What is the mitochondria?
The mitochondria is an organelle, which is a little organ inside a cell. The mitochondria’s main job is to generate energy for the cell, which it does by creating a molecule called ATP.
In addition, the mitochondria have evolved to take on a few more important roles, including:
- Regulating cell life and death
- Cleaning up accidentally broken DNA from wear and tear
- Preventing cancer
- Helping a cell live longer
- Managing inflammation
- Maintaining chemicals needed for stem cells; E.g NAD+ and methyl groups
As you can see, when a mitochondria isn’t working, cells do not work. Mitochondrial failure is at the heart of disease and aging.
Reference: https://www.britannica.com/science/mitochondrion
Interestingly, the mitochondria has its own DNA, sitting outside the rest of a cell’s DNA supply usually found in the nucleus. This mitochondrial DNA is inherited mostly from the mother. Scientists estimate that the mitochondria has been providing energy to cells for 2 billion years; making it an important part of the body that well precedes the human race.
Mitochondrial function and ageing
The mitochondria is central to biological ageing. Cells age when they accumulate too much damaged DNA and protein over time. If cells cannot keep up with the repair, they no longer reproduce as well and thus, they age. When the mitochondria fail:
- Mutated DNA is not repaired
- Dysfunctional proteins are not eliminated (autophagy)
- There is less energy for cell functions
- The cell cannot defend itself against accumulated toxic damage
- Cells will then die off and not reproduce; aka, we age.
Reactive oxygen species, causes of oxidative stress, are imbalanced and lead to disease.
This sets off a chain reaction once other important processes downstream start to fail in the body. The sum result is that telomeres shorten, cells die, organs diminish and functions decline. This is the mechanism behind events such as thin bones, muscle ageing and weakening etc.
Main Point: The mitochondria helps clean cells and is related to ageing.
Reference: https://www.jci.org/articles/view/64125/figure/2
What enhances mitochondrial function?
When mitochondria work well, we function better and age better. There are a few things that help them function:
- Fasting: fasting triggers ‘sirtuins’, which help with autophagy and prolonging cell life
- Resveratrol, found in red wine, helps sirtuins
- Exercise improves mitochondrial function; which is why exercise is good for your health at all ages
- NAD+ is an energy molecule used by the mitochondria; it is often used as a supplement either as an infusion or via NR or NMN
- Manage and reduce oxidative stress
- Optimise methylation
Reference: https://drjockers.com/sirtuins/
Why should we care about our mitochondria?
A lot of the science behind ageing and ideal cell function is still unclear. Fasting regularly and optimising NAD+ is thought to help the mitochondria last longer and help cells function better. NAD+ Infusions are used in the recovery of heroin addiction as well as depression. Fasting has been associated with weight loss and longevity. Research in this area is ongoing.
How can we test our mitochondrial function?
Assessing the mitochondria is a holistic exercise; it is important to look for any forms of body stress that may impact the mitochondria.
Useful tests include…
- Methylation testing
- Lipid peroxides: attack cell membranes
- CoQ10; an important protective molecule
- Vitamin and nutrient assessment
- Organic Acids Testing: measure detoxification ability
- Oxidative stress markers
Reference
Bratic A, Larsson NG. The role of mitochondria in aging. J Clin Invest. 2013;123(3):951-957. doi:10.1172/JCI64125
Nilsson MI, Tarnopolsky MA. Mitochondria and Aging-The Role of Exercise as a Countermeasure. Biology (Basel). 2019;8(2):40. Published 2019 May 11. doi:10.3390/biology8020040
Sun N, Youle RJ, Finkel T. The Mitochondrial Basis of Aging. Mol Cell. 2016;61(5):654-666. doi:10.1016/j.molcel.2016.01.028
