subject: A Glance at Aging: Free Radicals [print this page] The mystery behind aging has always baffled man. Even today, science continues to unlock new questions on this process as man pursues his lifelong quest for immortality, or least, life extension. After years of research, our species is finally grasping the first threads of this holiest of grails.
Modern science tells that the root cause of aging and decay are organic molecules called free radicals. These unstable molecules are always looking to bond with others. In the process, they destroy their target molecule's vigor and brings on decay, by causing damage at the cellular and tissue level which eventually causes the organism to succumb with enough time.
Free radicals are called such because they float around "freely" until they stabilize, and "radical" because of their deviant behavior of obtaining electrons from normal molecules and causing damage. This lack of electron is what causes their instability. Like parasites, they steal an electron to the detriment of their victim. The victim in turn becomes unstable, perpetuating the process.
On a wider level, this perpetuation doesn't stop at the molecules. In effect, if a free radical starts the chain reaction, the tissue itself ends up as a free radical once enough molecules are affected. The snowball effect piles on and on, as the affected tissue wreaks havoc on in its nearby counterparts. Eventually, larger and larger areas are impacted.
Some free radicals arise normally during metabolism. Sometimes the body's immune system's cells purposefully create them to neutralize certain viruses and bacteria. Free radicals are caused by a number of factors that are part of everyday human living, hence posing a constant threat to people's lives. According to scientists, free radicals are products of pollution and other artificial substances that enter the body. Pollution, cigarette smoking, large volume of alcohol, radiation, preservatives found in some processed food and a number of poisons found in cleaners or herbicides and other everyday household products are found to be the primary substances that expose humans to these harmful molecules.
As free radicals have been around for a long time, the body can handle it under normal conditions. The damage primarily happens when antioxidants, the molecules that fight free radicals by donating electrons, become scarce or unavailable due to the above factors. Conversely, free radical production may also become excessive, overwhelming the antioxidants and dooming the tissues and body with time.
