Antioxidants and cancer prevention

This is an automatically translated article.

Antioxidants are one of the important chemicals, some of which are made by the body and the rest come from other food sources in the daily diet. Antioxidants have been shown to prevent cancer growth and protect the body from damage from free radicals.

1. Free radicals and their impact on cancer development

Free radicals are highly reactive chemicals that have the ability to damage cells in the body. They are formed when a molecule or atom (a chemical with two or more atoms) gains or loses an electron (a small negatively charged particle found in an atom).
Free radicals are formed naturally in the body and play a vital role in many normal cellular processes. However, in high concentrations, they can adversely affect the body and damage or destroy all major cellular components, including proteins, DNA, and cell membranes. Damage to cells, especially DNA, can promote the development of cancer and other serious health conditions.
Abnormally high levels of free radicals in the body are probably caused by exposure to ionizing radiation or toxic substances from the outside environment. An electron is lost when an atom or molecule in a cell is exposed to ionizing radiation, resulting in the formation of a free radical. This unusually high production of free radicals is the mechanism by which ionizing radiation kills cells.
In addition, harmful substances present in the environment, such as heavy metals, cigarette smoke, or an oxygen-rich atmosphere can contain large amounts of free radicals that damage or promote your cells. the body produces more free radicals.
The most common type of free radicals are oxygen-containing free radicals, which are produced in living tissue. They may also be referred to as “active oxygen species” or “ROS”.

2. What are antioxidants?

Antioxidants are substances that can protect cells from damage caused by unstable molecules called free radicals. It has the ability to interact with and neutralize free radicals, thereby preventing the damage they cause to the body.
Antioxidants produced by the body are often referred to as endogenous antioxidants. External sources of oxidation, such as from the diet, are called exogenous antioxidants. The body will rely on an exogenous source of oxygen to supplement the necessary antioxidants. You can choose antioxidant-rich food sources in your diet, such as vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. In addition, some antioxidants are also available as dietary supplements.
You can get several important antioxidants through your daily diet, including vitamins A, C, E, lycopene, beta-carotene and the mineral element selenium.

3. Can Antioxidant Supplements Help You Prevent Cancer?

Many studies have shown that an increase in exogenous antioxidants can effectively help prevent free radical damage that is associated with cancer development. Therefore, researchers are actively testing whether getting antioxidants through the diet reduces the risk of developing or dying from cancer in humans.

The results of studies have shown that supplementing with exogenous sources of antioxidants through foods can reduce the presence and formation of free radicals, thereby preventing harmful effects. their negative effects on healthy cells in the body. The addition of antioxidants not only helps you effectively prevent cancer, but it also has other outstanding effects, such as anti-aging, skin lightening, cardiovascular protection, health promotion. brain, reduce inflammation, and support fertility.

4. Should people diagnosed with cancer take an antioxidant supplement?

Several randomized trials in patients diagnosed with cancer have shown that antioxidant supplementation during disease treatment can reduce toxicity from cancer treatments. , such as chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery. In addition, it also helps prevent oxidation in the body, thereby preventing free radicals from continuing to damage other healthy cells in the body and helping to inhibit the massive growth of tumors. u.
However, not all cancer patients can take antioxidant supplements. These substances should be used with caution. Therefore, before using any functional foods, cancer patients should carefully discuss with their doctors for specific advice.

5. Which foods are rich in antioxidants?

As mentioned above, antioxidants are often found in green vegetables and fruits, as well as in other foods such as grains, nuts, some meats, poultry and fish. Here are some food sources that provide a lot of antioxidants that you can add to your daily diet, including:
Beta-carotene: Found in orange foods, such as carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, cantaloupe, squash, apricots and mangoes. You can also get more beta-carotene through green vegetables like spinach, broccoli or kale. Lycopene: Is a powerful antioxidant, often found in watermelon, tomatoes, papaya, apricots, guava, oranges, grapefruit and some other foods. Lutein: This antioxidant, which can promote eye health, is commonly found in leafy green vegetables, such as spinach, kale, and broccoli. Selenium: This is essentially a mineral rather than an antioxidant nutrient. However, it is also a component of antioxidant enzymes. You can get more selenium through plant foods, such as wheat or rice. Vitamin A: found in three main forms, including retinol (Vitamin A1); 3,4-didehydroretinol (Vitamin A2) and 3-hydroxy-retinol (Vitamin A3). You can get vitamin A through foods, including carrots, sweet potatoes, liver, milk, mozzarella cheese and egg yolks. Vitamin C: Also known as ascorbic acid, is abundant in vegetables and fruits, grains, poultry, beef and fish. Vitamin E: Also known as alpha-tocopherol, is abundant in almonds, oils (rosemary, wheat germ, corn and soybean oils), mangoes, broccoli, nuts, and other foods. other.

Currently, early cancer screening is considered the perfect measure in the timely detection and treatment of all types of cancer. Reduce the cost of treatment and especially reduce the mortality rate in patients. Vinmec International General Hospital always deploys and introduces to customers Early cancer screening at Vinmec - Peace of mind to live well to help with gene testing, imaging diagnostics, testing of biological markers to detect tumors Soon. Vinmec International General Hospital has many packages of early cancer screening.
Only one gene test can assess the risk of 16 common cancers in both men and women (lung cancer, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, neck cancer) uterus, stomach cancer, prostate cancer,....) Early detection of early signs of cancer through imaging, endoscopy and ultrasound. The operation is simple, careful and accurate. A team of well-trained specialists, especially in oncology, are capable of handling cancer cases. With facilities, advanced and modern medical equipment and a team of doctors with deep expertise and experience. At Vinmec, the examination process becomes fast with accurate results, saving costs and time for patients.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.

References: foh.psc.gov, cancer.gov