Antioxidants and HIV

Antioxidants and HIV

Antioxidants are molecules are made by the body or found in some foods and supplements, Antioxidants protect the body by neutralizing other, unstable molecules, called free radicals, that are produced during normal cell functioning.

Long-term infections such as HIV can upset this balance by causing the body to produce more free radicals than usual. In turn, this can lead to a condition known as oxidative stress, in which the body cannot deal with all the free radicals it produces. Oxidative stress can cause a lot of damage to cells. Two ways to lessen the effects of oxidative stress are to increase antioxidant intake and to decrease exposure to things that increase oxidative stress, such as pollution and cigarette smoke.