What are mitochondria?
/What are mitochondria?
Why do you need to know what they can do and how you can support them?
Whether you want to treat an ailment, lose excess weight or balance your hormones, this information is beneficial.
Your physical and emotional well-being will significantly improve if you act on a few of the suggestions below.
How do they help us?
Mitochondria are specialized structures found in all cells. They participate in many cellular processes. Their most important function is to extract the energy stored in the chemical bonds of nutrients (electrically charged particles called electrons) and transform it into energy that cells can use to power their activity.
This form of energy is a molecule called ATP (from adenosine triphosphate), and the process is called cellular respiration.
Because mitochondria generate around 90 per cent of all ATP produced in our body, they are known as "the powerhouse of the cell." I call it our furnace.
When mitochondria work optimally, our cells are fueled and work efficiently, and the biological pathways run smoothly. But when mitochondria are dysfunctional, they then start to accumulate damage, and cellular processes begin to get disrupted gradually.
Mitochondrial dysfunction caused by damage accumulation is one of the significant signs of ageing.
The importance of Boosting Mitochondria function.
Dysfunctions in the mechanisms of ATP production in our mitochondria, particularly in the electron transport chain pathway, increase the production of byproducts called reactive oxygen species that can damage mitochondria at high concentrations. Mitochondrial dysfunction creates a rolling snowball of damage that can gradually grow to affect all biological processes in our body.
This process happens naturally as the years pass. However, improving mitochondrial fitness, the efficacy in generating energy and their capacity to avoid or repair damage to their biochemical machinery may contribute to a healthy ageing process.
Ways You Can Boost Mitochondria
Calorie restriction - Fasting
Reducing calorie intake (through various fasting levels, for example) is the most successful way to achieve longevity. This success can be attributed to an increase in mitochondrial bioenergetic efficiency.
Calorie restriction acts as a stress signal that triggers several mitochondrial adaptions:-
It improves the activity of the electron transport chain and regulates the production of reactive oxygen species and oxidative stress.
Supports mitochondrial quality control mechanisms, responsible for preventing and repairing damage
Promotes the renewal of the mitochondrial network through the elimination of damaged mitochondria, Autophagy and the production of new mitochondria (biogenesis)
I am a big fan of fasting. In all its guises, you are fasting if you go without food for 12 hours or more. The short-term fasting technique is called intermittent fasting - if you have a window of eating, anything from 9- 2 hours is intermittent.
You can, however, fast from 24, 48, 72 hours and beyond. By doing this, you are making significant changes in your body. The length of time depends on your goals. Fasting will do you any harm. In fact, if you do this within guidelines, you can achieve your health goals - If you would like to know more, book a time, and I can give you directions depending on your physical and emotional needs.
if you would like to know more about the benefits of fasting see my blog - Fasting why
Exercise
Exercise requires a great deal of energy to power our muscles. That burdens muscle mitochondria, signalling that energetic demand to the rest of the cell. Muscle cells respond by increasing mitochondrial proliferation. as well as more mitochondrial enzymes. Doing this increases the respiratory capacity of muscles, i.e., their ability to produce ATP from nutrients to power muscle contraction.
It is an adaptation of our muscle cells to exercise and one of the reasons why when we exercise regularly, we keep on improving.
Exercise is also one of the best ways to improve mitochondrial biogenesis and function of our muscles, which helps to delay the age-related decline in mitochondrial activity and muscle health.
Mitochondrial nutrients
Many nutrients can help mitochondria do their work and maintain their fitness. These nutrients provide substrates and cofactors that support or stimulate mitochondrial enzyme activity; they enhance cellular antioxidant defences; they scavenge free radicals and protect mitochondria from oxidation; and they protect and repair mitochondrial membranes.
Mitochondrial nutrients are:- B vitamins, minerals, polyphenols, and other nutrients such as L- carnitine, alpha-lipoic acid, coenzyme Q10, pyrroloquinoline quinone and creatine.
They can be used as supplements or found in natural, unprocessed foods: fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, seafood, and meat. (believe it or not, the more absorbable forms are via animal foods, like meat, eggs and fish)
Sleep
The human brain needs a lot of energy due to its high metabolic rate, and the brain accumulates a lot of metabolic waste. Therefore, during sleep, the brain can detox any products that can be toxic to mitochondria.
An example is the molecule beta-amyloid. At normal levels, beta-amyloid protects neurons and supports their activity. However, when it accumulates excessively, beta-amyloid harms neurons, particularly their mitochondria, which can trigger neurodegenerative processes.
Because neuronal mitochondria power every brain function, avoiding this accumulation of toxic waste is essential. A stormy night's sleep regularly damages your mitochondria, but on the other side, a good night's sleep helps the brain keep mitochondria healthy.
Relaxation techniques
Psychological stress impacts our physical health, and the health of our mitochondria has a vital role in this influence.
Stress can alter mitochondrial structure and function through stress hormones, and the mitochondria sense other stress signals.
Chronic stress can be the root cause of any mitochondrial dysfunction and can then modify cellular and biological processes.
Stress-induced mitochondrial dysfunctions can be particularly harmful to the nervous, endocrine and immune systems, from which a generalized negative impact on our body can develop.
Therefore, practices that help manage stress — meditation, yoga, tai chi deep breathing, for example — may help prevent the effects of stress. If you practice any of these regularly, it has been shown in studies to upregulate genes linked to healthy mitochondrial function.
Sunlight
Without forgetting that excessive unprotected sunbathing can be very harmful, it's important to remember that the right amount of sun is vital for your health. As you know, a side effect of sunlight is the production of vitamin D in our skin.
Vitamin D is essential for mitochondrial activity and the health of the mitochondria. Therefore, vitamin D supplements in vitamin D-deficient adults can help improve the mitochondria's health, enhancing our muscles. Furthermore, studies have shown that vitamin D promotes mitochondrial biogenesis and increases the oxidative capacity of mitochondria in muscles and brown fat (brown fat is our good fat!).
Cold exposure
When we're cold, two types of tissues respond immediately by generating more heat One is skeletal muscle, which produces heat through shivering. The other is brown adipose tissue, responsible for non-shivering heat production.
Shivering releases heat by burning fuels and using ATP to power muscle contraction. Shivering thus recruits mitochondria to generate heat indirectly. However, unlike other tissues, brown adipose tissue has a molecule that can uncouple respiration from ATP production and use it instead to produce heat actively. Brown adipose tissue uses mitochondria to generate heat directly.
In both of these (skeletal muscle and brown fat), cold stimulates an increase in mitochondrial activity and mitochondrial biogenesis. Therefore, cold exposure through cold showers or other cold therapies can boost mitochondria to keep us warm.
Heat exposure
Heat can also trigger beneficial biological responses. For example, heat is a mild stress signal, triggering cell responses that promote adaptation.
Mitochondria is one of the primary agents of that adaptation. The action with heat has been extensively studied, and it turns out that heat stress triggers a beneficial adaptive response in mitochondria that increase their functional capacity.
These effects have been shown in skeletal and cardiac muscles, for example. In addition, routine sauna bathing can improve endurance and reduce cardiac risks.
There are other exciting actions that cold and hot can help our mitochondria with, but I am sure you get my point.
Our Mitochondria sustain human life by generating the energy that powers our cells. By supporting mitochondrial fitness, we support the optimal functioning of almost every cell and system in our body.
In short, Boosting our mitochondria can help us live a long and healthy life.
