Why Oxidative Stress Is The Silent Killer You’ve Probably Never Heard Of

metabolic syndromeblood pressureobesitycholesterolinflammationinsulin resistance
Written By Jamie Nichols

We have long been hearing how chronic stress, poor sleep, unhealthy diet and lifestyle can impact chronic disease.  If traced upstream, a majority of chronic conditons and their symptoms have been linked to imbalances in the body on a cellular level.  Terms such as inflammation and insulin resistance are becoming increasingly popular.  Although these terms have been understood for a long time by science, they are gaining more attention.  In the world of nutrition and scientific research, ‘oxidative stress’ has been well studied, yet not discussed enough (mainstream) when it comes to health. 


Oxidative stress is a phenomenon caused by an imbalance between the production and accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cells and tissues and the ability of a biological system to detoxify these reactive products. Essentially it’s about balance and thinking of this process in terms of offense versus defense, may an easier way to understand it.

What is Oxidative Stress?

We all know oxygen is vital to life.  Our cells use oxygen to create energy.  When our bodies metabolize the oxygen we inhale, the process generates a by-product called reactive oxygen species (ROS), commonly referred to as free radicals.  These have the potential to create damage to our cells, mitochondria, and DNA.  ROS serve a physiological function as they help in cell signaling and repair.  However, in excess, these free radicals can and will cause cellular damage and disease. 

Our bodies have the ability to neutralize these ROS using antioxidants, to some degree.  When an excess of ROS are generated more than the capacity to buffer and detoxify them, cellular and tissue damage begins to occur.  In simpler terms,  when excess free radicals are produced, they overwhelm the repair process. This phenomenon is what is referred to as oxidative stress.  You can think of oxidative stress akin to financial stress.  If you try to withdraw money from your bank account with insufficient funds, you get penalized and can’t pay your bills which creates a burden on you.  Over time, prolonged damage to cells and tissues will lead to organ damage and dysfunction.  This is when we begin experiencing overt symptoms and chronic illness.

In reality, there are millions of biochemical reactions and processes that occur every day in our bodies which result in oxidative stress.  Respiration, digestion, and metabolism all produce ROS.  When we add additional stressors and/or have a lack of antioxidants to counteract them, oxidative stress becomes an issue.  Unhealthy eating and lifestyle habits contribute to oxidative stress and can then add insult to injury, further exacerbating diseases.

Oxidative stress occurs with:


Why should you care?

Oxidative stress overburdens our organs and body, leading to tissue destruction and aging.

Oxidative stress has been linked to the following:

  • Premature aging, frailty, and sarcopenia

  • Grey hair

  • Wrinkles

  • Arthritis

  • Neurological damage

  • Atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease

  • Decreased eyesight

  • Diabetes

  • Insulin resistance

  • Metabolic syndrome

  • Weight gain

  • Respiratory issues

  • Kidney disease

  • Cancer

  • Fibromyalgia

  • Parkinson's

  • Dementia/Alzheimer’s disease

  • Poor eye sight/Cataracts

  • Multiple sclerosis

Signs you may be dealing with oxidative stress:

  • Joint and/or muscle pain

  • Brain fog or mental sluggishness

  • Low energy or fatigue

  • Memory and cognitive issues

  • Wrinkles and gray hair

  • Poor eyesight

  • Frequent infections

  • Headaches

How can you reduce oxidative stress:

Decrease exposure to things that lead to oxidation 

  • Smoking

  • High sugar intake, particularly refined sugar and junk food

  • Reduce stress (meditation, yoga, self-care time, time with loved ones, and nature)

  • Remove seed oils from your diet (most often highest in processed foods and restaurants)

  • Avoid toxins:

    • Inorganic foods, personal care products, plastic, cleaning products, exhaust (cars, nail salons)

Antioxidant-rich foods

Incorporating more antioxidant-rich foods will balance the number of free radicals wreaking havoc in the body.  

  • Fruits and vegetables

    • Allium family (garlic, onion, leeks, scallions, shallots)

    • Brassica family (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, bok choy, cabbage)

    • Citrus fruits (lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit)

    • Berries (strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries)

    • Leafy greens (collards, mustard, turnip, beet, swiss chard)

  • Legumes 

  • Nuts 

  • Herbs/Spices (turmeric, rosemary, clove, thyme, oregano – to name a few) 

Nutrition and Supplementation

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The information on this website has not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration or any other medical body. We do not aim to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any illness or disease. Information is shared for educational purposes only.

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Tommy Markov is a Functional Nutrition Professional and Wellness Educator with a Master’s in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine. He specializes in healing the person, not the condition. He is passionate about uncovering the root cause of his client’s ailments and incorporating an integrative mind-body approach.

Tommy has appeared as a guest and expert speaker on numerous podcasts, speaking events, as well as being a nutrition and supplement consultant.

Tommy is currently a part of the teaching staff at University of Western States, as well as seeing clients in his private practice. Tommy is accessible via telehealth, as well as in-person at F.L.O.W. Wellness Center in Abington, PA.

Jamie Nichols
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