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|are many ways to control} this perpetual 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 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. A sound recommendation, 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 the body, that are attributed to the aging process.
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 caused by excessive free radical damage. However, there are many other roles that free radicals play in the aging process.
{The problem with free radicals is that they are not stable. Their instability explains why they are such highly reactive molecules--why they will steal an electron from neighboring molecules so violently.|Because radicals are so highly reactive, they generally cause things (other nearby molecules) to break down at a molecular level--to split apart.} Although the mechanism is complicated, the overall cause of free radical damage 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) over time. This breakdown of cartilage and depletion or synovial fluid prevents the linkage of joints from gliding along with ease.
{The role of exercise in oxidation reactions|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 done in less time
{What are antioxidants?| Antioxidants and the Aging Process} 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 any 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 radical molecules (and yet electrons like to travel in pairs). Because electrons prefer to 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 left with an unpaired electron. It 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, given more than enough heat or light, the two electrons of a broken bond each go their separate ways, one with each piece of the break. The two-electron bonds that hold molecules together are broken much like the weakest link in a chain. (normally the broken link (two electrons used to hold a bond together) will go with one side of the break 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, 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.
In fact, new research supports that the body generates its own free radicals, which means that free radicals encountered in air pollution, water polution, etc. pose a lesser risk than what the body already produces on its own. However, more research is required before pursuing this possible angle in age prevention.
written by:
Harry Klenda
President and CEO
Baltic Collagen inc.
Baltic Collagen: the number one anti-aging collagen treatment on the net