Oxidative Stress: Definition, Effects, and Prevention

Do you know that Oxidative Stress can cause a number of disorders in your body?

Oxidative Stress is an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in your body.

Moreover, it is important to note that free radicals are oxygen-containing molecules with an uneven number of electrons.

This uneven number allows them to react with other molecules.

Furthermore, free radicals can cause large chain reactions in your body as they reach easily with other molecules.

These reactions are Oxidation. They can both be beneficial and harmful.

Antioxidants are molecules that can donate an electron to a free radical without making themselves unstable.

This causes the free radicals in your body to stabilize and become less reactive.

Keep on reading to learn more about it in detail.

Understanding Oxidative Stress

As mentioned above, oxidative stress occurs when there is an imbalance in your body of free radicals and antioxidants.

Your cells in the body produce free radicals during normal metabolic processes.

However, cells also produce antioxidants that help to neutralize them.

Generally, your body has the ability to maintain a balance between these two.

There are several factors that contribute to this factor and excess free radical production.

These factors are:

• diet
• lifestyle
• certain conditions
• environmental factors like pollution and radiation

Moreover, the immune response in your body can also trigger oxidative stress temporarily.

This type of oxidative stress can cause mild inflammation that goes away after your immune system fights off an infection or repairs an injury.

Furthermore, it can also accurate the aging process and may also contribute to the development of different conditions.

Free Radicals

Free radicals including reactive oxygen species are molecules with one or more unpaired electrons.

Moreover, examples of free radicals are superoxide, hydroxyl radical, and nitric oxide radical.

It is important to note that your cells contain small structures: Mitochondria.

These can work to generate energy in the form of Adenosine Triphosphate, ATP.

Furthermore, mitochondria combine oxygen and glucose to produce carbon dioxide, water, and ATP.

As a by-product, free radicals arise from this metabolic process.

Additionally, external substances can also cause the formation of free radicals in your body.

These are cigarette smoke, pesticides, and ozone.

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Antioxidants

These are substances that either neutralize or remove free radicals by donating an electron.

Moreover, the neutralizing effect of antioxidants also helps your body to protect from oxidative stress.

Certain examples of antioxidants are vitamins A, C, and E.

Just like free radicals, antioxidants come from several sources.

Furthermore, cells naturally produce antioxidants like glutathione.

It is important to note that your diet also is an important source of antioxidants.

Foods like fruits and vegetables provide many important antioxidants in the form of vitamins and minerals that your body is unable to create on its own.

Now, let’s discuss the effects on your body.

Effects of Oxidative Stress on your Body

The effects of oxidative stress can vary and is not always harmful.

For instance, oxidative stress that results from physical activity may have beneficial, regulatory effects on your body.

Moreover, exercise increases the formation of free radicals.

This can cause temporary oxidative stress in your muscles.

However, the free radicals that form during physical activity regulate tissue growth and also stimulate the production of antioxidants.

It is important to note that it may also protect your body from infections and diseases.

According to a study, scientists found that oxidative stress limits the spread of melanoma cancer cells in mice.

However, long-term oxidative stress damages the cells in your body, proteins, and DNA.

This contributes to aging and also plays an important role in the development of a range of conditions.

Let’s discuss some of the conditions as follows:

Chronic Inflammation due to Oxidative Stress

Oxidative stress can cause chronic inflammation.

Infections and injuries can trigger the immune response in your body.

Immune cells: Macrophages produce free radicals while fighting off the invading germs.

Moreover, these free radicals can damage the healthy cells, leading to inflammation.

Under normal circumstances, inflammation often goes away after the immune system eliminates the infection or repairs the damaged tissues.

However, oxidative stress can also trigger an inflammatory response which in turn produces more free radicals.

These can lead to further oxidative stress, thus creating a cycle.

Chronic inflammation due to this may also leave to different conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and arthritis.

Oxidative Stress causing Neurodegenerative Diseases

It is important to note that the effects of oxidative stress may also contribute to several neurodegenerative conditions.

