How Free Radicals Affect Healthy Cells
To understand the way that free radicals and antioxidants interact, you must first understand a bit about cells and molecules. This is a quick course in Physiology/Chemistry lesson: The human body is composed of many different types of cells.
Molecules are atoms of one or more elements that are joined by a chemical bond. Cells are made up of many different molecules.
Atoms consist of a nucleus, neutrons, protons and electrons. The number of protons (positively charged particles) in the atoms nucleus determines the number of electrons (negatively charged particles) surrounding the atom.
Electrons are take care of the chemical reactions and are the substance that bonds atoms together to form molecules. Electrons surround, or “orbit” an atom in one or more shells.
The innermost shell is full when it has two electrons. When the first shell is full, electrons begin to fill the second shell. When the second shell has eight electrons, it is full.
The most important structural characteristic of an atom for determining its chemical behavior is the number of electrons in its outer shell.
A compound that has a full outer shell usually does not enter in chemical reactions. Atoms look to reach a point of maximum stability by one of the following:
Loose or pick up electrons to either empty or fill the outer shell
Share electrons with other atoms to complete the outer shell
Atoms regularly complete their outer shells by sharing electrons with other atoms. Sharing electrons allows the atoms that are bound together to satisfy the conditions of maximum stability for the molecule.
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.
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 can defend free radicals, however when antioxidants are unavailable or the production of free radicals becomes too much, damage can occur. The most important thing to remember here is that free radical damage hastens the aging process.
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