What Are Oxidants?

National Jewish Health immunology researcher Brian Day, PhD explains what oxidants are and how they cause disease and inflammation.

Transcript

Oxidants are reactive molecules that are produced both inside your body and the environment that can react with other cellular molecules in your body such as protein, DNA and lipids.

When it does that, it damages molecules and it’s what causes disease and inflammation.

An antioxidant is a molecule, as the term suggests, that defends you against those oxidants.

It actually intercepts those oxidants so they can’t react with your cellular macromolecules, therefor protecting you.

Related Videos

what is clinical research clinical trials faq video

What is Clinical Research? FAQs Answered by National Jewish Health

what are oxidants video

What Are Oxidants?

how lungs protect from flu video

How The Lungs Protect From Flu

cystic fibrosis infections video

Finding a Way to Prevent Chronic Infection in Cystic Fibrosis

plant-based compounds to prevent infection video

Creating Plant-Based Compounds to Prevent Infections

Related Health Insights and News

Joggers stretching before jogging

Tips to Help You Keep Movin'

taking multivitamins

Taking Multivitamins

Female jogger reviewing stop watch to measure target heart rate

Target Heart Rate

sprinkling salt on a plate of food

Sodium Dangers

Woman drinking water

Proper Hydration

Want to use this on your website? Fill out the content usage request form and then copy this code: https://youtu.be/q__Sp_2HCW8