Reference Terms
from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Antioxidant
An antioxidant is a chemical that reduces the rate of particular oxidation reactions in a specific context, where oxidation reactions are chemical reactions that involve the transfer of electrons from a substance to an oxidizing agent, this generally results in different chemicals to the original ones.
Antioxidants are particularly important in the context of organic chemistry and biology. All living organisms maintain a reducing environment inside their cells, all cells contain complex systems of antioxidants to prevent chemical damage to the cells' components by oxidation. These antioxidants include glutathione and ascorbic acid and are substrates for enzymes such as peroxidases and oxidoreductases.
Antioxidants are widely used as ingredients in dietary supplements used for health purposes such as preventing cancer and heart disease. Studies have suggested antioxidant supplements has benefits for health, but several large clinical trials did not demonstrate a definite benefit for the formulations tested, and excess supplementation may even be harmful.
Dietary supplementation has few specific antioxidants compared to a broad diet rich in phytonutrients, which will yield thousands of different polyphenol antioxidants available for metabolism.
Related Stories
1
2
Health & Medicine News
May 28, 2026
May 28, 2026 Researchers are developing a futuristic alternative to LASIK that reshapes the eye without lasers or incisions. Using mild electrical pulses and platinum contact lenses, they temporarily soften the cornea so it can be molded into a new shape. Early ...
May 28, 2026 A newly identified protein called GPNMB may play a major role in helping Parkinson’s disease spread through the brain. Researchers discovered that immune cells release the protein in response to ...
May 28, 2026 A new brain imaging study has found no evidence of widespread brain inflammation in patients suffering from prolonged symptoms after COVID-19 infection. Instead, the most severe long COVID symptoms ...
May 28, 2026 A surprising new approach to depression treatment is showing early promise — not by targeting brain chemicals, but by calming the immune system. In a small clinical trial, researchers found that an anti-inflammatory drug normally used for ...
May 28, 2026 When the body runs low on protein, the gut sends powerful signals to the brain that reshape cravings and push animals to seek essential amino acids instead of sugar. Researchers say this newly discovered gut-brain network could transform our ...
May 27, 2026 Scientists at UC San Diego have unveiled a potentially game-changing treatment for MASH, a severe fatty liver disease affecting millions worldwide. The experimental drug, ION224, blocks a liver enzyme that drives fat buildup and inflammation, two ...
May 27, 2026 A drug combo widely explored for anti-aging may actually damage the brain, according to new mouse research showing severe loss of myelin and changes linked to “chemo brain.” Surprisingly, the damaged cells resembled those seen in multiple ...
May 27, 2026 A new experimental treatment could finally offer hope for millions of people with dry age-related macular degeneration — one of the leading causes of blindness in older adults. Researchers at Aalto University discovered a way to gently heat tissue ...
May 27, 2026 Researchers found that drinking guava juice may significantly improve anemia by helping the body absorb iron more efficiently. In a review of 17 studies, women and teenage girls who consumed guava juice — especially with iron supplements — ...
May 27, 2026 Vitamin B12 has long been seen as a health hero, helping the body make red blood cells, repair DNA, and keep nerves functioning properly. But scientists are discovering that the story may be more complicated than simply “more is better.” While ...
May 27, 2026 Scientists in Japan have created powerful new vitamin K-based compounds that may help the brain regenerate lost neurons — a breakthrough that could one day change how diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s are treated. By combining vitamin ...
May 26, 2026 Researchers at Texas A&M have developed a nasal spray that appears to reverse brain aging by calming inflammation and restoring the brain’s energy systems. After just two doses, memory and cognitive function improved for months, raising hopes for ...
Latest Headlines
updated 12:56 pm ET
May 26, 2026 USC researchers have identified potential new drug compounds that may reduce the brain inflammation linked to Alzheimer’s disease, especially in ...
May 26, 2026 Eating more beans, lentils, chickpeas, tofu, and other soy foods could be a surprisingly powerful way to fight high blood pressure. A major analysis ...
May 25, 2026 New NIH research reveals that semaglutide sparks different responses inside appetite-controlling brain cells, offering fresh insight into why GLP-1 weight-loss drugs don’t work the same for ...
May 25, 2026 A massive international study could upend 40 years of heart attack treatment. Researchers found that beta blockers—routinely prescribed after ...
May 25, 2026 Scientists have uncovered a surprising twist in how cells behave when division goes wrong. Sometimes a cell successfully copies its DNA but fails to split into two, leaving it with double the genetic ...
May 25, 2026 Drinking nitrate-rich beetroot juice may do more than support heart health — it could actually reshape the bacteria living in the mouth in ways that help lower blood pressure in older adults. In ...
May 24, 2026 Scientists at McGill University have found a way to supercharge the immune system’s natural killer (NK) cells, helping them break through the defenses tumors use to stay alive. By temporarily ...
May 24, 2026 Scientists at UT Southwestern have uncovered a surprising new “master switch” that helps control how much cholesterol the liver sends into the bloodstream. The newly identified protein, HELZ2, ...
May 24, 2026 Researchers found that adding bananas to berry smoothies can dramatically reduce the body’s ability to absorb healthy flavanols. The surprising discovery shows that even simple food combinations ...
May 24, 2026 Scientists have cracked open the “black box” of feline cancer in a landmark study that genetically analyzed nearly 500 cat tumors from around the ...