Every person has billions of them: mitochondria - also known as the powerhouses of our cells. But what role do they play in longevity? And can I strengthen my mitochondria? You can find out all about it in this MoleQlar article.
What are mitochondria?
mitochondria are cell organelles in our body that, among other things, regenerate the so-called adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP serves as a universal energy carrier in our cells. Therefore, mitochondria are also called “power plants of the cells”. For this reason, cells that use a lot of energy - such as heart, muscle or nerve cells - have significantly more mitochondria than other cells. In a heart muscle cell, mitochondria make up about a third of the cell volume. Your heart beats because of these little power plants, so to speak. But the aging process also changes our mitochondria. Science shows that damaged mitochondria are linked to many diseases such as Alzheimer's, diabetes or cancer. AFor this reason, there are many attempts to prevent, stop or even reverse the decay process through so-called mitochondrial therapy. You will soon find out what you can do every day to strengthen your mitochondria.
Did you know? The body's own power plants have a special feature: they have their own DNA, the so-called mtDNA (mitochondrial DNA), which floats around in a ring-like shape inside the mitochondrion. However, this does not allow them to reproduce independently. The mitochondrial genome in humans only contains 37 genes. By comparison, the DNA in the cell nucleus contains the information for 20,000-25,000 genes. In addition, mitochondria are only passed on from mother to offspring.
What role do mitochondria play in longevity?
Mitochondria play an essential role in longevity. The so-called “mitochondrial dysfunction” one of the Hallmarks of AgingBut before we get into what you can do to strengthen your mitochondria, let's briefly look at the function of the special cell organelles themselves. This will help you understand why you should strengthen your mitochondria. As you know, energy is produced and provided in the mitochondrionThis process is called cellular respiration and takes place via the respiratory chain – an interaction of 5 protein complexes that form an electron transport chain.
Electrons (negatively charged particles) therefore play an important role in the energy production process. At the beginning of the respiratory chain is the molecule NADH, which can release two electrons as part of the energy production process. This ultimately produces ATP and the "waste product" NAD+. NAD+ is nothing other than the molecule NADH, only one proton (positively charged particle) and two electrons poorer. Long story short: The energy production in our cells consists of splitting off the electrons contained in food. During this process, energy is released. High NAD+ levels mean that a lot of NADH is converted to ATP, meaning the cell can produce a lot of energy. That's a good sign.NAD+ subsequently activates sirtuins, a group of genes associated with longevity As we age, NAD+ levels decrease. This is precisely where the connection between mitochondria, NAD+ levels and the aging process lies.
How can I strengthen my mitochondria?
There are a few ways to strengthen your mitochondria on a daily basis. We'll take a closer look at a few of them in a moment.
Boost your mitochondria with sport and exercise!
Probably the most common “hack” to strengthen your mitochondria is to exercise more. Studies show that more physical activity strengthen the formation of mitochondria in muscle cellsThis is one of the reasons for the positive effect of sport on the body. But it is not only the power plants in the muscle cells that are strengthened by sport: Studies show that exercise increases the biogenesis of mitochondria in the brainThis could also explain possible positive effects on neurodegenerative diseases. Dementia in particular is associated with mitochondrial dysfunction - and older people in particular often do not exercise enough.
Our tip: Get at least 10,000 steps a day to boost mitochondrial production in your body. Setting aside regular walking times can help you reach this daily goal.
The right diet as a well-known trump card!
The next tip to strengthen your mitochondria is to optimize your Nutrition. Of course, it is important to provide the body with all the important nutrients. Your mitochondria also need certain cofactors to function optimally. Key substances for mitochondrial health include Copper, zinc, selenium and vitamins A, C and E. In addition, studies show that coenzyme 10 can have a positive effect on our mitochondria. It is therefore important to ensure that you have a balanced and varied diet. If you need them, it also makes sense to supplement certain nutrients. Make sure that you are optimally supplied with all the important nutrients. Taking certain nutritional supplements can also have a positive effect on your mitochondria.
The body also reacts to environmental influences such as hunger with certain internal metabolic processes. In the course of human history, it was normal for us to sometimes have nothing to eat. Scientists have discovered that eating patterns such as Fast or a calorie reduction can have a positive effect on our mitochondria. An example of a fasting protocol is provided by the American scientist Valter Longo with his pseudo-fasting diet. Another, less researched way is the Sirtfood diet.
Our tip: Eat plenty of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and ideally plant-based protein sources (higher nutrient density, more fiber) and substitute some critical nutrients if necessary to ensure optimal nutrition.You can also occasionally use the so-called intermittent fasting try.
Boost mitochondria with cold!
Studies show that cold strengthens the mitochondria. This effect is due to an increased expression of PGC-1α – a key protein in mitochondrial productionFurthermore, scientific studies show that chronic exposure to cold autophagy accelerated. So in practice, for everyone, Longevity-Hacker some advantages.
Our tip: You can boost your mitochondria daily with cold showers or occasional ice baths. More studies on this will probably be published soon. Especially the area cryotherapy is very interesting and promising.
By the way: Did you know that some people freeze themselves in order to be thawed out again in the future and then revived? Sounds crazy? But it's true. You can find out more under the keyword cryopreservation.
Conclusion
Our mitochondria are essential for the smooth functioning of the energy metabolism in our body. We can boost them through our diet, cold, sport and exercise, among other things.
