Fatigue affects us much more commonly than we realise & oxidative stress plays a huge role in this condition! Of course, anti-oxidants are our knights in shining armour who help prevent oxidative stress from causing all that damage.

We can all relate to the symptoms of fatigue completely & want to know more about the genesis of the same, so I will address these in a Q&A format to ensure I don’t miss out on a single point, especially regarding how damaging free radicals are. 

• What is Oxidative stress?
  

Oxidative stress is a condition that occurs when your antioxidant levels are low in your body. This is an imbalance of reactive oxygen species also known as free radicals & anti-oxidant defences, because of which your body can experience oxidative stress. In other words, oxidative stress happens when free radicals overwhelm your body’s defences.

• What happens in Oxidative stress?
  

In Oxidative stress, there is cell & tissue damage which is quite harmful. This has been linked to many diseases & ageing. It’s been linked to many chronic diseases like atherosclerosis, diabetes, glaucoma, cancer, COPD, neurogenerative disorders & even arthritis

• Why are anti-oxidants Important?
  

Our body is one of the most complicated mechanisms that God could have ever created but fortunately, he also ensured that it can run smoothly till we decide to tamper with it!

There is a constant war ongoing inside our body which we are not even aware of between free radicals & our cells; & like any typical war, there are villains & heroes!

Free radicals are the villains (so you know what they will be up to! They would want to take, what’s not theirs!) Anti-oxidants are the heroes who would want to neutralize the villains; hence they are very important.

• What are Free Radicals?
  

Free radicals are unstable molecules that feature atoms with electrons that are not in pairs. This makes the electrons all upset, sulky & very lonely as they like to be in pairs. So, they go looking for other electrons to pair with & steal them from nearby atoms (that’s why it’s said, “all’s fair in love & war”).

This process keeps repeating itself over & over. Before you know it there is a blitz of lonely unpaired atoms & we call these, ‘oxidising cells’. These free radicals lead to cell death, cell damage, FATIGUE & accelerated ageing. Some of you may wonder why it has taken me such a long route to reach the role of anti-oxidants in FATIGUE! But I say, getting the basics right ensures that we are on the right track & getting our health back is not about taking shortcuts!

• What Causes Free Radicals?
  

They are usually produced in the body when you are exposed to external producers of oxidative stress. Smoking, drinking, air travel, sun exposure & much to everyone’s surprise; even exercise! I will take this up as a completely separate article as to how an excess of good things can also cause havoc in our bodies! So all you exercise freaks wait for my article & all the lazy bones, don’t take it as one more excuse, not to exercise!

• How Do Free Radicals Affect Us?
  

Free radicals will cause our body to be in the oxidative stress state which will cause all the accelerated disease conditions including; ageing.

• How do anti-oxidants help?
  

Anti-oxidants are the heroes of this war who keep the free radicals in control & thus reverse the effects of oxidative stress.

• How can we get anti-oxidants?
  

You can get anti-oxidants in good healthy food but for that, you need to keep track of all your micro & macronutrients 

So don’t you agree it would be a good idea to supplement your daily intake with just one supplement that can give you the maximum nutrients to help you handle the day without feeling FATIGUED!

Did you know that feeling fatigued daily is one of the most common health issues that an adult has to deal with, next to diabetes & hypertension?

Almost everyone experiences this at some time but when it becomes a daily occurrence, there is likely a larger issue at hand which needs medical attention. However busy you may be do not ignore these red flags!

Why does one feel fatigued constantly? Medical data suggests that it’s the depleted resources of iron & an amino acid Tryptophan! There could be other medical reasons too but these two seem to be the most probable reasons as per many research articles.

Hence a source that is rich in these two nutrients can be a blessing for anyone who is constantly fighting to get up in the morning or stay awake during the daytime!

Moringa is a wonderful superfood that is the richest source of iron & amino acid, Tryptophan.

So, the next time you are down & out instead of reaching out for that energy drink or a coffee, try to supplement it with what I call a shot of iron: Moringa!

Dhow X Dr Priya Cholayil

A pharmacy graduate with expertise in Alternative medicine. Having spent 25 years in the pharmaceutical industry now finding answers/solutions to various health conditions in alternative medicine. Investing time & thought into studying Superfoods with an MD in alternative medicine specializing in Dietetics & Nutrition.