Re: Where does Hydrogen Peroxide come from in the Body?

http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/sep99/938519528.Bc.r.html

Hydrogen peroxide is made by quite a few enzymes in the body. In particular, some enzymes breaking down certain amino acids and fatty acids (D-amino acid oxidase and acyl-CoA oxidase) make significant amounts of hydrogen peroxide. Since hydrogen peroxide can be damaging to normal tissue, these enzymes are kept inside specialized organelles inside cells called peroxisomes. The peroxisomes also contain large amounts of catalase to break down the hydrogen peroxide before it can escape. Other enzymes that make significant amounts of hydrogen peroxide are plasma amine oxidase and xanthine oxidase. In addition to enzymes that produce hydrogen peroxide as part of their normal catalytic cycle, many enzymes that undergo oxidation and reduction make hydrogen peroxide and other reactive oxygen species by autoxidation (a kind of side-reaction that is not part of their catalytic cycle). This happens quite a bit in the mitochondria. Many of these autoxidation reactions do not produce hydrogen peroxide directly, but rather superoxide (the product of adding one electron to an oxygen molecule). In order to get rid of superoxide (which is more toxic than hydrogen peroxide) the body also contains lots of superoxide dismutase, that converts the superoxide into water and hydrogen peroxide. One of the most interesting sources of superoxide in the body is that produced by white blood cells when they encounter harmful microorganisms. The white blood cells produce very large amounts of superoxide, hydrogen peroxide, and even hypochlorous acid (household bleach!) to kill the germs, just like in the TV ads.

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Hydrogen peroxide - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_peroxide

Use in alternative medicine

Practitioners of alternative medicine have advocated the use of hydrogen peroxide for the treatment of various conditions, including emphysema, influenza, AIDS and in particular cancer.[53] The practice calls for the daily consumption of hydrogen peroxide, either orally or by injection and is, in general, based around two precepts. First, that hydrogen peroxide is naturally produced by the body to combat infection; and second, that human pathogens (including cancer: See Warburg hypothesis) are anaerobic and cannot survive in oxygen-rich environments. The ingestion or injection of hydrogen peroxide is therefore believed to kill disease by mimicking the immune response in addition to increasing levels of oxygen within the body. This makes it similar to other oxygen-based therapies, such as ozone therapy and hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

Both the effectiveness and safety of hydrogen peroxide therapy is disputed by mainstream scientists. Hydrogen peroxide is produced by the immune system but in a carefully controlled manner. Cells called by phagocytes engulf pathogens and then use hydrogen peroxide to destroy them. The peroxide is toxic to both the cell and the pathogen and so is kept within a special compartment, called a phagosome. Free hydrogen peroxide will damage any tissue it encounters via oxidative stress; a process which also has been proposed as a cause of cancer.[54] Claims that hydrogen peroxide therapy increase cellular levels of oxygen have not been supported. The quantities administered would be expected to provide very little additional oxygen compared to that available from normal respiration. It should also be noted that it is difficult to raise the level of oxygen around cancer cells within a tumour, as the blood supply tends to be poor, a situation known as tumor hypoxia.

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Oxidative stress - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxidative_stress

Oxidative stress reflects an imbalance between the systemic manifestation of reactive oxygen species and a biological system's ability to readily detoxify the reactive intermediates or to repair the resulting damage. Disturbances in the normal redox state of cells can cause toxic effects through the production of peroxides and free radicals that damage all components of the cell, including proteins, lipids, and DNA. Oxidative stress from oxidative metabolism causes base damage, as well as strand breaks in DNA. Base damage is mostly indirect and caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated, e.g. O2? (superoxide radical), OH (hydroxyl radical) and H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide).[1] Further, some reactive oxidative species act as cellular messengers in redox signaling. Thus, oxidative stress can cause disruptions in normal mechanisms of cellular signaling.

