Role of Antioxidants in Reducing Cancer and heart Diseases

However, antioxidants interact with free radicals and stabilize them thereby preventing their deleterious effects. Antioxidants are available in vegetables, some meats, fish and poultry. Common food sources for antioxidants are those containing Vitamin A, Beta carotene, Lutein, Lycopene, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Selenium etc. Cocoa is a beverage rich with antioxidants. The role played by the antioxidants in reducing the deleterious effects of heart diseases such as atherosclerosis and cancer are hereby studied. These findings strong indicator that the presence of antioxidants inhibit peroxides hence lowering the chances of suffering from CAD. Polyphenols are dietary plant substances which act as antioxidants and generally work in defense against aggression by pathogens or ultraviolet radiation and they have been shown to protect the body against cancer development, diabetes, osteoporosis, cardiovascular diseases and neurodegenerative diseases (Pandey & Rizvi, 2009).

Acute and chronic overproduction of ROS is known cause for development of atherosclerosis among other cardiovascular diseases; however, enough levels of antioxidants defenses and ameliorates against the harmful effects of excess reactive oxygen production hence inhibiting oxidative stress mediated diseases (Victor et al. Role of antioxidants in reducing cancer According to Borek (1997), reactive oxygen species (ROS) are known to disrupt various functions in a living cell for example, DNA damage. Studies indicate that cancer cells are characterized by increased rate of ROS production and a subsequent increase of cancer cells antioxidant capacity which strongly imply that high ROS level can block tumorigenesis (Glasauer & Chandel, 2014). In preventing heart diseases such as CAD and atherosclerosis, antioxidants either enhances enzyme activities by lowering inflammation levels, defense against negative hemorheological changes, inhibiting peroxides formation process and scavenging on harmful radicals among others in preventing the full blown effects of the heart diseases.

However, not all antioxidants play a role in reducing cancer but in some cases they can cause the proliferation of tumors. References Borek, C. Antioxidants and cancer. Sci. Targeting antioxidants for cancer therapy. Biochemical pharmacology, 92(1), 90-101. Godic, A. , Poljšak, B. , Adamic, M. Lee, B. J. , Huang, Y. C. , Chen, S. , & Bosmans, E. Increased plasma peroxides and serum oxidized low density lipoprotein antibodies in major depression: markers that further explain the higher incidence of neurodegeneration and coronary artery disease. Journal of Affective Disorders, 125(1), 287-294. Magyar, K. , Halmosi, R. W. Paradoxical effects of antioxidants on cancer. Rejuvenation research, 17(3), 306-311. Niki, E. Antioxidants and atherosclerosis. , & Nasri, H. Atherosclerosis: process, indicators, risk factors and new hopes. International journal of preventive medicine, 5(8), 927. Sayin, V. I.