Oxidative stress and micronutrients

During cellular respiration oxygen radicals are released (hydroxyl radical, superoxide anion radical) and their presence changes the activity of the matrix. It affects the cell membrane by hardening fatty acids and transforming it into arachidonic acid, which metabolises into inflammatory chemicals, leukotrines and prostaglandins. Oxidative stress gradually diminishes the number of mitochondria and damages other organelles which leads to apoptosis. Antioxidants (vitamin C, A, and E, catalases, dismutases, glutathione peroxidase, bio-flavonoids, coenzyme Q10) bind free radicals by combining with their free electrons and reducing them to inert chemicals. Neutralising free radicals keeps organelles damage to a minimum. Cellular requirements are increased during cell repairs and adequate supplementation of the vital nutrients and electrolytes need to be increased.