Topic of the Month
The antioxidant activity of micronutrients
1 December 2011
Metabolic processes that occur in the presence of oxygen, innate immune defense processes and external factors lead to the formation of so-called reactive oxygen species, (ROS), the ‘prooxidants’ that oxidize lipids, DNA and proteins and can impair their functioning. A sufficient intake of plant-typical ingredients with ‘antioxidant’ activity appears to play an important role in preventing degenerative diseases like cardiovascular disease and some kinds of cancer. Prominent among these substances, which the human organism cannot synthesize for itself, are the carotenoids, vitamins C and E, and the flavonoids.