous. The sources of free radicals can be found in the following review.

- Sources of free radicals from internal factors (endogenous)

Internal factors mean that sources of free radicals can come from inside the body. Among the sources of free radicals that come from inside the body, as reported by halodoc.com, include autooxidation, enzymatic oxidation, and respiratory burst. These free radicals are formed due to the presence of imperfect or damaged cells that can accumulate in the body. As a result, they can trigger certain health problems.

- Sources of free radicals from external factors (exogenous)

On the other hand, from external factors, sources of free radicals can come from the environment or contaminated food. Among these external sources of free radicals are air pollution, UV radiation, chemical pesticides, cigarette smoke, or alcohol.

3. Negative Effects of Free Radicals

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As mentioned in the previous review, exposure to free radicals can have negative effects on health if in high levels and continuous. The negative effects of exposure to uncontrolled amounts of free radicals can be seen through the following review.

- Causes oxidative stress in the body that triggers certain health problems.

- Causes cell damage in the body such as skin cells.

- Triggers chronic diseases like cancer due to high exposure to free radicals.

- Causes premature aging to occur faster due to exposure to free radicals.

4. Health Disorders Due to Exposure to Free Radicals

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The negative effects of free radicals can trigger several health problems that need to be aware of. Here are some health disorders or diseases due to exposure to free radicals.

- Cardiovascular disease.

- Diabetes.

- Vision disorders such as cataracts.

- Autoimmune diseases.

- Alzheimer's disease.

- Skin health disorders due to exposure to free radicals.

- Hair health disorders.

- Chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, kidney function disorders.

- DNA damage.

5. How to Counter Free Radicals

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To avoid excessive exposure to free radicals, there are several ways to prevent or counter them. Counteracting free radicals aims to prevent damage to body cells.

If the source is from food, counteracting free radicals can be done by consuming healthy foods, especially those with high antioxidants. Antioxidants are known to inhibit exposure to free radicals. This can prevent cell damage caused by exposure to free radicals.

However, there are also several other easy ways to counteract exposure to free radicals. Here are some ways to counteract free radicals to prevent specific health problems caused by high exposure to free radicals.

- Maintain a healthy diet.

- Consume enough fruits and vegetables, especially those rich in antioxidants such as carrots, broccoli, oranges, cherries, tomatoes, and certain types of fish.

- Avoid smoking.

- Reduce alcohol consumption.

- Adopt a healthy lifestyle and exercise regularly.

- Use sunscreen when engaging in outdoor activities to avoid exposure to UV rays.

- Get enough rest.

That is an explanation of what free radicals are and their negative effects on health, along with ways to counteract them. By knowing about free radicals, it can help you recognize the causes of free radicals, triggers, diseases that occur, and how to counteract them at an earlier stage.

Sources: hellosehat.com, id.theasianparent.com, alodokter.com, klikdokter.com

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