Nutritional Facts for Smokers:
Tobacco and Free Radicals
ReplenishMints help smokers restore their antioxidant defenses. ReplenishMints contain a powerful blend of antioxidants that many scientists believe work in unison to combat harmful oxidants contained in tobacco smoke.
Free radicals are atoms or molecules with an unpaired number of electrons which can be formed when oxygen interacts with certain molecules. Because free radicals are missing
an electron, they are unstable and they look to replace their missing electron by taking one from a neighboring particle. If the free radical's “pull” on an electron is stronger than the neighboring particle's “hold” on
its electron, the attacked molecule will lose its electron and become a free radical itself. The danger to the body posed by free radicals comes from the damage they can cause when they react with important cell components, including
the cell membrane and DNA. Cells may function poorly or even die if free radical damage occurs. The Journal of the American Medical Association notes the destructive process of oxidation is involved in virtually every disease.
[271: 1148-49, 1994]
Though free radicals can be harmful, they are a normal part of our metabolism. In order to prevent the damage they can cause, the body has a defense system of antioxidants, which destroy
free radicals and protect the structural integrity of cells and tissues. It is the balance of oxidants and antioxidants that is a key determinant of our health. Environmental factors, such as polluted air, and lifestyle factors,
such as cigarette smoke, stress, aging and diet, can result in an overabundance of oxidants and insufficient antioxidants. This condition is known as oxidative stress.
Antioxidants are intimately involved in the prevention of cellular damage and they get their name because they fight oxidation. Antioxidants donate electrons to free radicals before the free radicals can take electrons from vital
molecules in the body. During this reaction, the antioxidant
sacrifices itself (becomes oxidized), and so there is a constant need to replenish antioxidant defense levels.
Tobacco smoke is loaded with free radicals.
Each puff of cigarette smoke contains billions of harmful free radicals, so many that they overwhelm the body's antioxidant defenses. This imbalance can result in damage to DNA
and other cellular components, thereby predisposing smokers to the development of life-threatening diseases.
Research in this area provides promising evidence that an appropriate combination of antioxidants can aid in the prevention of smoking-related oxidative damage. That's where ReplenishMints™ Mints come in!
