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What Are the Causes of Oxidative Stress?

There is an ever-increasing level of stress awareness as evidenced by the fact that stress combatants and services are worth approximately $14 billion in the United States alone. Oxidative stress exists as an inadequacy between the production of reactive oxygen types and an individual biologic system's capability to detoxify these or repair any subsequent damage. This imbalance can produce toxic effects within the body and can damage all the single aspects of a cell, including its protein, lipids and DNA.

  1. Dietary Factors

    • Dietary factors are one of the primary causes of oxidative stress in the human body. It is culpable when there is a surfeit of an oxidative presence or a deficit in the supply of nutrition through the body. Vitamins E and C are crucial in strengthening the antioxidant network, so these are an important dietary requirement in fighting oxidative stress. A moderate intake of nutrient sources, such as tea, cocoa or wine, also reduces the vulnerability of LDL lipids within the cell to oxidation, thus minimizing the threat of oxidative stress

    Excessive Exercise

    • The over production of free radicals, which evolve from the loss of a single electron from a molecule, is a key cause of oxidative stress. Exercise produces and releases free radicals into the body, so an emphasis on over exercise will create a surfeit. These, if not stemmed with antioxidants, can damage the cells and DNA structure to induce various ailments and cause a multitude of health issues. Oxidative stress can evolve from this process and in extreme cases can be a contributing factor toward cancer.

    Glycation

    • Glycation occurs when a sugar molecule such as glucos becomes attached to the protein of a lipid molecule within a cell. This process can trigger Advanced Glycation End Product, which is a series of chemical reactions that can induce oxidative stress and other health complications. Many cells in the body carry the receptor of AGEs, thus making them susceptible to manipulation and damage to the lipid molecules. This leaves them more at risk of oxidation and oxidative stress.

    Medications and Treatments

    • Many drugs and medicines contain toxins that can affect certain processes that trigger oxidative stress. They can, in some instances, inhibit DNA functionality or the production of enzymes, factions which are crucial in the steps of glycolysis and oxidation. The restriction of these activities may also produce an excess quantity of free radicals through a paucity of anti-oxidants. Therefore, prescribed medicines are a common source for the development of oxidative stress.

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