NutritionQuarterly_Summer2020

Q A Hey Nute Guru, I started running a few years ago for my health but read recently that exercise produces free radicals. Is this true?? What are the risks and is there a way to combat it? In your body, a war is being waged right now – and only good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle can bring in the reinforcements. The bad guys are called free radicals – molecules that damage tissues and DNA by pilfering electrons in a relentless quest to enhance their own stability. The good guys are antioxidants – compounds that help prevent the damage caused by free radicals by donating electrons to stabilize them. Let’s break things down! Free Radicals Free radicals can be caused by exposure to herbicides and pesticides, air pollutants such as cigarette smoke, ultraviolet light, alcohol, and stress to name a few, but are most commonly produced as a byproduct of ordinary bodily processes such as breathing, fighting off germs, and breaking down food for energy. In these processes, molecules lose an electron, becoming an unstable free radical seeking a replacement electron to stabilize itself. Free radicals then oxidize a nearby molecule by taking an electron from it, which can cause a chain reaction of electron stealing, destabilizing those molecules; if left unchecked, this can cause cellular and DNA damage. A certain amount of free radical damage is inevitable. Now consider what happens to your body during a 60-minute session on the treadmill. Suddenly the amount of energy and oxygen required multiplies 10, 20, even 100-fold. This means the number of free radicals produced is also multiplying at an alarming rate causing oxidative stress — when there are more free radicals than can be counteracted by antioxidants. Though the benefits of regular exercise outweigh these risks, folks who work out are absolutely affected by oxidative stress more than couch potatoes. Now’s the time to call in the reinforcements – antioxidants! Antioxidant Superstars Simply put, antioxidants neutralize free radicals by donating an electron to stabilize them. This stops the chain reaction of molecular destabilization, preventing potential cellular and DNA damage, before it even starts. Your body does make some antioxidants all on its own (consistent, regular exercise for instance encourages more antioxidant production as a natural response), but you can support your immune health and limit free radical damage with a healthy diet. Continued on next page. Nute Guru “Though the benefits of regular exercise outweigh these risks, folks who work out are absolutely affected by oxidative stress more than couch potatoes.” 3 Nutrition Quarterly · 2020 – Volume 3