Many of our body’s natural biological processes-such as respiration, the digestion of food, the metabolism of alcohol, and the transformation of fat into energy-produce those compounds called free radicals<\/strong> (or reactive oxygen species<\/strong>, ROS<\/strong>). It is a matter of electron<\/strong> transfer: when oxygen enters energetic reactions it can give up or accept electrons, and this transition generates free radicals, which are very reactive molecules, and antioxidant<\/strong> (or reducing) molecules. It should be pointed out that ROS are necessary for life because they provide for the destruction of bacteria by phagocytes, and in low to moderate amounts they are useful in regulating a wide variety of cellular functions. If produced in excessive amounts, however, they result in structural modifications of cellular proteins<\/strong> and alterations of their functions, which can cause damage to lipids, proteins, and DNA<\/strong>, and lead to the disruption of vital cellular processes.<\/p>\n In low or moderate amounts, free radicals are necessary for life. If produced in excessive amounts, however, they lead to the disruption of vital processes in cells<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Because free radicals are necessary for life, aw we have said, the body has several mechanisms to minimize the damage they cause when they are in excess and, in general, to protect itself from excessive production. Antioxidants play a key role in these defense mechanisms. An organism is healthy when it can maintain a balance between oxidants and antioxidants, and thus the continuous production of free radicals is balanced by a similar rate of antioxidant consumption. In pathological conditions or metabolic stress<\/strong>, on the contrary, free radicals overload antioxidant systems leading to an imbalance that results in the condition of oxidative stress.<\/p>\n Some external factors that can induce excessive production of free radicals<\/p><\/div>\n Several chronic diseases such as cardiovascular<\/strong> disease, diabetes<\/strong>, neurodegenerative diseases<\/strong>, and cancer<\/strong> have been linked to oxidative stress. It is increasingly evident that the pro-oxidant factors<\/strong>, which can upset the balance of an organism and stimulate excessive production of free radicals include lifestyle<\/strong>, and in particular certain bad habits such as a continuous intake of processed foods<\/strong>, exposure to a wide range of chemical pollutants<\/strong> (both environmental and others: smoking<\/strong>, alcohol<\/strong>, drugs<\/strong>) and lack of exercise<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Lifestyle, poor diet, exposure to chemical pollutants, and lack of exercise are pro-oxidant factors that cause oxidative stress<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Oxidative stress not only causes the onset of certain diseases, but is also directly involved in cellular aging<\/strong> processes. According to some theories, when the level of free radicals is increased,mitochondria<\/strong>undergo an alteration in their functionality that decreases cellular regenerative capacity. Under these conditions, the tissue is said to undergo biological decline<\/strong> and reduce its ability to adapt to stress<\/strong>. At the same time, the increased level of oxidation increases the expression of certain pro-inflammatory genes <\/strong>, which in turn promote oxidation, in a vicious cycle.<\/p>\n Regarding exercise in particular, free radicals are produced during the contraction of muscle fibers. Not only that, they exert numerous direct and indirect effects on muscle activity (in terms of contractility, excitability, metabolism, and calcium homeostasis<\/strong>) and are involved in muscle fatigue during intense exercise. If exercise is done in moderation, however, with low- and medium-intensity workouts that are consistent over time, a positive effect is generated that stimulates the body’s production of antioxidants. In fact, exercise is considered the main treatment among nonpharmacological therapies, appropriately supported by lifestyle changes, and has been shown to be particularly effective in chronic cardiovascular disease. However, if we continually subject our bodies to strenuous, prolonged exercise, which can result in overtraining syndrome<\/strong>, the beneficial effects are reduced and the result will instead be increased oxidative stress.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Many metabolic processes in the body produce free radicals that, under balanced conditions, are neutralized by antioxidants. Some external agents, however, as well as certain habits and diseases, increase the production of free radicals excessively, and generate a state of oxidative stress that is dangerous to health<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":734,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[158],"tags":[159],"class_list":["post-21572","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-en","tag-longevity-science-en"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nA delicate balance<\/h3>\n
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The occurrence of chronic diseases<\/h3>\n
Oxidative stress and aging<\/h3>\n
Lifestyle: sedentariness and exercise<\/h3>\n