Oxidant-Antioxidant Balance in Smokers - Essay Example

i ANTIOXIDANTS AND SMOKERS Introduction The body has an enormous amount of cells that deal with different functions to enhance the normal functioning of the body. The many cells normally work when there are conditions that favor a healthy environment. The functions are hindered when there are cells called free radicals (Halliwell and Poulsen, 2006). Most smokers passively and actively take in toxins that affect the functioning of the cells. In the body of any person or organism, there are oxidants and antioxidants, which are contrary to one another. Antioxidants are beneficial to the body while oxidants are mostly harmful to the body. Oxidants include free radicals, which are found freely in nature, and even the air that people breathe. The body has a way of suppressing the free radicals by the various antioxidants that are found in the diet (Bloomer, 2007). The body maintains the radicals at a safe level and ensures that they do not affect the other cells in the body. An increased intake of free radical prompts, and increases stress on the neighboring cells and in such cases, the cells change in functions due to the effect the free radicals have on cells. The paper is going to delve further on how the antioxidants affect smokers. The paper will look into free radicals and the antioxidant reactions that take place in the body. The free radicals have proven to a problem in the body, and various solutions are the use of oxidants. The radicals deal a significant blow to the health of a cell and eventually the body as a whole. The free radicals are produced because of the boy undergoing the process of respiration where food is converted into simpler products like glucose among other by-products (Packer and Glazer, 2010). Some of the radicals are found in the tobacco smoke, which enters the body through inhalation. Smokers usually consume a lot of smoke, which leads to an increase in free radicals in the body not to defend itself well against the radicals and, therefore, gives in resulting in the incidence of other diseases. As a result, the free radicals come out as byproducts of the conversion of food to energy. Some foods contain them and to some extent the air that we breath. Other radicals are formed from a reaction of the body due to sunlight’s effect on the eyes and skin. Smokers are at a significant risk of getting various diseases related to tobacco, and it is the toxins. The conditions range from cancer, which affects the lungs and heart diseases, which include coronary heart disease (Agler, 2010). The gas that emanates from smoke contains free radicals together with nitric oxide. Smokers inhale dangerous toxins in tobacco that are harmful to the body. Some of the constituents of the smoke are oxidants. The oxidants react with the respiratory lining and glycoproteins in the respiratory tract. Free radicals react with DNA and the break the strand forming the DNA. The reaction leads to carcinogenesis. The oxidative stress produces changes in roles especially in the gene expressions. The effect on the genetic pattern of a person has grave consequences, which increase the risks of deformation in cells as they end up forming abnormally. The free radicals are not the same and come in various chemical formations, shapes, and sizes. They are electron hungry and try as much as possible to get particles from other cells thus damaging or destroying them (Lynch et al., 2014). The free radicals cause severe changes to the cells whereby they change their functions. Antioxidants have been purposely used to fight the free radicals in the body. The antioxidants are found in various foods and when taken to increase the defense against the free radicals. Vitamins are a source of antioxidants that react with the free radicals to reduce them. They act as proton donors and, therefore, provide an avenue where radicals get electrons easily from them. The various vitamins that act as sources of antioxidants are Beta-Carotene, vitamin E and vitamin C. Vitamin C is found in mainly fruits and green vegetables among many others (Guarnieri, 2008). Many smokers have either defined or changed metabolism and absorption due to the effect of the free radicals and other toxins absorbed from the smoke. The smoke taken in continually enhances the various changes that affect the absorption of vitamin C and the resultant production release of the antioxidants by the fruits and vegetables ingested. Beta Carotene can be found in red fruits and vegetables in addition to various white and green vegetables like broccoli, squash, spinach, butter, milk, egg York and liver. Vitamin E is found whole grains, fish oils, vegetables, seeds and nuts among many others (Samira et al., 2013). Various studies have shown that smoking causes the formation of free radicals in the body of the smoker. Tobacco has chemicals that when ingested or inhaled into the body lead to the formation of free radicals (Bloomer, 2007). The radicals usually cause a lot of stress to the body and, as a result, weaken the body’s immune system. The radicals often lack