Doctors will tell you about the numerous risk factors for chronic health conditions with little information on the underlying cause.  Oxidative stress may be the cause of multiple chronic health conditions including heart disease, Type 2 Diabetes, and more.  Let’s learn more about the six types of oxidative stress that impact your health in 2021.

Six Types of Oxidative Stress

There are six types of Oxidative Stress that impact the human body.  Smoking tobacco contributes ROS and toxic compounds that diffuse into the arterial capillary network of the lungs and back to the heart.  Alcoholism can generate ROS for short periods that increase the Oxidative Stress level in the Pulmonary Artery.  Regular yogurt consumption may also generate Oxidative Stress that is available in the Pulmonary Artery for short periods.  Your body generates low levels of antioxidants to neutralize some ROS.  Your lungs clear any ROS generated from alcohol or yogurt consumption.  Blood Oxidative Stress or BLOS is the more common and dangerous type of Oxidative Stress.  Let’s learn more about the six types of Oxidative Stress.

Blood Oxidative Stress

About 2/3 of adult Americans have Blood Oxidative Stress or BLOS.  For BLOS, a large fraction of the White Blood Cells and platelets produce high rates of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), such as hydrogen peroxide.  BLOS isn’t normal and the Western Diet is thought to be the primary cause of BLOS.  Higher BLOS levels may be the cause of several chronic diseases including Type 2 Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease.  Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) is a group of compounds associated with Oxidative Stress.  These ROS molecules alter expression profiles (enzyme production) and damage DNA.  The most common ROS molecule is hydrogen peroxide.  The figure below describes how BLOS affects the entire human body.  The lungs clear all oxidative stress from the blood, but BLOS will gradually increase plasma ROS.  In the figure below, the lowest plasma ROS concentration will be in the Pulmonary Vein and left side of the Heart.

Smoking Affects Oxidative Stress in Two Ways

The human body generates low levels of the antioxidant glutathione and sulfide.  Maintaining high levels of plasma sulfide prevents hypertension.  Your lungs clear any excess ROS compounds (ex. hydrogen peroxide) as shown in the figure below.  Low air concentration of ROS compounds (and carbon dioxide) ensure efficient transfer from the blood to the air in the lungs.

The inhalation of tobacco smoke impacts oxidative stress in two unique ways.  First, the smoke contributes ROS and toxic compounds that diffuse the lung capillary network.  These compounds enter into the entire circulatory network.  Reduction in the blood concentration of these compounds occurs after smoking ceases by the lungs.  Second, the smoke in the lungs prevents proper clearing of all ROS compounds.  The clearing of ROS compounds is a function of the difference in concentrations of the blood and lungs.  For non-smoking (healthy) conditions, the lungs function is optimal due to the greatest difference in concentrations.  For smoking conditions, poor clearing of ROS compounds by the lungs results in greater concentration of toxic compounds circulating throughout the body.  Smoking amplifies the effect of all other types of oxidative stress!

Alcohol Consumption

When you consume alcohol over a short period, your liver generates ROS.  This ROS causes damage to the liver.  It may also impact the pancreas by lowering insulin production increasing the risk of pancreatic cancer.  ROS damages DNA, which may cause cancer over time.  It also enters the blood stream via the inferior vena cava.  Elevated ROS concentration in the pulmonary artery puts the LAD Artery at risk for atherosclerosis.

Irritated Skin

Previously, I posted about the importance reducing oxidative stress for proper skin.  Inflammation of the skin can induce oxidative stress, which could be another source of oxidative stress.  Skin oxidative stress impacts the inflamed skin and the venous system from the point of inflammation to the lungs.  Maybe it’s time to invest in a soft water system to reduce skin inflammation caused by hard water?

Yogurt is a Stealth Source of Oxidative Stress

Probiotic cultures in yogurt generate hydrogen peroxided, which could be a source of oxidative stress entering your blood stream.  Growth of these bacteria in your small intestine could make your superior mesenteric vein network, liver, pancreas, and inferior vena cava at risk for several hours per day.

