Oxidative stress and women's health

The daily routine often imposes on us a lifestyle because of which we tend to neglect our health.

Prolonged exposure to sunlight, cigarette smoking, alcohol abuse are factors with which we constantly come into contact, and which have rather significant repercussions on our body. One of these is the increase in oxidative stress .

What is oxidative stress?

When we talk about oxidative stress, we are referring to a pathological condition that involves a deficit in the elimination process of oxidizing chemical substances, which compromise the correct physiological activity of the cells of a living organism.

It is essential to preserve a balance between oxidizing species and defense systems to ensure a healthy state of the body.

When this does not happen, there is an increase in the concentration of ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species) compared to normal values, which go to affect the functions and structure of the cell itself, triggering a radical chain process: the damage to the cell has repercussions on the tissues, which in turn compromise the functioning of the organs and therefore of the whole organism.

It must be said that ROS represent a danger only when they are in excess, since, within certain values, they contribute to regulating some processes indispensable for the correct functioning of the organism.

What are the consequences of oxidative stress?

The pathologies resulting from the increase in oxidative species and the weakening of antioxidant defense systems are many:

> Atherosclerosis;

> Diabetes mellitus;

> Parkinson's;

> Ulcerative colitis;

> Metabolic diseases;

> Alzheimer;

> Inflammatory diseases;

> Hepatopathies;

> Tumors.

Furthermore, an excessive presence of free radicals can reduce the quality of sexual performance, the ability to concentrate and memorize, as well as cause the appearance of wounds and spots on the skin .

What diseases can oxidative stress cause for women?

Oxidative stress can be the cause of many diseases that affect women in different stages of life, from adolescence to the post-menopause period. Particularly during the latter, it is essential to maintain the right physiological balance between production and elimination of oxidizing substances to delay the effects of aging as much as possible.

In fertile age, if oral contraceptives are used, the chances of intensifying oxidative stress increase exponentially, placing the woman in front of the risk of complications at the vascular level .

Among the pathologies caused by oxidative stress in women, we find endometriosis, a chronic inflammation of the mucous membrane that covers the internal tissue of the uterus, and polycystic ovary syndrome, which manifests itself with irregular menstrual cycle and culminates in 90% of cases with infertility.

During menopause, with the reduction in the production of neuroactive amines and the BDNF neurotrophic factor, with consequent disturbances in sleep, irritability, depression and fatigue, there is a decrease in vitamin C and thiols that favor oxidative imbalance: this leads to an increase in incidence of atherosclerotic disease, tachycardia, flushing and vasodilation .

A further complication is given by the weakening of the bone mass due to the excessive presence of ROS, which prevent the differentiation of osteoblasts.

How to reduce oxidative stress?

Our organism is equipped with a complex antioxidant defense system that acts inside and outside the cell, thanks to the action of glutathione, ubiquinone, alpha lipoic acid, catalase, superoxide dismutase, and to the integration of vitamin C, E, carotenoids and polyphenols.

To maintain the right oxidative balance it is advisable to reduce cigarette smoking , drug intake and exposure to X-rays, but in addition to adopting some daily precautions, a valid solution to contain the effects of oxidative stress is represented by the assumption of antioxidant supplements .

Where the body alone cannot cope with the imbalance between ROS and the defense system, it is advisable to use a supplement with Moringa oleifera, which appears to be the superfood with the highest content of antioxidants present in nature.

The Moringa oleifera, in fact, being rich in vitamin C, helps to reduce the concentration of ROS and therefore the risk of serious repercussions on the health of our body.