Definition:
Free radicals are molecules that are very unstable and seek to bond to other molecules to increase their stability.
Free radicals are produced through a number of normal internal functions of the body as well as when the body is subjected to certain toxic environmental exposures.
When free radicals bond to molecules within the body's tissues, they can cause damage to cells or to DNA contained within the cells.
Free radicals are thought to play a part in the ageing process, in some autoimmune diseases, and in the development of cancer.
Antioxidants are thought to work, in part, by neutralizing free radicals.
