Oxidative Stress and Its Role in Disease Development

Oxidative stress arises from a delicate imbalance between the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the body’s antioxidant defenses, which together play a complex role in cellular health and disease. Oxygen, essential for ATP production in cellular respiration, paradoxically generates ROS as byproducts that, if unregulated, can damage DNA, proteins, and lipids, undermining cellular integrity. In healthy cells, low ROS levels serve as vital signaling molecules, modulating various cellular processes. However, when ROS production surpasses the cell's antioxidant capacity—a common occurrence due to aging, environmental factors, or disease—the result is oxidative stress, which can drive pathogenesis in numerous conditions such as neurodegenerative disorders, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and autoimmune diseases.