These include conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

Moreover, it is important to note that your brain is particularly vulnerable to oxidative stress as brain cells require a substantial amount of oxygen.

According to a study, your brain consumes 20% of the total amount of oxygen your body needs to fuel itself.

Brain cells use oxygen to perform intense metabolic activities that generate free radicals.

These can help to support brain cell growth, neuroplasticity, and cognitive functioning.

During oxidative stress, excess free radicals can damage the structures inside your brain cells and can even cause cell death.

This may also increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease.

Furthermore, oxidative stress also alters essential proteins like amyloid-beta peptides

According to a systemic review, oxidative stress may also modify these peptides in a way that contributes to the accumulation of amyloid plaques in your brain.

This is a key marker of Alzheimer’s disease.

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Conditions liked to Oxidative Stress

Oxidative stress may also play an important role in the development of a wide range of conditions.

These are:

• diabetes
• inflammatory disorders
• chronic fatigue syndrome
• asthma
• male infertility
• cancer
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Parkinson’s disease
• cardiovascular diseases like high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, and stroke.

Risk Factors for Oxidative Stress

Certain factors that may increase your risk for long-term oxidative stress are:

Obesity, diets high in fat, sugar, and processed foods.

Smoking Cigarettes and other tobacco products.

Exposure to radiation, alcohol consumptions, and certain medications.

Moreover, pollution and exposure to pesticides or industrial chemicals can also lead to an increase in the risk.

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Managing and Preventing Oxidative Stress

It is impossible to completely avoid free radical exposure and oxidative stress.

However, you can take certain steps to minimize the effects of oxidative stress on your body.

The main thing you can do is to increase your levels of antioxidants and decrease your formation of free radicals.

One of the effective methods in preventing it is to make sure that you are consuming enough antioxidants in your diet.

Moreover, eating 5 servings per day of a variety of fruits and vegetables is the best way to provide your body with what it needs to produce antioxidants.

Some of the fruits and vegetables you can add to your diet are:

Berries, cherries, citrus fruits, prunes, dark leafy greens, and olives.

You can also add broccoli, carrots, and tomatoes to your diet.

Some of the other examples of dietary antioxidant resources are:

Fish and nuts, vitamin E, vitamin C, turmeric, green tea, melatonin, onion, garlic, and cinnamon.

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Other Lifestyle Changes

Some of the other healthy lifestyle choices can also prevent or reduce oxidative stress.

The following are some of the healthy choices are:

Moderate Exercise Routine: This is associated with higher natural antioxidant levels, and decreases the damage due to oxidative stress.

Moreover, regular exercise has also been linked to a longer lifespan, fewer effects of aging, and a decrease in the risk of cancer and diseases.

Smoking: It is important to avoid exposure to secondhand smoke as well.

Use Caution with Chemicals: This includes products like cleaning chemicals, avoiding unnecessary radiation exposure, and being aware of other sources of chemical exposure.

These include pesticides for you and your community.

Make sure to Weak Sunscreen: Sunscreen helps to prevent ultraviolet light damage to your skin.

Alcohol: It is important to note that you should also decrease your alcohol intake.

Plenty of Sleep: Ample sleep is very crucial for maintaining balance in all of your body systems.

Moreover, brain function, hormone production, antioxidant, and free radical balance, and a host of other things that your sleep impacts.

Avoid Overeating: Studies indicate that overeating and constant eating can keep your body in a state of oxidative stress more often than if you eat appropriately.

With spaced intervals and eating small or moderate portions can also help.

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The TakeAway

Oxidative stress is a state that occurs when there are excess free radicals in the cells of your body. Your body produces free radicals during normal metabolic processes.

It can damage your cells, proteins, and DNA, which can contribute to aging. It also plays a role in the development of a wide range of health conditions like diabetes, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.

Moreover, your body naturally produces antioxidants to counteract these free radicals and your diet is also an important source of antioxidants. Therefore, making certain lifestyle and dietary changes can also help to reduce oxidative stress.

These may include maintaining a healthy body weight, regularly exercising, and eating a balanced diet, rich in fruits and vegetables.