What could have damaged this cell?
Worse: What could have damaged this cell's DNA?

The "blue prints of life" are called genetic code. Genetic code resides in the cell's DNA, or deoxyribo-nucleic acid. Normally, the cell's chromosomes (which contain the DNA) are well protected by histones and other macromolecules. Some environmental agents can overwhelm the cell and damage its DNA.

When DNA damage occurs, the body's DNA repair system goes to work. The DNA repair system self corrects, self repairs tissue, one cell at a time. NADH has been found to play an active, positive role in the DNA repair process.

Definition of DNA:
DNA is nucleic acid that carries the genetic information in the cell and is capable of self-replication and synthesis of RNA. DNA consists of two long chains of nucleotides twisted into a double helix. The helix pairs are bonded together by hydrogen. The bonds occur between complementary bases of:

• adenine and thymine
• cytosine and guanine.

The sequence of nucleotides determines individual hereditary characteristics.

It is of the utmost importance that this genetic material remains unaltered in order to guarantee that after cell division, the next generation of cells are identical to their parent cells. If the DNA is altered by outside physical or chemical agents, the newly developing children cells may be different from their parent cells and may not function correctly.

Environmental toxins:
The world's chemical industry produces more than 20,000 new chemical compounds every year. Often these chemicals are developed without fully knowing how potentially toxic they may be. They are marketed in a variety of ways, pure or contained with other chemicals. Human beings are exposed to these new chemicals to an increasing extent without realizing their toxic potential.

Some new chemicals can be harmful toxins. Some harmful toxins react with our chromosomes' DNA. When DNA is damaged by one of these chemical agents the genetic material is altered. Replication of altered, defective DNA causes changed features in the next cell division. The greater the DNA damage, the more extensive the alterations in the next generation of cells and tissue.

Genetic damage is the biochemical basis for a number of neuro degenerative diseases, like Parkinson's. Genetic damage is also the biochemical basis for a number of chronic diseases.

It may take years from the initial exposure before any of the diseases make themselves known to the body. The length or exposure, each person's individual makeup, an individual's DNA repair system, and the long time frames make it difficult to point to a "cause and effect" relationship.

In order to avoid the fatal consequences of DNA damage, human body has developed a system which is able to repair alterations of its genetic material. This system is called the DNA repair system. NADH has been found to play an active, positive role in the DNA repair process. Clinical studies have shown the higher the levels of NADH the better the DNA repair mechanism works.

Identifying the damaging DNA agents:
Medical science has identified many environmental agents that can damage the cell's DNA. In the last 20 years, most of the new environmental toxins seem to be chemicals found around the home and at work. Clinical studies have also found that some antibiotics and some anti-inflammatory medications damage a cell's DNA. Public water companies constantly test their water supplies for heavy metals. Heavy metals found in food and water damage a cell's DNA.

For our readers, who want it in scientific terms:
Current models for neuro-degenerative diseases involving oxidative stress use toxins specific for particular brain regions. These toxins lead to DNA damage, and to cell death. The oxidative form of NADH plays a central part in DNA repair. The repair enzyme uses the oxidized form of NADH as substrate. This process causes a depletion of NADH and of ATP simultaneously. ATP depletion is believed to be one of the most critical factors leading to necrosis or apoptosis. The higher the levels of NADH the better the DNA repair mechanism works. In addition it prevents cells from ATP depletion, and may stimulate important metabolic pathways such as glycolysis and the hexose monophosphate shunt.

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