Dr. Denham Harmon, M.D., Ph.D., first proposed a theory of aging as the indiscriminate chemical re-activity of free radicals possibly leading to random biological damage. Harman’s Free Radical Theory of Aging has been considered as a major theory of aging for more than 50 years. In 1956 Dr. Harman proposed that the accumulation of free radicals with the age causes the damage of biomolecules by these reactive species and the development of pathological disorders resulting in cell senescence and organismal aging. His hypothesis was supported by numerous experimental studies demonstrated an increase in free radical levels in cells and living organisms with aging http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3295029/ | |
Free Radical and Oxidative Damage in Human Blood Cells. Free radicals and oxidative damage play important roles in aging and many degenerative disorders such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and Alzheimer disease. Antioxidants can alleviate some of the harmful effects of oxidative damage. In this report, we describe that we have been using human red blood cells (RBCs) as a model system to delineate the effects of oxidative damage on human cells, particularly on glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD)- deficient human RBCs. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12386388 Your body constantly reacts with oxygen as you breathe and your cells produce energy. As a consequence of this activity, highly reactive molecules are produced within our cells known as free radicals and oxidative stress occurs. When our protein-controlled (anti)-oxidant-response doesn’t keep up oxidative stress causes oxidative damage that has been implicated in the cause of many diseases (see list below on the left) and also has an impact on the body’s aging process. http://www.oxidativestressresource.org/ | |
Free radicals, antioxidants and functional foods: Impact on human health In recent years, there has been a great deal of attention toward the field of free radical chemistry. Free radicals reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species are generated by our body by various endogenous systems, exposure to different physiochemical conditions or pathological states. A balance between free radicals and antioxidants is necessary for proper physiological function. If free radicals overwhelm the body's ability to regulate them, a condition known as oxidative stress ensue http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3249911/ Some internally generated sources of free radicals are:
Some externally generated sources of free radicals are:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3249911/ Lipid peroxidation, oxidative stress genes and dietary factors in breast cancerprotection: a hypothesis There is ample evidence supporting a causative role of lipid peroxidation in selected human cancers, including kidney, liver and skin, and in degenerative diseases. In experimental models, estrogen treatment induces lipid peroxidation and subsequently increases the incidence of renal cell cancer [32,33]. Because estrogen is a risk factor for breast cancer, it has been hypothesized, based on this model, that lipid peroxidation may be one mechanism by which estrogen increases breast cancer risk [11]. But estrogen induces renal cancer or liver cancer in this experimental model, not breast cancer. Indeed, lipid peroxidation may be a relevant mechanism for renal carcinogenesis, a concept that we have proposed and that is strongly supported by experimental and epidemiological data [32-34] http://breast-cancer-research.com/content/9/1/201 In multicellular organisms, cells that are no longer needed or are a threat to the organism are destroyed by a tightly regulated cell suicide process known as programmed cell death, or apoptosis. http://adTuEgqf.ly/ Implications of oxidative stress and cell membrane lipid peroxidation in human cancer (Spain). Cejas P, Casado E, Belda-Iniesta C, De Castro J, Espinosa E, ... http://adf.ly/TuHbC Lipid peroxidation refers to the oxidative degradation of lipids. It is the process in which free radicals "steal" electrons from the lipids in cell membranes, resulting in cell damage. This process proceeds by a free radical chain reaction mechanism. It most often affects polyunsaturated fatty acids, because they contain multiple double bonds in between which lie methylene bridges (-CH2-) that possess especially reactive hydrogens. As with any radical reaction, the reaction consists of three major steps: initiation, propagation, and termination. http://adf.ly/TuIyx Watch how human brain works: http://adf.ly/TuJgk Our brain operates much like a computer, only is capable of more than any computer could do, and holds more information than a thousand computers. It can recall information faster than any processor, and does nott need a schedule to know to defrag or compact files. Your brain is on duty 24/7, taking in everything you see, hear, smell, touch and taste. If some connections (neurons) are not working as they should new ones are formed to reroute the communication to another connection. Millions of neurons are working throughout our bodies at all hours of the day and night, telling us to breathe, sleep, blood to flow and even that we are not feeling welL. http://adf.ly/TuMnV | |