How Stress Causes Disease, Part 3

Posted by Horton Tatarian, research biochemist, on 25th May 2015

How Stress Causes Disease, Part 3

Part 1 introduced the concepts of stress, oxidative stress, and oxidative damage.

Part 2 linked oxidative damage to symptoms of anxiety, depression, fatigue, forgetfulness, and the pandemic degenerative diseases of societies exposed to toxic chemicals and inferior foods.

Now we look more closely at the meaning of three terms: Biochemistry, Oxidation, and Oxidative Stress.

  • Biochemistry: the chemistry of life. Biochemistry is about the chemistry inside of you as opposed to the chemistry that occurs outside of living things.
  • Oxidation: the loss of electrons. Oxidation is the removal of electrons from one or more molecules by others that have a stronger attractive force on those electrons.
  • Oxidative Stress: oxidative pressure or force. Oxidative stress (stress caused by oxidation) is the pressure or demand on your cell’s supply of electrons, your antioxidant reserve. 

To understand the nature of oxidative stress and how to deal with it, let's look into the biochemistry of oxidative stress in HEALTHY cells. The story of oxidative stress begins with the digestion of food. Your digestive system breaks down molecules from the food you eat to provide the matter and energy that it and every other part of your body requires to function. Molecules from food, such as triglycerides, provide the components that your cells use for growth, repair, and energy. (Triglycerides are the main constituents of natural fats and oils.)

Enzymes in your cell's fluid, the cytosol, further digest the molecules from your foods by breaking them down into smaller ones. Many of these smaller molecules enter your mitochondria.

Mitochondria are your cell's energy factories. These organelles (organs of your cell) oxidize the incoming molecules in a controlled burn to produce ATP, your cell's primary energy molecule, plus heat to keep you warm.

Just as water quenches fire, your mitochondria require a reserve supply of electrons to protect them becoming oxidized by the combustion within them. Your antioxidant reserve of electrons acts like an engine’s cooling system, in which cool water from the radiator circulates to protect the engine. So, just as engines are destroyed without cooling, your mitochondria and other cell parts suffer oxidative damage or destruction without adequate antioxidant reserves.

Thus, just as bones break from inherent weakness or excessive force, cells fail from low antioxidant reserves or overwhelming exposure to oxidizing agents. Oxidative cell damage from excessive oxidative stress is the principal cause of cell and tissue deterioration in the degenerative diseases: Every one of them, from Alzheimer to Systemic Lupus and more.

In the United States, one in two Americans has at least one degenerative disease. However, we now have reason to celebrate: Scientists have identified most causes of damaging oxidative stress and the means to control it.

Findings on oxidative damage point to your need for a healthful diet, moderate regular exercise, and dietary supplements correctly formulated to counter your exposure to oxidizing agents. 

Next:  Part 4

Back to  Part 2Part 1

About Horton Tatarian

Horton Tatarian image

I’m a biochemist who examines scientific findings on health and disease. My degree in biochemistry is from U.C. Berkeley. UCLA School of Medicine granted an M.D. degree in 1974. Since then, independent research prepared me to advise clients on natural ways of self-care.

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