Free radicals have gotten a bad gap, and you will see why in a minute, but in reality they perform an essential service to the body. Simply put, they are electron-hungry molecules. You can call them electrophiles-electron lovers. Normally, there free radicals obtain their electrons by stripping them away from pathogens and damaged tissue. This activity kills the bad bugs you want out of your body and breaks down damaged cells for removal. As the remedial work winds down, excess free radicals produced during the immune response are neutralized by antioxidants or free electrons in the body.
This response is triggered whenever you have a disease or an injury. It is called the “inflammatory response.” As a result, you may fell the familiar signs and symptoms of inflammation: swelling, redness, heat, and pain, and, depending where the site is, decreased range of motion.