Oxygen is Killing You

Ahhhh, breathe in that fresh air. Doesn't that feel great? Everybody knows that you need air to survive, however, it is also killing you.

Currently, our atmosphere is made up of 21% oxygen, 78% nitrogen, and 1% other gases such as argon and carbon dioxide. However, every living thing on the planet needs that 20% of oxygen to survive. Oxygen is extracted from the air in our lungs which is then carried to our cells in the process of cellular respiration. This is how our body changes the food that we eat into the energy our cells need to do what they do. Unfortunately, oxygen also has a dangerous side. If you have ever seen how an apple turns brown after being left alone outside for too long or if you have seen rust, then you have seen the effects of oxygen.

This is what happens when oxygen mixes with the metals or apple flesh and breaks down the molecules in a process called oxidation. You see, oxygen is a greedy little atom that follows the octet rule. This means that the atom wants 8 electrons, but, the problem is, oxygen only has 6. Usually the oxygen atom will pair with two hydrogen atoms and make H2O, which is water. However, sometimes, the oxygen atom may only pair up with one hydrogen atom, which means that it only has 7 electrons. This makes the oxygen atom very chemically reactive to almost every substance. The oxygen atom is then called a free radical. It will try to pair up with the fats in your skin, the proteins in your cells, and even your DNA. When it does this, the free radical will change the chemical composition of these molecules, and, in most cases, damaging them. 

Pretty much, oxygen is rusting you from the inside out. The term for the wear and tear of cells by free radicals is called oxidative stress. Some scientist think this an important factor in our bodies aging. Fortunately for us, our body has developed ways to keep oxidative stress to a minimum by producing antioxidants, hence the name. These antioxidants help protect our bodies by bonding to the free radicals so that those free radical will not have to tear apart your cells. In a way, these antioxidant molecules sacrifice themselves for the good of your body. So remember, every time you take a deep breath, you are keeping yourself alive, but at the same time killing yourself.

Sources:

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-oxidation.htm

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19426012.000-oxygen--the-breath-of-life.html

http://www.vivo.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/misc_topics/radicals.html