The full scope of the aging process is too complex and bewildering to be understood as a whole. That is why there are many things that can be done to control this biochemical process. Most quintessentially, aging is the breakdown of proteins. The main protein affected is collagen, which is why millions of dollars go into collagen research each year, and it is the focus of collagen treatments for anti aging. However, for a collagen treatment to be effective, it must be able to absorb into the skin, which is the major challenge in the cosmetic industry today.
You’ve heard it all before–perhaps even a thousand times. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and get plenty of exercise. But it’s rarely understood why one should follow this age-old advice. The main reason for doing so is because plants, such as fruits and vegetables contain phyto-chemicals. These chemicals are a combination of things actually. Some phytochemicals are known as vitamins; others are known as enzymes; and some aren’t entirely understood. One of the greatest benefits of these chemicals is that they are proven to stamp out free radicals–the extremely reactive molecules formed in your body.
Why free radicals are believed to cause aging?
Radical reactions can cause cells to replicate imprecisely. These reactions damage the blueprint within a cell that tells it how to precisely reproduce itself. Experimental evidence supports that aging is the result of accumulated errors from excessive free radical damage. However, there are many other roles that free radicals play in the aging process.
The instability of radicals explains why they are such highly reactive molecules–why they cause bonds in other molecules to split apart so violently.
Although the mechanism is complicated, the overall effect is multifactorial. The drying effect of oxidation reactions becomes quite evident in the aging of joints. The natural lubrication in joints is like oil to a car that becomes broken down (less slippery) and diminishes. This breakdown and depletion or synovial fluid and cartilage prevents the linkage of joints from gliding along with ease.
How exercixe fights oxidation reactions
It is noteworthy to keep in mind that getting plenty of exercise is shown to actually prevent the premature wear on joints caused by oxidation reactions, because joints simply don’t dry out as quickly. That is why joints are more likely to tire from lack of use as opposed to overuse. For most individuals, the challenge is mainly getting a workout in less time
What are antioxidants?
Antioxidants are basically what their name implies. They simply prevent oxidation reactions from occurring in the body and elsewhere. Over time these oxidation reactions are known to cause damage to cells and slowly dry the body out.
What are free radicals?
Simply put, a radical is a molecule that has an unpaired electron on one of its parts.
For a given molecule, a state of high reactivity is the ability to steal an electron from a nearby molecule. The reason for this reactivity is electronic; there is unpaired electron on a molecule (and yet electrons like to travel in pairs). Because electrons circulate around all molecules in pairs, this unusual circumstance causes the molecule to steal an electron from another molecule inside of the body, usually inside of a cell. When an electron is stolen, the electron donating molecule is oxidized and propagates into a free radical itself, attacking another nearby molecule and the process repeats until one of two things happens. Either two free radicals run into one another and the two radical molecules become one. the two single radicals. Antioxidants are chemicals that stamp out free radicals. Radical reactions are characterized by three phases in succession: initiation, propagation, and termination.
Where do free radicals come from?
Radicals are generally the result of chemical reactions in the presence of heat or light. Given enough heat or light, any molecule will split apart. However, with enough heat or light the two electrons in a broken bond each go their separate ways, one to each piece of the break. The two electron bond that holds the two pieces together (normally the two electrons used to hold a bond together will go one way or the other, but not both).
Why are radicals dangerous?
Radical reactions are generally dangerous, but they are also very usefull. A foreign object in the body is decomposed by radicals made by your own body. In some cases however, a foreign matter inside the body is especially resilient to these reactive molecules as in the case with asbestos in the lungs. It is believed that this leads to cancer because the body responds by producing these radicals and they end up destroying the cells in lungs, making them cancerous.
written by:
Harry Klenda
President and CEO
Baltic Collagen inc.