The damaging effects of free radicals are linked with human diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disease and aging. If you are looking for an antioxidant definition, simply put, it is a molecule that is stable with or without all its electrons. These damaged cells, over time, become the signs of aging. When an antioxidant and a free radical get together, the antioxidant freely donates an electron to the unstable free radical - and then they're both stable. Antioxidants protect the body from this damage by suppressing free radical chain reactions, acting as scavengers and becoming their reactants. Why Are Antioxidants Important (And What Are They). They have anti-aging effects because they are free radical scavengers.

Whereas a free radical is a molecule that is extremely unstable without all its necessary electrons. When a molecule becomes a free radical, it steals an electron from another molecule which makes it become unstable and a chain of destruction follows until a healthy cell is actually damaged. Damaged skin cells make your skin less supple, less elastic and somewhat wrinkly.

Why are antioxidants important.