The Antioxidant Axis in Protecting Metabolic and Reproductive Health: Bridging Hepatoprotection, Neuroprotection, and Fertility Restoration
Wambui Kibibi J.
School of Natural and Applied Sciences Kampala International University Uganda
ABSTRACT
Metabolic disorders such as diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome disrupt systemic homeostasis through persistent oxidative stress, linking hepatic, neurological, and reproductive dysfunction. Oxidative stress arises from an imbalance between reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) and endogenous antioxidant defenses, leading to lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and inflammation. The liver, as a metabolic hub, becomes particularly vulnerable to ROS-induced fibrosis and lipid dysregulation, while neuronal tissues suffer oxidative neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. Similarly, excessive ROS impairs gametogenesis, hormone synthesis, and fertility in both sexes. Antioxidants play a central protective role by neutralizing ROS, activating endogenous defense systems such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase, and modulating inflammatory and metabolic pathways. Natural compounds including polyphenols, flavonoids, and vitamins restore redox balance, enhance mitochondrial stability, and prevent fibrotic progression. However, challenges such as poor bioavailability, dose-dependent effects, and individual variability limit clinical translation. Emerging strategies involving nanoformulations, targeted delivery, and integrative therapeutic approaches hold promise for optimizing antioxidant efficacy. Strengthening the antioxidant axis thus represents a unifying therapeutic avenue to protect metabolic, hepatic, neural, and reproductive health, underscoring the pivotal role of redox homeostasis in systemic physiological resilience.
Keywords: Oxidative stress, antioxidants, metabolic health, neuroprotection, reproductive health
CITE AS: Wambui Kibibi J. (2026). The Antioxidant Axis in Protecting Metabolic and Reproductive Health: Bridging Hepatoprotection, Neuroprotection, and Fertility Restoration. IDOSR JOURNAL OF BIOCHEMISTRY, BIOTECHNOLOGY AND ALLIED FIELDS 11(1):52-56. https://doi.org/10.59298/IDOSR/JBBAF/2026/1025256