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Understanding

Oxidative Stress

India faces a growing burden of diseases, including heart disease,
lung conditions, and neurological disorders, which may be
attributed to India's excessive air pollution.

A major factor in these health issues is OXIDATIVE STRESS, the
same process that causes RUST. In a sense, Oxidative Stress causes
your body to start RUSTING from the inside and this RUST puts your
health at risk.

When iron or steel is exposed to oxygen and moisture, it reacts to
form a reddish-brown substance called rust, which is primarily
composed of iron oxide. This is a typical case of oxidation leading to
the destruction of metal items such as tools, vehicles, and
structures.

A similar destruction caused by Oxidation, happens inside your
body, when it is subject to Oxidative Stress.

Oxidative stress is an imbalance in the body where there are
too many Oxidants (Free Radicals) and not enough
Antioxidants to neutralize them, leading to cellular damage
causing cellular deterioration, which is responsible for several
chronic and degenerative diseases in the human body.

Oxidative stress can damage DNA, proteins, and lipids, leading to
cellular dysfunction and potentially cell death and cell senescence.
It can trigger inflammatory responses, further contributing to
tissue damage.

Repeated and increasing exposure to pollutants leads to
accumulation of Oxidative Stress which increases the damage and
accelerates its affects on the body. There are over 200 chronic
diseases in peer-reviewed scientific studies linked to oxidative
stress.

It is thought to play a role in the ageing process by contributing to
Telomere length reduction, causing inflammation, and may even
prove fatal in certain cases, irrespective of your age and
sex

FRs or Oxidants are naturally produced in the human body and are
fundamental to life because they are required for many biological
functions, e.g. immune system control and vascular smooth muscle
function. In the body, they also defend against environmental
challenges such as unknown organisms.

However, it becomes damaging if too much of these oxidants exist
by overproduction, lower depletion, inhalation of pollutants, etc.
They could cause damage to DNA and proteins, lipid peroxidation,
and enzymes oxidation.

The body has antioxidants, such as those in lung fluids, to neutralize
excess oxidants such as free radicals produced from inhaled
pollutants like ozone.

Effectively, the human body functions by maintaining a fine
balance between the Oxidant and Anti Oxidant Levels. Thus, it is
important to have a balance between oxidants and antioxidants
such that tissues that are damaged, as a result of oxidant based
defences, are repaired

When this balance tips in the favour of Oxidants, the body's
defense systems are overwhelmed and oxidative stress occurs,
contributing to cell death which leads to tissue damage and
diseases.

In polluted air, the ambient aerosol particles can represent a source
of both Exogenous and Endogenous oxidants.

These oxidants are generally reactive oxygen species (ROS),
chemical constituents with Oxygen atoms that are highly reactive
in the ambient air. ROS can be constituents of the particles or
formed by in situ reactions with the particle after it is deposited in
the lungs

In India, where air pollution levels are high (e.g., Delhi's PM2.5 often
exceeds 500 ug/m3 , far above WHO's 5 ug/m limit), pollution
induced oxidative stress can occur through reactions such as high
Ozone levels combine with Monoterpenes, a class of organic
compounds, found predominantly in plants, algae, and fungi,
resulting in formation of Secondary Organic Aerosols (SOA) which

Reducing Oxidative
Stress

EXPLORE ➜

How Air Pollution Causes
Oxidative Stress

EXPLORE ➜