electrons and move freely through the body. They are unstable molecules that look for electrons and, therefore, oxidize cells and make them unhealthy. The damage caused by the cells in removing electrons from healthy cells is called oxidative stress (Nafeeza, 2005). Antioxidants have been known to deal with the free radicals and eliminate them. The body, therefore, produces various antioxidants from foods consumed by a person. The antioxidants boost the defense against the free radical and seek to remove them from the body before they cause any damage. The diet of smokers does not have enough antioxidants to deal with the free radicals from the tobacco smoke, and if they do not supplement their diet, the radicals take on the defense systems and weaken it. Therefore, smoking makes people capable of contracting cancer because they smoke and ingest toxins from tobacco, which produces free radicals that fight the body and weaken the defense system. People who smoke are prone to many diseases. Some of the complications they get are cancer. Cancer has various drawbacks in that it causes premature cell growth and makes the health of a person deteriorate after some time. Cancer is an aftermath of continuous smoking over many years. The cancer affects various regions of a person’s body and in some instances may cause death. Numerous studies have shown that antioxidants have dealt a significant blow to cancer producing cells called free radicals. The free radicals can forms cells prematurely and cause various growths in the body. A recent study has shown that antioxidants tend to increase cancer in patients as exhibited by the experiments carried out on mice. Some mice were given antioxidants while the others were not given. The mice, which were given antioxidants, showed increased growth of tumors and eventual death. Therefore, the case can be related to smokers who have cancer and take antioxidants (Spitale, 2013). The antioxidants have the effect of increasing the cancer in them causing them to succumb to the disease. The antioxidants are detrimental to the health of smokers since they cause the cancer to grow and, as a result, they end up worsening the condition of the patient. One of the most popular antioxidants is glutathione. It is very crucial for the normal functioning of the lung and its integrity. Cigarette smoke affects the antioxidants by depleting it. The various toxins, therefore, reduce and deplete the antioxidant as most of it is removed through the various toxins in the smoke (Bentley, 2010). N-acetyl Cysteine is a protein that revitalizes the amounts of glutathione. A chemical can be taken in doses to help in the control of cancer. Green tea is another oxidant that tis crucial in dealing with the free radicals. Some other compounds, which occur naturally, help the body to boost its defense against free radicals. The defense is increased to prevent the incidence of cardiovascular illnesses. They include garlic, red wine, lipoid acid and taurine among many others. Heavy smokers have found that using antioxidants over long period consistently significantly reduces the free radicals in the body by a significant amount. The more extended amount of time they take in using the antioxidants reduces the cancer incidence primarily. Men have had positive results when using antioxidants over a longer period especially in the control of prostate cancer. The prostate thus reduced when the subjects took antioxidants. Conclusion Smokers inhale a lot of smoke that depletes the antioxidants in the body. Antioxidants help the body considerably since they ensure that there are control free radicals. The unhealthy cells lead to the development of cancer. Antioxidants are found in various foods, which produce the antioxidants that lessen the amount of free radicals in the body. Smokers are therefore at a significant risk of getting cancer due to the increased frequency of smoking and the free radicals taken into the body. Antioxidants, therefore, help to reduce free radicals and promote a healthy environment if made in the required quantities. Antioxidants on one hand help in reducing free radicals while on the other hand as studies have revealed are not good for the body. References HALLIWELL, B., & POULSEN, H. E. (2006). Cigarette smoke and oxidative stress. Springer E-Books. Berlin, Springer. http://public.eblib.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=301927 BENTLEY, A. R. (2010). Oxidant-antioxidant balance and lung outcomes the role of nutrition, genetic susceptibility, and cigarette smoking. PACKER, L., & GLAZER, A. N. (1990). Oxygen radicals in biological systems. Part B, Part B. San Diego, Academic Press. AGLER, A. H. (2011). Antioxidant interventions and pulmonary outcomes the impact of nutrition and gene expression on the lung. Thesis (Ph.D.)--Cornell University, May, 2011. LYNCH, A., ELMORE, B., & KOTECKI, J. E. (2014). Health: making choices for life. NAFEEZA MOHD. ISMAIL, ASMA HARUN, AHMAD ASMADI YUSOF, ZAITON Z, AND ALINI MARZUKI. (2005). Role Of Vitamin E On Oxidative Stress In Smokers. 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