Oxidative stress and free radicals are important factors that can cause harm to our cells and lead to cell death. They are linked to many health problems. Let’s break down what these terms mean, how they affect our bodies, and some interesting facts.

What Are They?

• Oxidative Stress: This happens when there is too much of something called reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the body, and our body can’t get rid of them or fix the damage they cause.
• Free Radicals: These are very active tiny particles that have an unpaired electron. They can hurt our cells in different ways, including damaging fats, proteins, and even DNA.

How Do They Hurt Cells?

1. Lipid Peroxidation:

   • When ROS come into contact with certain fats in cell membranes, it can hurt these membranes. This damage can make it easier for the cell to break down, leading to cell death.
   • Research shows that the harmful products from this process can make up about 50% of the damage to cells in stressful situations.

2. Protein Oxidation:

   • Free radicals can change the structure of proteins by damaging parts of their building blocks (amino acids). This change can disrupt vital processes in the cell.
   • About 20% of proteins in very stressed cells might be changed in this way, affecting how the cells work and communicate.

3. DNA Damage:

   • ROS can also harm the DNA inside our cells, causing mistakes (mutations) or even leading to cell death.
   • It’s estimated that each cell can suffer around 10,000 hits from oxidative damage every day. This ongoing damage may contribute to aging and the development of cancer.

Some Statistics

• Studies show that oxidative stress is linked to more than 100 different diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, brain disorders, and diabetes.
• Research found that people with high levels of oxidative stress markers have a 30-50% higher chance of getting long-term diseases.
• Our bodies protect us with antioxidant systems that include important enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase. These can neutralize about 90% of ROS when things are working well. But if the system is overwhelmed, it can’t do its job as well, and oxidative stress increases.

How Do Cells React?

When exposed to oxidative stress, cells can respond in a few ways:

• Antioxidant Defense Mechanisms: The body boosts its natural antioxidants and activates genes that help combat stress.
• Repair Mechanisms: The cells kick into gear to fix the damage done to fats, proteins, and DNA.
• Cell Death Pathways: If the damage is too severe, the cell may die. This can either be messy (necrosis) or a more orderly process (apoptosis).

In conclusion, oxidative stress and free radicals play a big role in causing harm to our cells. They are involved in many diseases and show us why it’s crucial to have strong antioxidant defenses to keep our cells healthy.