Monday, September 14, 2009

Elements of Destruction to the Body Explained

By Dr. Lorna Mistranski

The best way to fully comprehend what free radicals are is to look at them from a cellular level. Here's a quick Physiology 101 lesson: The human body is made up of various kinds of cells.

Cells are composed of many different types of molecules. Molecules consist of one or more atoms of one or more elements joined by chemical bonds.

Atoms are made up of a nucleus, protons, electrons, and neutrons. The number positively charged particles (protons) in the nucleus of the atom is what determines how many negatively charged particles (electron) will surround the atom.

The role of electrons is they are involved in the chemical reactions and is the compound the bonds the atoms to form molecules. The electrons surround an atom in one or more shells.

When two electrons are present, the innermost shell is full. When the firat shell is completely occupied, the electrons begin to fill the second shell and son..

The most important structural characteristic of an atom for determining its chemical behavior is the number of electrons in its outer shell.

An atom that has a full outer shell does not enter in chemical reactions. Atoms seek to reach a state of maximum stability by one of the following:

Eradicate or pick up electrons to fill or empty the shell

Bonding with other atoms to share electrons to complete the outer shell

The most common way atoms complete their outer shell is by sharing electrons with other atoms. This bonding share strategy used by atoms satisfies the stipulations needed for maximum stability of the molecule.

Normally, bonds wont split in a way that leaves a molecule with an odd, unpaired electron. But when weak bonds split, free radicals are formed--free radicals are very unstable and react quickly with other compounds, trying to capture the needed electron to gain stability.

The most common way free radicals attack is by finding the closest molecule that is stable and from there they begin the process of stealing electrons. When the molecule that is attacked starts losing the electrons, it becomes a free radical as well. When this process begins, it creates a chain reaction in which the end result is a disruption of a living cell.

Free radicals will frequently arrive during metabolism and sometimes the body will even produce them to fight off viruses and bacteria. Free radicals also come from pollution such as radiation, cigarette smoke, and pesticides.

The body usually defends these free radicals well, however when antioxidants are not available or free radical damage becomes too excessive, cell damage can occur. The most significant importance to this free radical damage is that it accelerates the aging process in humans

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