iandol on tue 5 aug 03
Dear Tony,
Are Anti - Oxidants really a form of reducing agent? Could Carbon =
Monoxide be classed as an "Anti-Oxidant"?
And just what is a "Free Radicle". My dictionary tells me it is a group =
of atoms from a compound which retains its identity during a chemical =
reaction but is usually incapable of a free existence.
How can chemical reactions (which give us energy and repair injury) =
happen in our bodies if, as soon as food molecules are split up by =
enzymes into smaller reactive units, they are eliminated by these highly =
reactive chemicals? If they are beneficial in a diseased body, what =
determines their selectivity?
Could you please explain what really happens when we eat and drink these =
things because I would like to know if Antioxidants interfere with the =
Kreb's Cycle. Come on my friend, explain the science for us.
Best regards,
Ivor Lewis. Redhill, South Australia.
Near the Clare Valley, home of some of the Greatest Reds one could wish =
to drink !!
.=20
k. sam miller on wed 6 aug 03
Ivor posed the following questions...
>Are Anti - Oxidants really a form of reducing agent?
>...
>And just what is a "Free Radicle".
> ...
>How can chemical reactions (which give us energy and repair injury) happen
>in our bodies if, as soon as food molecules are split up by enzymes into
>smaller reactive units, they are eliminated by these highly reactive
>chemicals? If they are beneficial in a diseased body, what determines
>their selectivity?
>Could you please explain what really happens when we eat and drink these
>things because I would like to know if Antioxidants interfere with the
>Kreb's Cycle. Come on my friend, explain the science for us.
Well, I'll explain as much as I understand (having spent some years in grad
school pursuing advanced degrees in Food Science/Engineering).
Free radicals are generated either by aging and/or disease states (doctors
on the list, please correct me if I have this wrong). The ingested
antioxidant ("good guy") sacrifices itself to the free radical ("bad guy"),
thereby protecting your body's lipid components (the "innocent bystanders"
in the body which are critical for remaining healthy & functioning properly).
The following link refers to some research done by Dr. Al Tappel, who was
at the University of California, Davis, while I was pursuing my PhD and was
one of the first researchers to suggest that the natural antioxidants in
red wine were beneficial to healthy living...
http://www.newhope.com/ffn/ffn_backs/may_02/antioxidant.cfm
Hope I haven't muddied the waters too much!!
Cheers!
Sam
"Texas Dabbler"
& Molly the chocolate wonder Lab
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