It's no secret that staying youthful is one of the most important factors in life. We all want to feel young and vibrant, but as we age our bodies begin to deteriorate.
Mitochondrial dysfunction is a common feature of aging and many diseases. Symptoms closely match those we associate with growing old, including fatigue, being overweight or obese; cognitive problems such as memory loss and even diabetes! Your cells have these tiny power plants that govern how fast you burn calories, but it's possible to coax them into making more if needed by taking supplements like Mitosyn (or other products) starting at an early age so they can work their magic earlier in life than would otherwise be possible without help from external sources.
The question is what can we do about it? Recently, scientists have discovered how mitochondria may act as a natural anti-aging solution! Read along and find out how mitochondria can make you age slower.
Without further ado let's get started, now let's start with understanding what are Mitochondria.
Mitochondria are membrane-bound cell organelles (mitochondrion, singular) that generate most of the chemical energy needed to power the cell's biochemical reactions. Chemical energy produced by the mitochondria is stored in a small molecule called adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Mitochondria contain their own small chromosomes. Generally, mitochondria, and therefore mitochondrial DNA, are inherited only from the mother.
Mitochondria are the power plants of our bodies, generating energy for everything from your brain to every cell in your body. How many you have determines how well and strong they work at any given moment, so it’s important not only that these little organelles stay healthy but also what is shaping up inside them!
Healthy cells have the number of mitochondria they need to keep the party going. For example, our brain is an electrical system, and it accounts for one-fifth of our body's total energy consumption!
Free radicals are potentially dangerous molecules that can damage cells, which is why it's important to manage your stress levels. Mitochondria play an integral role in the production of free radicals because they're too susceptible, but there are some things we can do about this!
Mitochondrial dysfunction arises from an inadequate number of mitochondria, an inability to provide necessary substrates to mitochondria, or a dysfunction in their electron transport and ATP-synthesis machinery. The number and functional status of mitochondria in a cell can be changed by (1) fusion of partially dysfunctional mitochondria and mixing of their undamaged components to improve overall function, (2) the generation of entirely new mitochondria (fission), and (3) the removal and complete degradation of dysfunctional mitochondria (mitophagy) These events are controlled by complex cellular processes that sense the deterioration of mitochondria, such as the depolarization of mitochondrial membranes or the activation of certain transcription pathways.
Several researchers have reported a connection between mitochondrial dysfunction and autism (2,3,4). In addition, mitochondrial dysfunction in Down syndrome has been well-established (5). Many biomedical clinicians have already come to accept that mitochondrial dysfunction is something to look for and treat in children with autism and other special needs. As well, many parents are seeing notable improvements in their children's health and development when mitochondria dysfunction is detected and addressed.
Because so many organs and processes of the body are dependent on ATP and the mitochondria that make it, symptoms can be vague and impact many organ systems. These symptoms include:
The mitochondria are the main areas of your muscle cells where fat, carbohydrate, and protein could be broken down with oxygen to produce the energy needed to work. The mitochondria are the main areas of your muscle cells where fat, carbohydrate, and protein could be broken down with oxygen to produce the energy needed to work.
They are not only vital in that aspect, but also in others as following:
One way that the skin renews itself is by differentiation and migration of new cells, but what causes this change? Mitochondria are one answer. Studies show increased levels of ROS may play a part in regulating which cell lineage will differentiate into certain types like embryonic stem cells.
For each powerful pedal stroke, you perform on a bike, you probably know that you’re engaging your calves, hamstrings, quads, and glutes. But what’s powering those muscles is mitochondria, and without their hard and efficient work, there’s no way you’d move forward.
Exercise creates a positive feedback loop for your mitochondria: Not only does it increase the number of mitochondria in your body, it increases the quality of those mitochondria, according to research published in the Journal of Applied Physiology. And the higher the quality of your mitochondria, the more efficiently they work, and the better you can perform. Here’s how to optimize that system.
Endurance (or aerobic) exercise is what stimulates mitochondrial biogenesis, a process that increases the number of mitochondria in your cells, according to research published in the American Journal of Physiology—Endocrinology and Metabolism.
In fact, mitochondrial volume density (the percentage of muscle fiber volume occupied by mitochondria) can increase by up to around 40 percent in response to endurance training, according to research published in the journal Experimental Physiology. Remember: The more mitochondria you have, the more energy you can produce.
But you shouldn’t always ride at the same pace, says Dr. Singh. Adding speed workouts can make your mitochondria more efficient, which helps them work even better. Compared to moderate continuous intensity training and high-intensity interval training (HIIT), sprint interval training increased mitochondrial respiration (the oxygen-requiring metabolic reactions and processes that convert energy from foot to ATP), according to a 2019 study published in the journal Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity.
While your mitochondria are busy generating energy, they’re also generating highly reactive molecules called oxidants (or reactive oxygen species AKA ROS), which can be damaging to your cells. The more efficiently your mitochondria work, though, the fewer oxidants they produce.
There are a number of micronutrients involved in mitochondrial function: B vitamins, ascorbic acid, α-tocopherol, selenium, zinc, coenzyme Q10, caffeine, melatonin, carnitine, nitrate, lipoic acid, and taurine. You should be able to get an adequate intake of these nutrients from a well-balanced diet. But if you don’t think you’re getting the nutrients you need to boost your mitochondria, a supplement may help.
Timeline Nutrition’s Mitopure Powder, for example, is a purified form of a metabolic compound called Urolithin A. Laboratory studies suggest Urolithin A might help activate a process called mitophagy, which cleans defective mitochondria after they have been damaged or subjected to stress.
“As we age, and as you exercise a lot, your mitochondria get burned out,” says Dr. Singh. “Mitophagy is the body’s way of cleaning the old, faulty mitochondria out so there’s room to generate newer, healthier mitochondria.”
If you want to splurge on a massage, go for it—massage promotes the growth of new mitochondria in skeletal muscle according to a 2012 study from the journal Science Translational Medicine.
If you can’t consistently splurge on a massage, DIY the experience with foam rolling, which research also shows could also help boost your mitochondrial health. In a 2015 study on foam rolling in the Journal of Athletic Training, biochemical changes indicated that new mitochondria were being formed, potentially due to the constant pressure on the muscle.
The way to make your cells more powerful is by sleeping well. When we don't get enough hours of restful sleep, it can cause a variety of disorders such as chronic fatigue and even brain fog which leads us into having less energy than usual while being unable to organize ourselves properly during the day due to lack of focus because our mind wasn’t fully awake until now! A good nights' shuteye provides an opportunity for houses cleansing themselves from all kinds of bad stuff including waste materials that would otherwise be accumulated within damaged tissues over time if left unchecked.
Inflammation and mitochondria don’t go well together. Mitochondria are extremely vulnerable to inflammation,[4] and you want to keep as many intact as you can. Ways to calm inflammation include:
Mitochondria love ketones, so if you give them what they want and allow your microscopic mitochondria to rule with an iron fist by eating at a high fat/low carb diet, it helps. High levels of fats can lead to higher levels of good cholesterol while also reducing bad cholesterol so it's very important for our health!
In order to get into this state as quickly as possible one must make sure that their body has plenty of fuel sources like carbs or proteins before adding any additional meals containing more than 20% ketones.
Wrap Up
Boosting Mitochondria involves either increasing the production of ATP or scavenging excess free radicals. Follow our eight ways for boosting your mitochondria, and you will be on your way to a healthier life. Check out our services and be a relaxed and healthier yourself.
