Toxicology

00:00 Think about it.

00:03 The fact that you're alive and watching this video,
00:06 really is quite amazing. Every minute of every day,
00:10 you're being exposed to potentially lethal chemicals.
00:14 And I'm not just talking about the man-made stuff here.
00:18 Oxygen water, carbon dioxide, the chemicals that are in your food...
00:21 get too much at them inside you, and you have a problem.
00:24 To make matters worse, our bodies are constantly making and using
00:28 incredibly potent chemicals, as they go about their daily business,
00:33 Our cells and organs are in a constant frenzy of activity, as
00:37 vital but potentially lethal chemicals are inhaled, ingested, created,
00:41 process, and eventually got rid of. Of course,
00:45 this is the very essence what it is to be alive.
00:48 Cut out the chemicals in the seemingly crazy-mad processes that they're part of,
00:52 and you'd be, well, dead!
00:53 To stay alive and thrive,
00:56 our bodies pull off an incredible balancing act between making
01:00 use of the stuff we breathe, and eat and are otherwise exposed to,
01:03 and making sure it doesn't kill us.The trouble is,
01:07 it's a balancing act that can too easily be disrupted.
01:11 Too much or too little have something and the whole system begins to
01:15 get out of whack!
01:15 Because of this, staying healthy sometimes takes more than
01:20 good intentions over what we put into our bodies,
01:22 and what we don't. It depends on knowing something about the science of
01:26 how substances interact with our bodies and potentially cause harm.
01:29 And this is where toxicology comes in.
01:33 Toxicologists study what happens to stuff when it gets into your body;
01:38 where it goes, what it does, and how it leaves. They investigate the harm
01:42 that can be caused when too much or too little stuff interferes with your
01:46 internal balance.
01:46 And they helped devise ways to avoid harm, or to fight back
01:50 when things get messed up.
01:52 Not to put too fine a point on it, but toxicologists
01:56 are the "Sherlocks" at the Health world, using science and evidence to
01:59 understand and protect our bodies, down to the very
02:03 DNA that makes us what we are. Toxicologists know that we can't escape
02:08 from potentially harmful chemicals. We need them to remain healthy, and to
02:11 ensure the environment we live in is safe and good for us.
02:14 But they also know that if enough of the wrong stuff gets to the wrong place
02:18 at the wrong time,
02:19 things can get messed up fast.
02:23 As a result this is a powerful science,
02:26 because it gives us the key to staying alive and thriving,
02:29 in a world that could otherwise be an awfully dangerous place.
02:33 So whether you're wondering if your shampoo is as good for your body
02:37 as it is for your hair.
02:38 Or you're concerned about what's in your veggie burger and fries.
02:41 Or even if you're trying to work out how much chocolate a reasonable person can eat.
02:46 A toxicologist might just turn out to be
02:49 your best friend.
03:04 Subtitles by the Amara.org community