What is oxidative stress?

Oxidative stress is a state where there's an imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the body's ability to detoxify these reactive intermediates or repair the resulting damage.

During normal metabolic processes, our mitochondria generate ROS as byproducts, such as superoxide anion. These reactive species can damage DNA, proteins, and lipids in cells by reacting with them. This damage can lead to mutations, inflammation, and other cellular dysfunctions if not adequately managed by the body's antioxidant systems 1.

Moreover, oxidative stress is associated with various pathological conditions. For instance, chronic oxidative stress can damage mitochondrial function, leading to progressive cellular damage and contributing to diseases such as cancer, where the damaged cells transform into cancer cells due to continuous mitochondrial impairment 2.