Infection is Rare, But Dangerous

Local and system infections induce the production of oxidative stress.  For several days, your body will generate additional oxidative stress by your white blood cells to fight the infection.  For normal, healthy people, this rare type of oxidative stress is harmless in the long-term.  However, unhealthy people suffering from one or more types of non-infection oxidative stress, this additional type of oxidative stress can lead to life threatening health conditions.  The Covid-19 pandemic is an example of how folks suffering from hypertension, obesity, and type 2 diabetes are more at risk of developing advanced pneumonia and death.

Combinations of Oxidative Stress Are Additive

Two or more types of oxidative stress have an additive impact, which increases your risk for developing chronic health conditions.  This model is superior to the laundry list of risk factors.  Consider reducing your risk of chronic health conditions by reducing or eliminating sources of oxidative stress.

Local Atherosclerosis Starts with LDL Oxidation in the Blood

In general, atherosclerosis only impacts arteries.  This is due to the combination of high blood pressure in the arteries and the small, dense size of low-density lipoproteins (LDL).  The oxidized LDL (oxLDL) particles move to the inner surface of the arteries.  Here they migrate through the endothelium.  Inflammation and the second step of atherosclerosis initiates after the oxLDL migrates through the endothelium.  High-density lipoproteins (HDL) remove LDL particles from the endothelium and recycle them in the liver. HDL provides some antioxidant protection for LDL.  However, HDL has no known role in removing or recycling oxLDL particles.

Primary LDL Oxidation

Although atherosclerosis only impacts arteries, your veins play a role, too.  ROS compounds in venous blood oxidize LDL particles.  This is the first step in atherosclerosis.  The figure below focuses on the role of BLOS in atherosclerosis of the arteries.  However, the first step of ROS oxidizing LDL particles isn’t restricted to the arteries.  In other words, oxidative stress sources, such as yogurt, alcohol, and skin inflammation, may play a role in atherosclerosis.  High concentrations of local oxidative stress and longer contact time increase the rate of LDL oxidation.  Contact time means the time it takes for your blood to move from the oxidative stress source to the lungs.

Secondary LDL Oxidation

Arteries in close proximity to major veins are vulnerable to additional oxidative stress diffusing through the vein and artery walls.  ROS diffusing through the arterial and vein walls may oxidize captive LDL particles that passed through the endothelium of the arterial wall.  This represents a secondary LDL oxidation process that further increases atherosclerosis.  Secondary LDL Oxidation may explain the higher rate of atherosclerosis in the LAD artery of the heart.

Reduce Your Risk of Chronic Health Conditions

Most doctors advise you reduce your smoking, alcohol consumption, and caloric intake to reduce your risk of heart attack and the development of chronic diseases.  A change in diet may reduce your weight, but it is unclear whether you reduce BLOS.  A Urine Oxidative Stress test kit may be helpful in evaluating your dietary changes.  However, this kit will not help you evaluate other life style changes regarding smoking, yogurt consumption, or alcohol consumption.  Why?  Because the lungs remove these types of oxidative stress from the blood.  It never reaches the kidneys, where urine is generated from the blood.

Health Hack for Life

If you are a curious about BLOS and want to learn more, then my eBook, “Let’s Hack Oxidative Stress” may interest you.  I provide more details on my simple strategy for using three lifestyle choices to reduce your Oxidative Stress and improve your health.  I have a collection of eBooks and Paperback Versions that describe general and custom Health Hacks.  The rest of the items needed for your Hack are available through Amazon or your local stores.  However, there is a simpler way to gather up all of the products for  your Hack: Buy an Oxidative Stress Hack Kit from my Store!

Glixin Provides Useful Information to Help You Fight BLOS

We will continue to provide thought provoking Blog Posts on health related issues caused by BLOS.  Consider subscribing to my blog and sharing posts with your family and friends that may suffer from BLOS.  Also check out the new Glixin YouTube Channel.  I will post new videos related to the Glixin Blog.  Keep BLOS out of your Health Blind Spot by learning how to use make better Lifestyle Choices.

As always, read my disclaimer and consult with your physician before making any changes in your diet or fitness regime.

Click on the image below to download our Free Report on the Best Vitamin C Supplement for fighting Oxidative Stress.