The Free Radical Theory Dr. Roy Walford of UCLA and Dr. Richard Cutler of the National Institute on Aging believe that antioxidants might play a major part in slowing down the aging process. Walford recommends a combination of undernutrition, antioxidants and exercise as the most practical means currently available to help man extend his life-span. Scientists think antioxidants might help to reduce the promulgation of free radicals by absorption.
Free radicals are highly reactive chemicals which carry around an extra electron.
The random release of these free electrons can cause irreversible reactions to occur in the body. These reactions include attacks on the structure of DNA, proteins and molecules which can lead to chain reactions. Free radicals can oxidize and slowly damage body tissues, particularly cell membranes. The free-radical theory was first introduced to the gerontological community by Dr. Denham Harmon, working at the University of Nebraska School of Medicine in the late 1950's and 1960's. Cells undergoing division are particularly susceptible to free radicals.