Ababilnews - Free radicals are often cited as a cause of increased risk of various diseases such as cancer and Parkinson's. Substances that produce free radicals can be found in the food we eat, the medicines we consume, the air we breathe and the water we drink, according to the Huntington's Outreach Project for Education at Stanford University. These substances include fried foods, alcohol, tobacco smoke, pesticides and air pollutants.
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Like many things that occur in nature, free radicals are not only impossible to avoid, they are necessary for life. Free radicals help us fight infection, initiate inflammatory processes that help repair tissue damage, and short-term oxidative stress can inhibit aging. At the same time, excessive amounts are harmful to humans.
If free radicals are often touted as the cause of breast cancer, it is important for us to know about them and what are their sources, but what are free radicals? Here are free radicals:
What are free radicals?
Understanding free radicals requires a basic knowledge of chemistry. But simply put free radicals are unstable molecules or atoms that can damage cells in your body.
According to a review from the University of Guanajuato, free radicals are formed when an atom or molecule gains or loses an electron, resulting in an unpaired electron. Free radicals will generally collide with your cells in an attempt to "steal" electrons to complement them, and then cells that lose their electron pairs may begin to malfunction.
Free radicals often occur as a result of normal metabolic processes. For example, when your body uses oxygen, it creates free radicals as a byproduct, and the damage caused by those free radicals is called "oxidative stress."
But your metabolism isn't the only culprit. You can also be exposed to free radicals that come from various environmental sources such as radiation, drugs, pesticides, cigarette smoke, and other pollutants.
How do free radicals damage the body?
According to the theory of free radical aging, which was first described in 1956, free radicals break down cells over time. As we get older, the body loses its ability to fight the effects of free radicals. The result is more free radicals, more oxidative stress, and more damage to cells, leading to degenerative processes, as well as "normal" aging.
Various studies and theories have linked oxidative stress due to free radicals with:
- central nervous system diseases, such as Alzheimer's and other dementias
- cardiovascular disease due to blocked arteries
- autoimmune and inflammatory disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis and cancer
- cataracts and age-related vision loss
- age-related changes in appearance, such as loss of skin elasticity, wrinkles, gray hair, hair loss, and changes in hair texture
- diabetes
- genetic degenerative disease, such as Huntington's or Parkinson's disease
The theory of free radical aging is relatively new, but many studies support it. Studies on mice, for example, show a significant increase in free radicals as the mice age. These changes match the decline in health related to age.
Over time, researchers have changed the free radical aging theory to focus on mitochondria, as reported by Medical News Today. Mitochondria are small organelles in cells that process nutrients to power the cells.
Research in mice has shown that free radicals produced in mitochondria damage substances that cells need to work properly. This damage causes mutations that produce more free radicals, thus accelerating the process of cell damage.
This theory helps explain aging, as aging accelerates over time. The gradual but accelerating buildup of free radicals provides one explanation for why even a healthy body ages and deteriorates over time.
Free radicals and cancer
According to Rice University, once free radicals are formed, a chain reaction can occur. The first free radicals pull electrons from molecules, which makes the molecule unstable and converts them into free radicals.
That molecule then takes an electron from another molecule, makes it unstable, and converts it into free radicals. This domino effect can ultimately disrupt and damage the entire cell.
Free radical chain reactions can cause cell membranes to break down, which can change what enters and leaves cells, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. A chain reaction can change the structure of lipids, making them more likely to get trapped in arteries. The damaged molecules can mutate and grow tumors. Or, stratified damage can change the DNA code.
Oxidative stress occurs when too many free radicals and too many cells damage. Oxidative stress is associated with breakdown of proteins, lipids and nucleic acids, according to an article in Pharmacognosy Review.
Several studies over the past few decades have shown that oxidative stress plays a role in the development of many conditions, including macular degeneration, cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, emphysema, alcoholism, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, ulcers, and all inflammatory diseases, such as arthritis and lupus.
What increases free radicals in the body?
The free radical theory of aging and disease can help explain why some people age more slowly than others.
Although free radicals are produced naturally in the body, lifestyle factors can speed up their production. Among them are:
- exposure to toxic chemicals, such as pesticides and air pollution
- smoke
- alcohol
- fried
These lifestyle factors have been linked to diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. So, oxidative stress may be the reason why exposure to this substance causes disease.
How Does Nutrition Affect Free Radicals?
Eating a healthy diet, especially colorful fruits and vegetables, can help combat some free radical damage. Nutrients such as Vitamin C, beta-carotene, selenium, and Vitamin E can help prevent cell-damaging free radicals and reduce oxidative stress, so-called antioxidants.
These nutrients are found in a variety of foods, but are highest in plant sources. That may be one reason why eating a diet rich in fruit and vegetables is so important for your health. Indeed, research shows that eating a diet high in antioxidants is associated with better health. Of course, there are other reasons why people who have a high intake of antioxidants may be healthier. People who eat healthily also tend to be more physically active and more likely to maintain proper calorie intake.
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