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Free Radicals – These are active molecules that have the ability to attach one more electron. The molecule has one unpaired electron, and easily enters into chemical reactions that provide it with filling this void. Having provided this accession, it becomes harmless. However, chemical reactions caused by free radicals do not go unnoticed for the body.
Action of free radicals
Normally, a small amount of free radicals are present in the human body. A healthy immune system perfectly controls their activity and contributes to their appearance.
Controlled Free Radical Functions:
Destruction of viruses and bacteria;
Activation of the necessary enzymes;
Production of essential hormones;
Production of energy and substances necessary for a person.
An example of controlled free radicals is colloidal silver.
If the number of free radicals increases, they stimulate even more production of these molecules. The damage to the body increases as the structure of proteins changes, the way genetic information is coded and transmitted from cell to cell. Pathologically altered proteins are recognized by the human immune system as foreign material, it tries to destroy them. Such a load is sometimes beyond her strength – immunity falls, and severe pathologies develop: cancer, leukemia, heart, kidney and liver failure.
Cells lose their protection as free radicals destroy the integrity of the cell membrane. Excess fluid accumulates in the body, calcium levels rise. These changes lead to the appearance of diseases, infertility, disruption of biochemical reactions in the thickness of the skin and premature aging.
Formation of free radicals
Causes of free radicals:
Ultraviolet radiation – UV rays deprive molecules of electrons, destroy cell membranes and their components.
Side effects, drug overdose – molecules of chemical compounds of drugs enter into reactions and enzymatic transformations, turn into free radicals.
Smoking – nicotine and the resulting resins trigger oxidation reactions.
Disturbed ecological balance – chemical compounds from products, exhaust gases, household chemicals enter the human body and trigger oxidation reactions.
The negative effect of stress – stress hormones (adrenaline, cortisol) disrupt the respiration and nutrition of the cell, making it a target for free radicals.
The most tangible consequences of oxidative reactions triggered by free radicals are the physiological destruction of tissues and organs, early aging.
In 15 minutes, while we fill the car with fuel, as many free radicals appear in our body from gasoline fumes as our grandparents did not receive in their entire lives.
Aging and free radicals
Unstable molecules, which lack one or even several electrons, sooner or later take it away from full-fledged cells. The attack of radicals triggers an oxidation reaction, when ordinary molecules donate an electron to unstable molecules. Since all organs and tissues of the human body consist of ordinary molecules, after oxidative reactions they can no longer remain the same and begin to break down.
After taking an electron, the free radical becomes a stable compound. At this very time, the molecule attacked by it itself becomes a free radical. Oxidative reactions resume with renewed vigor already with other participants. The number of affected cells grows, even inert molecules enter into chemical reactions.
For example, it is worth paying attention to collagen molecules. Inert in a normal situation, after oxidation, their activity increases, they bind to each other. The result of this process is the loss of skin elasticity, the formation of wrinkles, and the aging of the dermis. A similar process occurs in all tissues of the human body. This process is comparable to metal corrosion. Free radicals cause the body to rust.
The chain mechanism of aging is triggered when the cell mitochondria (cell organelle) is damaged by radicals. The role of these inferior molecules in the aging process has become clear after numerous studies in recent decades.
Possible effects of free radicals:
Alzheimer’s disease;
The appearance of wrinkles and age spots;
Inflammatory changes in the joints;
Diseases of the heart and blood vessels;
Weakening of the muscles that support the skeleton;
Loss of skin elasticity;
Decreased vision and hearing;
Age mental processes;
Cancer.
The more successfully a person fights free radicals, the later the age of onset of age-related changes begins in him. Aging at the molecular level leads to changes in the body’s metabolism. After cell damage by free radicals, DNA damage and mutations accumulate in them. Modified proteins lead to the adhesion of molecules to each other, and cannot fully perform their functions. With age, the number of cross-links increases.
The destruction of the structure of cells, the destruction of their membranes leads to the fact that all processes in them slow down or go wrong. Metabolic products are not removed from the cell, and it becomes clogged. The damaging effects due to free radicals increase, the body cannot resist aging.
Protecting the body from free radicals
To counteract free radicals, there is a reliable way – this is the intake of antioxidants in the body. These compounds donate their electrons to inferior molecules without losing their stability and activity. The negative process of destruction of molecules stops, there is no destruction of cells, no oxidation reactions occur. Antioxidants also become free radicals, but they have almost no power and do not destroy cells.
Antioxidants enter the human body with plant foods, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, microelements. Some antioxidants are formed in the human body (enzymes, the hormone melatonin).
The most available antioxidants:
alpha lipoic acid,
Vitamin A, E, C and beta-carotene (any vegetables and fruits)
Cysteine
Zinc (pumpkin seeds hold the record for zinc content)
Flavonoids (the record holders for the content of flavonoids are berries, especially dark ones)
Glutathione (this antioxidant is produced by the body itself)
Ginkgo biloba
To resist free radicals, you need to take simple measures: include a large amount of vegetables and fruits in your diet, stop smoking, avoid ultraviolet radiation, take vitamin and mineral complexes.
One of the best ways to protect against free radicals is to drink fresh vegetable juices daily.