Antioxidant

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/antioxidant

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the chemical function?Inhibit oxidation by neutralizing free radicals through electron donation or chain-breaking mechanisms
2. What is the endogenous sources?Enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase; molecules like glutathione
3. What are antioxidants and how do they protect my cells?Antioxidants are tiny molecules that give up an electron to stop free radicals from damaging DNA, proteins, and fats. They act like superheroes that keep our cells healthy.
4. Where do we get antioxidants from?Our body makes some antioxidants inside, like enzymes SOD, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase. We also get many from foods, such as vitamins C and E, flavonoids, and carotenoids found in fruits and vegetables.

Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS): Unstable molecules, including free radicals, generated during normal metabolism and by external factors, capable of causing cellular damage.
Oxidative Stress: A state of imbalance where the rate of ROS production overwhelms the body's antioxidant defense capacity, leading to cellular dysfunction and damage.
Bioavailability: The proportion of a nutrient or compound that is absorbed from the diet and reaches the systemic circulation to be utilized by the body.