The oxygen atmosphere under which we live produces a continuing barrage of oxidative damage to all biomolecules, including lipids, proteins, and DNA. Many techniques now exist that allow the measurement of the oxidative stress status of humans; the techniques are as diverse as blood tests for oxidized lipids, volatile hydrocarbons in breath, and oxidized DNA bases in urine. It is suggested that the more routine use of oxidative stress status measurements could be of significant use in clinical medicine.

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