Unbeknownst to most people, oxygen is both a blessing and a curse.

Humans need
oxygen in order to live, yet the simple act of breathing in oxygen results in the
formation of highly reactive molecules called free radicals. As the free radicals
interact with other molecules in the body, they cause oxidative damage that can
result in the development of a wide range of illnesses and diseases.
Oxidative stress occurs when the production of reactive oxygen is greater than
the body's ability to detoxify the reactive intermediates. This imbalance leads to
oxidative damage to proteins, molecules, and genes within the body. Since the body
is incapable of keeping up with the detoxification of the free radicals, the damage
continues to spread.

How Do Antioxidants Neutralize Oxidative Stress and Free Radicals?

The body naturally produces antioxidants like superoxide dismutase, catalase, and
an assortment of peroxidase enzymes, as a means of defending itself against free
radicals. The antioxidants neutralize the free radicals, thereby rendering them
harmless to other cells.
Unfortunately, the antioxidants produced naturally by the body are not enough to
neutralize all of the free radicals in the body. Therefore, a constant supply of
external sources of antioxidants should be a part of one's daily diet, in order to
reduce oxidative stress and related damage.
Antioxidants have the remarkable ability to repair damaged molecules by donating
hydrogen atoms to the molecules. Some antioxidants even have a chelating effect
on free radical production that's catalyzed by heavy metals. In this situation, the
antioxidant contains the heavy metal molecules so strongly that the chemical
reaction necessary to create a free radical never occurs. When the chelating
antioxidant is water-soluble, it also causes the removal of the heavy metals from the
body via the urine.
Flavenoid antioxidants actually attach themselves to one's DNA, forming a barrier of
protection against free radical attacks, while some antioxidants even have the
ability to cause some types of cancer cells to self-destruct in a process called
apoptosis.