January 9, 2025

Angelynn Tran 

11th Grade

Fountain Valley High School

Introduction

Oftentimes, commercial food brands will use convoluted key phrases such as “packed with plant-based proteins” or “high in Omega-3 fatty acids.” These phrases evoke the idea of the perfect healthy pick for consumers without actually knowing the true science and benefits behind them. As a consumer, I’ve fallen victim to this form of marketing and bought a set of packaged pomegranates simply because the words “rich in antioxidants” were printed on the label. It's already known that antioxidants are supposed to be beneficial to the human body, but why so? Let’s explore the actual science behind antioxidants and why you should look out for that key phrase on your next trip to the grocery store. 

Science 

The benefits of antioxidants range vastly from preventing neurodegenerative diseases and promoting the body's overall health. An imbalance in the amount of free radicals to antioxidants produced can lead to a state known as oxidative stress which leads to major cellular and tissue damage in the body. Oxidative stress is known to be a contributor to the causes of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Sources from the National Library of Public Medicine (NLM)  state “... oxidative stress triggers several molecular pathways leading to the progressive loss of neuronal structures and functions, a process termed neurodegeneration…” (3).  As free radicals damage major cellular components such as DNA that can lead to mutations in the repair mechanisms of neurons, as well as lipids and proteins that play major roles in molecular pathways and signal transduction, the risks of developing these degenerative diseases are at an all-time high due to oxidative stress. 

The brain is most vulnerable to oxidative stress since cell damage occurring in the brain is limited in the resources and capabilities to regenerate cells (3). In the bigger picture, preventing overall cell damage can improve the body’s general health by ensuring that the molecular activity of the body flows smoothly. Antioxidants can help reduce damaging effects that come with aging over time such as promoting skin health, and immune system support. Vitamin C, a common antioxidant, is found to be beneficial for the skin by promoting collagen production and cell regeneration from UV damage (2). Additionally, vitamin C also plays a major role in supporting the immune system as sources from the NLM state “its action as a cofactor for numerous biosynthetic and gene regulatory enzymes plays a key role in its immune-modulating effects”(1), showing vitamin C plays a key role in regulating immune functions as well as protecting immune cells from oxidative damage. With the help of increasing antioxidant production in the body, oxidative stress can be fought through stabilizing free radicals that are damaging cells leading to the prevention of diseases and promotion of your overall health.