Chemical composition of human body – Understanding Antioxidant & Oxidative Stress

As already explained in previous episode, the role of free radicals and this is one of the main reason for disease leading up to cancer, if the free radicals are not brought under control by reversing our lifestyle, thought pattern amongst others.  As free radicals are produced, same way there is a protectionist mechanism in our body which is called as Antioxidants.  Antioxidants are that substances that work interactively inside our body cells, protecting cell membranes from damaging effects of highly reactive molecules called the free radicals.

Antioxidant substances are made in our body when we have a nutritional food that is the basis of creating energy in our body.  If you base your diet on a healthy nutritional food, exercise, positive thought pattern, your body has all the ingredients to make the antioxidant and which includes vitamin A, C, E and trace minerals copper, zinc, manganese and selenium amongst many others.  There are other powerful antioxidants but less well known than the above which include phenolic compounds, flavonoids, tannins and sulphur containing compounds.  From the above what you learn is that if you do not have nutritional food that contains the above, you are but giving invitation to free radicals to overpower your already worked up and reduced number of antioxidants.

What we also need to know about is Oxidative stress, now Oxidative stress is an imbalance that happens between production of free radicals and the ability of the body to detoxify or counteract their harmful effects through neutralization by antioxidants, in simple word it means that free radicals are produced at a faster pace than antioxidants can neutralize them.  This also means that the body is going from a healthy state to an unhealthy state.  When you eat the unhealthy food, do not address your stress issues, do not have positive approach, always have negative approach, it means that you are allowing your free radicals to have a free run and increase by leaps and bond, which ultimately makes your body give in to the modern day disease and leading to cancers.

Reduced antioxidant protection is the one of reason for ageing, even visible lines like wrinkles, blemished skin, joint stiffness, chronic aches and pains, when you notice these symptoms think of free radicals as one of the reason.

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Chemical composition of human body – Understanding Free Radicals

First, think of an area of your body which are made of cells. Our cells are made of various types of molecules, and these molecules are comprised of at least one atom.  Atoms in our body, in turn, contain at least one element (such as oxygen, carbon, etcetera).   It is the chemical bonds that join these elements together to form the atoms and molecules.  You should know that each atom in our body consists of a nucleus, neutrons, protons, and electrons.  The electrons surround the nucleus in two “shells”: an outer shell, which typically consists of eight electrons, and also an inner shell, consisting of two electrons. The chemical reactions these electrons produce create the bonds between atoms that hold the molecules together so that they remain stable in our body.

Generally, the atom will move electrons between its inner and outer shells as needed as per requirement, or share electrons with other neighboring atoms, in order to maintain stability in the body. When this happens, both atoms (the ones that are sharing electrons) are considered stable and our body is working properly without going off track.  But when an atom’s outer shell is reduced to one electron, it essentially becomes so “desperate” to replace its electrons that it will actually steal electrons from other atoms that are nearby.  This, then creates a situation in the body where another atom is deprived of an electron.  An atom whose weak chemical bonds result in an electron-deprived state and that compels it to steal electrons from other atoms and destabilize them. This results in a sort of domino effect. The harmful destabilization of cells proceeds from one atom to another, thus destabilizing atoms and the molecules to which they are attached.  The chief danger comes when with the damage they do when they react with important cellular components such as the DNA or the cell membrane.  The cells may function poorly or die if there is a continuous onslaught and which ultimately leads to cancer of the cells.

You need to know that such free radicals in the body may be formed through natural human physiological processes as well as from the environment but modern day lifestyle has only speeded the process of creation of such free radicals.  They are the results of diet, stress, smoking, exercise, inflammation, and a variety of other processes.

The good news is that our body is equipped with all the counter neutralization defense system against free radicals called the Antioxidants.

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