Body’s Balanced Defense
The Body’s Balanced Defense, The Two Sides Of Free Radicals
Free radicals have positive effects required by the body’s immune system
While our bodies have acquired multiple defenses against free radicals, the human body also uses free radicals to support its functions. The immune system uses the cell-damaging properties of free radicals to kill pathogens. A pathogen is any disease-producing agent, especially a virus, bacterium, or other microorganism.
Free radicals can benefit the human body as they can kill pathogens. Free radicals are not always as harmful as attacking healthy body cells. However, they are also required by the immune system for the body’s defense. Immune cells engulf an invading pathogen, such as bacteria; the pathogen is then exposed to free radicals, such as hydrogen peroxide, which destroys the pathogen. Scientific studies also suggest free radicals such as hydrogen peroxide can act as a signaling molecule that calls immune cells to injury sites and aid with tissue repair when the body gets cut.
Free radicals are necessary for many other bodily functions as well. For example, the thyroid gland synthesizes its free radical, hydrogen peroxide, which is required to synthesize thyroid hormone. In addition, reactive oxygen and reactive nitrogen species (free radicals containing nitrogen) interact with proteins in cells to produce signaling molecules. Some free radicals control their synthesis by acting as signaling molecules and regulating cell growth, development, reproduction, death, metabolism, and stress responses. Therefore, everything has two sides; we need a self-balancing body system.
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