Fat Loss 4 Idiots Opinion

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Free Radicals and the Human Body

By Dr. Lorna Mistranski

The best way to fully comprehend what free radicals are is to look at them from a cellular level in that the human body is made up of all kinds of cells.

Cells are comprised of various types of molecules and these molecules consist of one or more atoms of one or more elements held together by a chemical bond.

An atom is made up of a nucleus, proton, electrons, and neutrons and where the amount of protons (particles that are positively charged) in the nucleus is what determines how many electrons (particles with a negative charge) will surround the atom.

The role of the electrons is to manage chemical reactions that occur inside the atom as well as the substances that makes the atoms form molecules. Much like planets, electrons revolve around the atom in one or more shells.

When the innermost shell has two electrons, it is considered full. When the second shell is full with electrons the process starts all over again.

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

Maximum stability is reached when the atom has a full outer shell. This is the ideal condition every atom seeks to attain and is achieved by the following conditions:

Picking up or dropping electrons that will either occupy or leave the outer shell

Bonding together with other atoms and sharing electrons to complete the outer most shell

The typical way an atom achieves maximum stability is sharing electrons with other atoms. This allows the conditions to for the atoms sustain the molecules in the most efficient way.

Most of the time, these bonds do not tear apart in a way that leaves an atom with an odd, unpaired electron. When this does occur however, free radicals are formed; they are very unstable and react swiftly with other compounds in attempt to gain the needed electrons for stability.

Free radicals like to attack by locating the closest cell that has maximum stability and begins to steal electrons. Eventually these attacked molecules become free radicals themselves. The process will continue until eventually cellular damage occurs.

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.

Most of the time the body is able to fight off free radicals, but if antioxidants are unavailable or if there are too many free radicals, cellular damage can occur. As you get older free radical damage gets more progressive. - 17269

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