Free Radical Theory

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by Paige Marie17 views·Updated Jan 27, 2023
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  1. for our presentation,
  2. we will be discussing a specific theory of aging called the free radical theory.
  3. In order to understand what the free radical theory is,
  4. you must first understand what free radicals are
  5. free radicals are unstable molecules, which means they are missing an electron.
  6. When there is an increased amount of these free radicals in the human body,
  7. they can start to damage cells using oxidation
  8. while also creating mutations within the body's DNA.
  9. This damage can lead to oxidative stress
  10. causing cell and tissue damage.
  11. This theory suggests that aging is caused by
  12. the accumulation of free radical damage over time.
  13. Here's an example of a stable molecule on the
  14. left and a free radical molecule on the right.
  15. You can see that the free radical
  16. radical is missing an electron in the pair,
  17. the missing electron and the free radical is the cause
  18. of oxidative stress and damage to the human body.
  19. This is due to the unstable free radicals stealing an electron
  20. from the other stable molecules in the human body.
  21. Free radicals also called reactive oxidative species, or roos,
  22. can progress the aging process since these
  23. unstable electrons can cause damage to proteins,
  24. lipids, macro molecules,
  25. mitochondrial D. N. A. On RNA.
  26. The damage that free radicals can cause can also be called oxidative stress.
  27. The primary cause of aging is the progressive damage
  28. different structures and functions of the human body.
  29. So as free radicals damage structures, it is also progressing the aging process.
  30. Free radicals are associated with many diseases and complications.
  31. Free radicals can break down collagen causing wrinkles, fine lines and dark spots,
  32. which we tend to see as people age.
  33. This is just one example,
  34. but it is also known to cause many chronic health conditions and issues.
  35. A few different causes of free radical damage
  36. to the human body includes smoking pollutants,
  37. stress radiation and different medications being exposed to any of these
  38. will increase the body's exposure to damage from free radicals.
  39. Oxidative stress increases your risk for many chronic health issues.
  40. These include cancer from smoking related oxidative stress,
  41. which causes damage to the tissues in the lungs,
  42. inflammatory diseases like arthritis,
  43. cardiovascular diseases such as heart disease and stroke,
  44. neurological disorders like dementia and Alzheimer's and
  45. various respiratory liver and kidney diseases.
  46. This image helps depict how antioxidants
  47. are beneficial to prevent oxidative stress,
  48. since free radicals are missing an electron,
  49. the antioxidants can donate an electron, which then stabilizes the free radical.
  50. When the free radicals stabilized,
  51. it can no longer cause damage to other cells within the body.
  52. This leads us into some important nursing interventions.
  53. The main nursing interventions include teaching about causes and
  54. effects free radicals can have on the human body.
  55. Nurses should implement care practices that focus on reducing patient stress
  56. when they're staying in the hospital and even at home.
  57. Other important interventions include teaching patients about
  58. the beneficial effects of antioxidants and ensuring they
  59. know what contains antioxidants and how much they
  60. should be consuming on an everyday basis.
  61. They should understand the changes they should make to their diets,
  62. ways of reducing stress and incorporating exercise and
  63. they should quit smoking if they are a smoker
  64. using a teach back method can be helpful to
  65. make sure they know the information they are taught.
  66. Antioxidants are one of the most important aspects of prevention.
  67. High antioxidant diet or supplementation should be consumed.
  68. This should include lots of fruits, vegetables and nuts,
  69. some food, specifically our berries, broccoli, leafy greens,
  70. citrus fruits, avocado, grapes, dark chocolate and so many more.
  71. You should also increase your intake of vitamins A. C. E.
  72. Selenium and zinc, incorporating spices into your diet.
  73. Can also reduce oxidative stress
  74. such as ginger, rosemary and tumeric
  75. foods. You should limit our high glycemic foods, red meat and alcohol.
  76. Another important aspect of prevention would be cessation of smoking.
  77. If you are a smoker
  78. smoking is known to increase your risk factors
  79. significantly for for a variety of diseases,
  80. smoking actually speeds up the production of free radicals in your body,
  81. which in turn leads to these health issues.
  82. It also reduces essential vitamins in the body that combat these free radicals.
  83. To conclude free radicals can cause a lot of damage to the human body.
  84. Learning how to prevent this can be important for many during the aging process.
  85. Thank you for listening and we hope you learned a
  86. little bit more about the free radical theory of aging