The popular dialogue from Iron Man 2 Movie “Unfortunately the thing that’s keeping you alive is also killing you” is not confined to Tony Stark and his hi-tech pallidum core artifitial heart.This is something that is happening with us everyday!

Oxygen is what keeps us alive.Everyone knows that without it,we would die in moments.We are accustomed to laud the properties of this life giving element.But what we do not know is that Oxygen can break down the very cells that make up our tissues and organs,blood and bones which is pretty much the entire body.It can even damage our DNA and critical enzymes.

But the question that arises is -“If Oxygen is dangerous then how are we still alive?”That is because Oxygen is a not an instant killer.Owing to some defense mechanisms of our body,it takes some time to complete it’s task.The time it takes would be the life span of a person who dies due to ageing.

How does Oxygen kill us?

The process of producing energy i.e metabolism takes place in mitochondria which as we all know is the powerhouse of a cell.When during the process oxygen reacts with our food to release energy it also ends up releasing free radicals along with the energy.These free radicals as the name suggests are completely free to wreck havoc on your vital body systems by reacting with and oxidizing your cells.

Is oxidization bad?

Well pretty much yes because it the same process that causes metals to corrode.It can cause iron to rust and causes your body to age.The process may damage even some of the vital components such as DNA,membranes or enzymes.

What can be do about it?

If you are not a yogi who can hold their breath for an insane amount of time,pretty much nothing.It is actually a choice between

1.Not breathing and dying instantly and

2.Trying to take in only as much air as required and allowing the body to gradually age

Of which my personal favorite is the latter choice!

Impact on Medical Treatment

Doctors routinely treat severe events such as a heart stroke by providing victims with oxygen.But new studies have shown that resuscitating with too much of the gas may actually have a harmful effect. The culprit in brain damage may not be a lack of oxygen but rather its reintroduction into the body as treating with too much oxygen increases production of free radicals making a bad situation even worse.

To avoid this reducing patient’s body temperature thus decreasing the need for oxygen may be looked upon as a viable alternative treatment in years to come.