These amino acids then go on to team up with trace minerals, such as selenium and zinc, becoming major enzymes which are able to directly remove free radicals. Many types of pollution disrupt our cellular energy creating processes, causing excess free radical production, which overwhelms our bodies' ability to produce antioxidant enzymes and other antioxidant substances. The actual way in which free radicals damage our cells is amazingly simple. A cell is made up of many molecules. These molecules form together structurally to create the cell itself, but they all carry out different tasks, being somewhat independent.
Free radicals cause chemical bonds to form between molecules that are usually inde-pendent.
This process is called 'cross-linking'. What these cross -links do Is reduce the flexibility of the cell by not allowing the molecules in, the cell to move independently. This is the brain of, the cell, from where the cell gets its orders. This is evident in the cell's reproductive abilities. Free radicals cause chemical bonds to form between molecules that properly should be independent.