In humans, oxidative stress is thought to be involved in the development of Asperger syndrome,[2]ADHD,[3]cancer,[4] Parkinson's disease,[5] Lafora disease,[6] Alzheimer's disease,[7][8] atherosclerosis,[9] heart failure,[10] myocardial infarction,[11][12] fragile X syndrome,[13] Sickle Cell Disease,[14] lichen planus,[15] vitiligo,[16] autism,[17] infection,[18] and chronic fatigue syndrome.[19] However, reactive oxygen species can be beneficial, as they are used by the immune system as a way to attack and kill pathogens.[20] Short-term oxidative stress may also be important in prevention of aging by induction of a process named mitohormesis.[21]

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Chemical and biological effects

Chemically, oxidative stress is associated with increased production of oxidizing species or a significant decrease in the effectiveness of antioxidant defenses, such as glutathione.[22] The effects of oxidative stress depend upon the size of these changes, with a cell being able to overcome small perturbations and regain its original state. However, more severe oxidative stress can cause cell death and even moderate oxidation can trigger apoptosis, while more intense stresses may cause necrosis.[23]

Production of reactive oxygen species is a particularly destructive aspect of oxidative* stress. Such species include free radicals and peroxides. Some of the less reactive of these species (such as superoxide) can be converted by oxidoreduction reactions with transition metals or other redox cycling compounds (including quinones) into more aggressive radical species that can cause extensive cellular damage.[24] Most long-term effects are caused by damage to DNA.[25] DNA damage induced by ionizing radiation is similar to oxidative stress, and these lesions have been implicated in aging and cancer. Biological effects of single-base damage by radiation or oxidation, such as 8-oxoguanine and thymine glycol, have been extensively studied. Recently the focus has shifted to some of the more complex lesions. Tandem DNA lesions are formed at substantial frequency by ionizing radiation and metal-catalyzed H2O2 reactions. Under anoxic conditions, the predominant double-base lesion is a species in which C8 of guanine is linked to the 5-methyl group of an adjacent 3'-thymine (G[8,5- Me]T).[26] Most of these oxygen-derived species are produced at a low level by normal aerobic metabolism. Normal cellular defense mechanisms destroy most of these. Likewise, any damage to cells is constantly repaired. However, under the severe levels of oxidative stress that cause necrosis, the damage causes ATP depletion, preventing controlled apoptotic death and causing the cell to simply fall apart.[27][28]

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Understanding Oxidative Stress and the role of Anti-oxidants

http://www.preventive-health-guide.com/oxidative-stress.html

The world of oxygen, oxidative stress, free radicals, antioxidants, preventing degenerative disease and slowing the aging process.

Oxygen. It's essential to our planet's life force, and the way we breathe, function, and stay healthy. Without it, our organs couldn't function. We wouldn't be able to live. However, oxygen also plays a vital role in the breakdown of our body's functionality - but only if we're not keeping ourselves in balance and free of toxins. Let's see why.

What is oxidative stress?

Oxidative stress, simply put, is the damage made to a cell through the oxidative process.

Oxidation, in itself, is a very normal process - it happens all the time to our bodies and many things that surround us.

However, when there are disturbances in the natural oxidation process, such as the attraction of a free radical to another molecule in your body, the results are often toxic effects.

Imagine an iron pipe lying on the ground. As it weathers years of rain, environmental exposure, sun, and other factors, it begins to rust.

The rust is caused by oxidation. Free oxygen radicals are created during the metabolism of normal oxygen cells, or oxidation. These free radicals are missing a simple electron and are in search of another molecule that they can combine with to become "whole." In their quest, they fire charges that damage other cells and structures around them. This, in turn, causes the rust.

In effect, your body is "rusting" as it goes through its lifetime, the free oxygen radicals wildly running through your system, searching for a mate.

As you can see, the more free radicals your body contains, the more damage that's likely to be done. The best way to see this damage is through our normal aging process.

