Role of ROS and Nutritional Antioxidants in Human Diseases

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Pathology
• Nutrition Science

Background:

• Overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is linked to chronic diseases like cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, and cardiovascular diseases.
• Antioxidants, both endogenous and supplemented, regulate ROS levels, but antioxidant deficiency and malnutrition can increase vulnerability to oxidative stress.
• Sustained inflammation can overwhelm antioxidant defenses, exacerbating conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases and inflammatory bowel disease.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the roles of ROS and nutritional antioxidants in the pathogenesis of redox imbalance-related diseases.
• To highlight the potential of antioxidants in attenuating oxidative stress-induced damage.
• To underscore the need for further investigation into the complex interactions between ROS and antioxidants.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of existing studies on ROS, oxidative stress, and antioxidant functions.
• Analysis of the involvement of redox imbalance in various chronic and degenerative diseases.
• Synthesis of findings regarding the efficacy and limitations of antioxidant supplementation.

Main Results:

• ROS overproduction is a common factor in numerous chronic and degenerative diseases.
• Nutritional antioxidants, including vitamin D, play essential roles in biochemical pathways and may attenuate oxidative damage.
• Clinical research presents mixed results on the benefits of antioxidant supplementation for disease control.

Conclusions:

• Redox imbalance, driven by ROS, is central to the pathogenesis of several diseases.
• Nutritional antioxidants hold potential for mitigating oxidative stress, but their effectiveness is context-dependent.
• Further research is crucial to elucidate the intricate mechanisms of ROS-antioxidant interactions for therapeutic applications.