The Medical Advisor

Have you ever seen someone walking on a tightrope in the circus, carefully keeping their balance so they do not fall off? That is a little like what happens inside your body every day, except instead of a person balancing on a rope, your cells are balancing something called redox reactions. The word "redox" might sound fancy, but it is just short for two smaller words: reduction and oxidation. Redox imbalances in cells, characterized by disrupted equilibrium between oxidants (such as reactive oxygen species, ROS) and antioxidants, significantly affect cellular health and function. This imbalance can manifest as either oxidative stress (excess oxidants) or reductive stress (excess reductants), both detrimental to cellular processes ( 1 ). Redox reactions happen continuously to help you stay healthy, move around, think clearly, and even sleep. When you eat an apple or a sandwich, your body has to take the energy that is stored in your food and turn it into a form your cells can...