Oxidative Stress and Aging

While modern medicine has found ways for humans to live longer, our quality of life - especially during the last 30 years - has gone down.

Much of this can be attributed to oxidative stress and the toxins that we're encountering more and more throughout our lives.

A simple way to visually experience the effects of oxidative stress on aging is to visit a nursing home. Compare the skin of a five-year-old to that of a resident, and notice the breakdown, wrinkles, and color as compared to the smooth, supple skin of a child.

Throughout our lives, our skin encounters free radicals in many different forms, and their effect is clearly obvious on our skin.

But oxidative stress isn't only apparent on the outside. It's the cause of many or most diseases our society is concerned with today.

Oxidative Stress and Disease

To date, science has discovered that oxidative stress may very well be the cause of over 70 well-known, widely-spread diseases.

Depending on what form of toxin or stress your body is exposed to on an ongoing basis, you could find yourself suffering, even at an early age, from diseases that could be prevented if only you'd have minimized the harmful free radicals in your system.

Here are just some of the diseases are caused by oxidative stress:

• Heart Disease
• Cancer
• Arthritis
• Lung Disease
• Fibromyalgia
• Diabetes
• Neurodegenerative Diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's
• Autoimmune Diseases
• Eye Diseases like Macular Degeneration

A Look at Free Radicals

Obviously, even back in the early days of man, free radicals existed and caused oxidative stress.

They're inherent to life and a normal byproduct of regular oxygen molecule metabolism. However, our bodies were only made to withstand so much exposure to free radicals (even though our body does an amazing job at neutralizing them in a normal, low-toxin setting).

The increased and prolonged exposure to these wild and reckless free radicals cause a faster build-up of "rust" or disease in our bodies.

So what are some of the most common reasons our bodies' oxygen molecules oxidize themselves into an increased amount of free radicals? Some of them you're probably well aware of, and some of them may come as a surprise.

• Environmental and Air Pollution
• Cigarette Smoking
• Excess Stress
• Prescription and Over-the-Counter Medications
• Radiation
• Excessive Exercise
• Increased Exposure to Sunlight

The Heroic Role of Antioxidants

The key ingredient, by far, to reducing the amount of free radicals in your system is antioxidants. Antioxidants are fantastic little substances that wander through your body, giving up an electron to the greedy free radicals charging through your system. They neutralize the free radicals and allow your body to do its business of excreting them safely and without harm.

Our bodies already make several different types of antioxidants all on their own. But as our exposure to harmful free radicals in the environment and through our lifestyles increase, our need for outside supplies of antioxidants is vital in the war against aging and degenerative disease.

While a good supply of antioxidants come from natural sources like healthy food, we also need to supplement those sources.

Increasingly, our food supply is being degraded through harmful growing practices and soil depletion, and can no longer be relied upon to protect us from the oxidative stress all around us.

With a healthy supply of free-radical-neutralizing antioxidants, you can see how our bodies are better able to withstand and ward off the "rusting" for decades longer than we currently do.

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What are antioxidants and what are their benefits?

http://www.preventive-health-guide.com/antioxidants.html

Getting natural benefits of antioxidants

Antioxidants: popular for last 10 years!

Around a decade ago, scientists at Harvard University made an amazing discovery.

They found that people who ate more fruit and vegetables didn’t seem to suffer from cardiovascular disease, cancer and other serious illnesses, as much as those who had a less healthy diet. Not only that, but they did some experiments, and revealed that fruit and veg contain potent chemicals called antioxidants, which were probably the mysterious life-saving ingredient.

Antioxidants became hugely popular as a result, especially in supplement form, and millions of people began taking them in the hope of warding off disease.

Then, just as suddenly, a few years ago antioxidants suffered a fall from grace. Some scientists started wondering whether they had the same positive effects inside the body as they do in test tubes, and it sparked off an international debate.

