The air we breathe contains the essential oxygen gas in a mixture of other gases. The lung is the organ which separates the oxygen gas. But before it ultimately gets absorbed in to the blood, it passes through a phase less known as the redox state. Any disturbance or imbalance during this process can lead to a harmful state called Oxidative stress. Substances called antioxidants present in our body ensure that this state is always in check. When with the passage of time, the production of these substances decline, Oxidative stress leads to aging in humans. This article tries to understand how we all age.

Basic required to appreciate the aging process:

What are Chemical reactions?

We all, being the part of nature, are made up of atoms and molecules. Collection of atoms form a molecule. An atom consists of nucleus at its center. Inside the nucleus, there are particles called protons. Another particle called electron, exactly equal in number to the proton, resides outside the nucleus. The protons are all stuffed inside the nucleus. The electrons revolve around the nucleus. We can imagine the atom to be like our solar system. The nuclues being the sun and the electrons revolving around the nucleus like the planets. Chemical reactions are primarily the exchange of the particles electrons from one atom to other reacting atom.

What happens when oxygen in inhaled by us ?

The oxygen when inhaled, interacts with the atoms and molecules present in our body. The interaction can take place in two ways. An atom can combine with the oxygen, by giving up its electrons to the oxygen as a part of the chemical reaction. This is called the oxidation process. Similarly, it can lose the oxygen atom by gaining electrons from the oxygen. This is called the reduction process. Oxidation-reduction reactions, together are called the redox reactions. Ultimately, substances involved share the particles electrons in such a manner that the number of electrons lost by one substance is equaled by the number gained by another substance. The molecules called enzymes present in the body help in carrying out this process.

The Process of Aging:

What is Oxidative Stress: Any disturbance during the transfer of electrons during the redox reactions can lead to availability of unclaimed electrons and postive ions. Atoms which no more contain equal number of protons and electrons in them turn in to ions. Loss of electrons by atom increase the number of protons in the atom, turning it in to a postive ion. The positive ions and the unclaimed electrons during the redox reactions are called the free radicals. They can cause harmful effects to our body by damaging the body cells. A condition where the free radicals grow at an uncontrollable rate is called Oxidative stress. It causes heart failure, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and chronic fatigue syndrome to name a few.

Antioxidant and its role in Oxidative Stress:

An antioxidant is a molecule which can prevent the process of oxidation. These molecules do not allow the transfer of electrons from one atom to oxygen atom. In this way the cascade of free radical production is terminated. The natural antioxidant of our body is the “superoxide dismutases (SOD)”. Its primary aim is to protect the cells of our body when they are exposed to oxygen. As we grow old , the production of this vital antioxidant molecule decreases with time. Low levels of antioxidants enhance the process of oxidative stress leading to our aging.

The fruits and vegetables we eat contain the antioxidants. So, the natural decaying of antioxidants in our body can be deffered by the regular intake of fruits and vegetables. This further delays aging.

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