Guest guest Posted August 15, 2003 Report Share Posted August 15, 2003 Why Is Oxygen A Dangerous Friend? Oxygen is essential to life. It must be present in order for our cells to convert matter to energy. Metabolism involves the chemical changes that take place in our bodies to provide energy for vital processes and activities. The continuous and efficient production of energy is vital to our ability to function at peak levels in everything we do. Among the by-products of metabolism are free radicals. A free radical is any substance with one or more unpaired electrons. They are the natural result of the normal metabolic process. They can also be the result of various lifestyle and environmental influences such as smoking, drinking alcohol, excessive exercise, pollution and over exposure to the sun. Free radicals are very reactive substances which roam throughout the body in search of their " missing electron " . They can deform and corrode any partner they touch. When uncontrolled free radical reactions occur, they can damage vital biological molecules, cells, tissues and organs. Today, the scientific community is devoting more time and research toward understanding free radicals. The reason for this research is the increasing realization that free radicals can have a potentially harmful effect on the cells in our bodies and that this oxidative stress may lead to more serious conditions. Researchers have found that antioxidant nutrients, which can neutralize, balance and sponge up free radicals-may be effective in combating free radical damage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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