Antioxidants - getting scientists exited

It’s a particularly exciting arena of research for scientists, because the potential health benefits of antioxidants are huge.

A great deal of time and money is being invested in trials and studies on them, and we should soon have a more exact picture of how they work. In the meantime, it’s still good news: many doctors have come out in support of antioxidants, especially with regard to their effects on heart health and degenerative disease.

So what exactly are they?

Antioxidants are basically the super-heroes of the body’s internal cleaning team.

They neutralise free radicals which are the unstable oxidized particles produced during the course of normal metabolism, and from toxins in pollution, food and smoking. Without the requisite army of antioxidants in the body, free radicals would ravage the tissues, causing it to age quickly and develop a host of unpleasant health conditions.

Where can I find them?

Some of the most powerful antioxidants are those you’ve probably already heard about:

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is especially important for the adrenal glands and for the production of collagen. It also plays a key role in brain function, and producing energy in the body’s cells. Recent research also seems to show that it may affect blood cholesterol levels.

As a free-radical buster, vitamin C is hard to beat. Even in small quantities, it protects the body from oxidative damage. It might also be able to regenerate other vitamins such as vitamin E.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is often used in skin creams because it may help skin heal and reduce scarring after injuries such as burns.

Vitamin E saves the body’s fats from oxidization by free radicals and stops them turning into “bad” cholesterol that causes clogged arteries and cardiovascular disease.

Bioflavonoids

Flavonoids (or bioflavonoids) give plants their yellow, red or blue colours and are found in high quantities in certain fruits, herbs and vegetables, such as green tea (Camellia sinensis), and citrus fruits.

They’re often called “nature’s biological response modifiers” because they help us react appropriately to viruses, carcinogens and allergens, by giving a boost to the immune system.

Coenzyme Q10

CoQ10 is a natural chemical compound that we make in our bodies and consume in oily fish, organ meats, and whole grains. It’s a major player in the body’s energy production system, and contributes to vital activities such as muscle contraction and production of protein.

CoQ10 can help you fight fatigue, lose weight, and strengthen your immune system.

Carotenoids

Beta-carotene and lycopene, among other carotenoids, are another type of plant pigment, giving carrots their characteristic orange colour, for example, and making tomatoes red.

There are several dozen carotenoids in the foods that we eat, mainly in fruit and vegetables, and most of these carotenoids have antioxidant activity (lycopene is probably the most potent kind).

We all know that carrots are good for the eyesight, and that’s because of their beta-carotene content. But did you know that tomatoes help reduce the incidence of prostate cancer? Lutein is one of the carotenoid xanthophylls (yellow pigments) found in spinach, and is also great for the eyes as well as helping to prevent lung cancer.

Yet another kind of yellow pigment also wards off disease:

Turmeric extract

It comes from the roots of the turmeric plant and can be used to treat Alzheimer's disease, memory problems, arthritis and cancer.

Vitamin B

The B vitamins are eight water-soluble vitamins that are important for cell metabolism, and promote cell growth and division. They also maintain muscles and skin, improve the immune system and nervous system. Together, they help ward off stress, depression and cardiovascular disease.

Folic acid

Folic acid and folate (the anion form) are forms of the water-soluble Vitamin B9 found in leaf vegetables, peas, fortified cereal, sunflower seeds and liver. They’re necessary for the production and maintenance of new cells, especially during childhood and pregnancy. Folate is required for making DNA and preventing aneamia and even cancer.

Alpha-lipoic acid

This is the newest kid on the antioxidant block. It helps the body turn carbohydrates into energy, It can also reduce the problems associated with diabetes, as well as brain diseases including Parkinson’s disease and epilespy, and may additionally help HIV sufferers keep their antioxidant levels from dropping.

To be sure of getting the correct dose of antioxidants, make sure you consume at least five largish portions of various fruit and vegetables every day. In addition, you can boost that intake with a high-quality supplement and increase your chances of achieving an optimal level of health.