Aging : Free radical theory

What is free radical?

     Free radical is a molecules with a single or more unpaired electron. Every atom have electron surrounding the outer orbit of the atom. However, for each electron, they must paired with another electron to achieve a stablized state. When a molecules consist an unpaired electron, they are in  finding another electron. Therefore, this kind of molecules is highly reactive. The free radical on the other hand has an extra negative charge. This unbalanced electrical energy tends to make the free radical attach itself to other molecules as it tries to steal a matching electron to attain electrical equilibrium. Some scientist speak of these free radicals as "promiscuous," breaking up the happy marriages of paired electrons in neighboring molecules in order to steal an electron "partner". We call the stabilized molecules as ground state

    
How free radical damages our body?

    Due to the properties of highly reactivity of free radical on stealing electron from other molecules, free radical can break down a lot of biomolecules within our body. IT can be a loose protein, sugar or fat. Destrying these molecules might only does a minor damage to our cell but what if the free radical steal electron from one of the proteins that contain strand of electron? As the chemical structure broke down,  the strand of collagen becomes dysfunctional and loses its elastic quality. This is how skin beginning to sag. Free radicals chip away at cell walls, molecule by molecule, making holes. The cells leak and lose their chemical balances. Subsequent free radicals are able to chip away at DNA, making cells dysfunctional. If this damage affects cellular DNA, the cell may malfunction and this is what happens cell by cell over the lifetime of a human being, ultimately causing entire organs to malfunction, because their cells malfunction. If the DNA of basal keratinocytes, for example, are damaged the cells may become dysfunctional and the basal cells will reproduce cells that are equally as damaged and dysfunctional, resulting in the aging and dysfunction of the skin and its various components. Aging is simply the progression of damage, caused by free radicals.