Ions in the Body: Oxygen

Biological Importance

 Oxygen is a very important element in the human body. Without oxygen a human being would average out to be able to survive only a few minutes. The human body contains approximately 90% of oxygen, (Combi, 2010) it is known that water is what makes up most of the human body, but keep in mind that water contains oxygen. Without oxygen the human body would not be able to do - literally anything. Just from the fact that without oxygen the human brain cannot function can prove this statement.

 Now oxygen goes through different types of cycles within our body in order to keep us alive. The most important process that oxygen goes through is “Respiration”. First off oxygen in taken into the lungs and through membranes in the lungs the oxygen taken in is transferred to the blood stream. Once the oxygen are in the blood cells and travelling along the bloodstream all body tissues (organs, flesh, etc) in need of oxygen have enzymes (protein molecules) which collect the oxygen goes through a process called “Oxidation”. Oxidation is a complex process where oxygen goes through different types of chemical reactions with multiple elements within the body in order to form “energy” to perform tasks (metabolism functions, growth of tissues, digestion etc.) (Oxygen Review, 2010).

 Thus concluding that it is a fact that oxygen is an important element in the human body, without it the body cannot function nor survive.

Daily Minimum Requirements

It is common logic to know that a human body needs oxygen not in a daily schedule but every other second. Since oxygen intake is through breathing in air, which occurs at every other second the minimum requirement of air will be calculated in percentage of the air the body takes in. The individual that is taking in the air is also an important factor (weight, height, blood pressure, etc). Thus this will be calculated as a approximate average, the minimum intake of oxygen in the air a individual breathes in is 15% (Newton, 2005). Thus meaning that if the oxygen intake percentage is under 15% dangerous health hazards and even death can occur.