Oxidative stress refers to damage caused when unstable molecules, often called free radicals, injure cells and tissues. This process increases during major stress, including surgery, trauma, and critical illness.
Antioxidants such as vitamin C and vitamin E help neutralize these reactive molecules. In simple terms, they help protect cells from damage during periods of high stress.
Earlier clinical research suggested that providing antioxidant vitamins to critically ill surgical patients was associated with fewer complications, less time on ventilators, and shorter stays in intensive care units. These findings supported the idea that oxidative stress contributes to organ dysfunction during severe illness.
More recent research continues to support the biological importance of oxidative stress in surgical recovery. Large reviews of surgical patients have found that low antioxidant capacity and high oxidative stress markers are consistently linked with poorer healing, higher infection risk, organ dysfunction, and worse outcomes. This suggests that oxidative stress is not just a laboratory finding, but a meaningful part of how the body responds to surgical injury.
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses examining antioxidant treatments—including vitamin C and N-acetylcysteine—have shown mixed but potentially beneficial effects, particularly in high-risk surgical patients. Some analyses report lower complication rates and reduced mortality, while others note that study quality, patient differences, and treatment protocols vary widely.
Overall, the evidence suggests that oxidative stress plays a real role in postoperative complications, and that antioxidant status may influence recovery. However, results are not uniform, and antioxidant use should be viewed as supportive and context-dependent, not as a stand-alone treatment.
References:
Antioxidants. 2025;14(11):1349.
Oxidative Stress and Postoperative Outcomes: An Umbrella Review of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses.
Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica. 2020.
Antioxidant treatment to reduce mortality and serious adverse events in adult surgical patients: A systematic review with meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis.
Annals of Surgery. 2002.
Antioxidant supplementation in critically ill surgical patients.
