The relevance of this otherwise minor side reaction is that superoxide and other reactive oxygen species are highly toxic and are thought to play a role in several pathologies, as well as aging (the free radical theory of aging).
A relevancia desta reacción colateral menor é que o superóxido e outras especies reactivas do oxíxeno son moi tóxicas e crese que xogan un papel en varias patoloxías, e no envellecemento (teoría do envellecemento por radicais libres).