Oxidative Stress: The Silent Cellular Destroyer
Reactive oxygen species — superoxide, hydrogen peroxide, and the hydroxyl radical — are generated as inevitable byproducts of mitochondrial respiration and immune function, and in controlled quantities serve essential roles in cellular signalling and pathogen killing. When ROS production exceeds the antioxidant defence capacity of the cell — through environmental toxin exposure, nutritional deficiency, chronic inflammation, or impaired mitochondrial function — oxidative stress occurs, causing indiscriminate damage to lipid membranes, proteins, and DNA that accelerates ageing, drives cancer initiation, destroys neural tissue, and disrupts every aspect of cellular metabolism. The modern lifestyle — high in seed oil linoleic acid, processed carbohydrates, heavy metal exposure, and chronically low in antioxidant nutrients — is a perfect engine for sustained oxidative stress.
