Breath of Fire

‘The free radicals inside me are freakin', man!’ Jip ~ Human Traffic (1999)

In the previous article in this series on ageing, I introduced the emerging science of Telomeres and their integral role in the ageing process. I also stated that there were a few currently known causes of Telomere shortening. In order to achieve healthy longevity, you’re going to need to plan your journey to avoid the major pitfalls. The principle source of jeopardy in this Odyssey of Life is Oxidation.

Oxidation is a double edged sword. This sword in untrained hands can cause much unwanted destruction, even to the holder. But the same sword wielded by a skilful Gladiator can be used with crucial precision.

Oxidation is essential for life, a process we should seek to maximise. Unharnessed, however, it can snuff you out rapidly. Let’s have a brief look at this process, so we have a better vantage point to plan our route.

Oxygen is an essential part of the majority of your energy systems. As I explained in the ‘Lies to Adults’ article, the universal energy currency of your body is adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP), which is one molecule of adenosine attached to three phosphate molecules by a high energy bond. It is in this bond that the captured energy of the sun is stored. When the body requires energy for any process, a signal is sent to instruct a phosphate group to fire off of ATP, releasing the stored energy. We are then left with a chemical called adenosine di-phosphate (ADP). This needs to be ‘recharged’ into ATP, by re-attaching a phosphate, in order for the energy cycle to continue.

We have a few ways of achieving this, but we’ll keep it simple, and just focus on the process most relevant to our discussion. This process is the aerobic system that uses glucose/ glycogen and fat as a fuel source. The process of using glucose and fat to recharge ATP occurs by oxidation. As the name implies this is achieved with the use of oxygen. Approximately 95% of this process is an almost perfect system, producing minimal ‘waste’ products. These ‘waste’ products are either recycled by the body to generate beneficial substances or are fairly easily excreted by the body with minimal fuss.

The remaining 5%, however, is as dirty as a politician. Like the analogous politician this process is less disciplined and generates a lot of waste and collateral damage. When molecules of oxygen become unstable and escape the energy system, they become what are known as a ‘free radical’. These volatile free radicals are like a bull in china shop, although instead of simply breaking fine porcelain, they cause unwanted chemical reactions that damage you.

You will have seen this process occurring every day. Cut open an apple and within minutes it will have begun to brown. This is a result of oxidation. Ever wondered why the Statue of Liberty is green? Oxidation. The Statue of liberty like your central heating pipes is made of copper; the oxidation of the copper skin has formed a green patina that is now the recognisable exterior of this famous monument. It’s a pervasive corrosive process that we have to encounter daily.

To explain how free radicals do their damage, we have to very gently touch on a smidgeon of chemistry, I’ll attempt to keep the touch light. Each stable atom in your body has a field of electrons smeared around its nucleus. It’s easiest to imagine them as opposing pairs that balance each other in a sort of electromagnetic see-saw.

In this balanced scenario, the electrons can enjoy the ride, at the same time as fulfilling very important functions. Free radicals, however, disturb this merry jaunt. When an atom gains or loses an electron, its electromagnetic charge becomes unbalanced. Imagine being on a see-saw (an atom) and your partner (an electron) is suddenly removed or another person joins them. You’re either going to come down to earth with a bump or alternatively be propelled off of the see-saw up into the ether. To stop the see-saw from becoming unbalanced, you have two options, you can ask a partner to join you from another see-saw, or try to throw one of your partners onto another see-saw. This then upsets the balance of that see-saw, who has to go through the same process to avoid being unbalanced. This then sets up a chain reaction of imbalance throughout the entire playground.

This chain reaction causes damage throughout the body, especially structures that are easily oxidised (see-saws that are easily unbalanced). One of these structures is Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA), the blueprint of ‘you’. Especially oxidisable is the Telomere portion of the DNA strand, due to its high proportion of Guanine. Remember that telomeres end in about 300 repeats of the Guanine subunit. This oxidation shortens the Telomere. Shortened Telomeres, as we know, are bad news.

So, we process the majority of our energy using oxygen, but this same process is slowly cooking us from the inside, essentially burning the wick of our Life candle (Telomeres). Why would Nature settle upon this system? Well, without this imbalance nothing would happen. Try walking without unbalancing yourself, it doesn’t happen, you can’t move from the spot. The key is controlling the imbalance. And Nature, ever the gift bearer, has provided us with a means to maintain just the right level of imbalance.

The balancing pole provided for our tightrope walk through life is a group of molecules called ‘Antioxidants’. In the next article we’ll look at the science of these balancing poles and how they enable our candle wick to hold the flame of Life.