MITOCHONDRIAL training
By mitochondrial training we mean the set of all the actions carried out by the mitochondrion: the production of energy (oxidative phosphorylation) and all the other no less important functions such as the regulation of stem cells and innate immunity, apoptosis and calcium homeostasis. Furthermore, physiological and pathological processes such as aging and the development of many degenerative pathologies are considered strictly connected to mitochondrial function. Mitochondria inside cells convert the food we eat and the air we breathe into energy.
THE THEORY OF MITOCHONDRIAL DYSFUNCTION
With advancing age, the volume, integrity and functionality of mitochondrial DNA decrease due to the accumulation of mutations and oxidative damage induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Mitochondrial dynamics undergo alterations with advancing age:
mitochondrial biogenesis (the process of self-renewal which consists in the synthesis of new mitochondria from existing ones)
decreases mitophagy (the autophagic process leading to the selective removal of dysfunctional mitochondria) is inhibited Age-dependent abnormalities in mitochondrial quality control further weaken and impair mitochondrial function.
In aged tissues, the deterioration of mitochondrial function is associated with impaired cell turnover.
Therefore, Mitochondrial dysfunction = pathology
If mitochondria are unable to meet the energy needs of our cells, everything starts to fall apart. A downward spiral takes shape that can lead to the development of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer's disease and many other pathological conditions. Preserving and improving the health of our mitochondria is therefore the way to improve the health of many systems and organs of the body.
But what practically needs to be done?
1. Interval hypoxia training
2. Avoid insulin-dependent foods
3. Mitochondrial Diet
4. High intensity mitochondrial activity
5. Integration/supplementation
6. Antioxidants
1. MITOCHONDRIAL HYPOXIA TRAINING doc-egorov.com
It is a breathing training with oxygen administered with a mask that allows you to simulate extreme altitude conditions, up to 7000 meters high as if you were almost at the top of Everest! Prof. Gregg Semenza, discoverer of the HIF protein, talks about the activation of 1000 genes, which are influenced directly or indirectly by the HYPOXIA factor, which stimulates the production of SIRTUINS, a fundamental protein that allows damaged mitochondria to be replaced with new ones, improves the circadian rhythm and helps manage stress (oxidative and genotoxic).
With interval hypoxia, unlike drugs, you address the causes and not the symptoms.
Gets better:
COPD
bronchial asthma
cardiovascular diseases
degenerative diseases
against ageing
improve performance
reduces Sars-Cov2 invasiveness
2. AVOID INSULIN-DEPENDENT FOODS
Researchers have realized that things that improve overall health like eating well and exercising also improve mitochondrial health. But not only. The main mitochondrial toxins in our diet are simple (refined) sugars and excess carbohydrates in general (also excess starches). In many cases this leads to the development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus and, therefore, a tendency to accumulate sugars in the form of fat.
3. MITOCHONDRIAL DIET
The MITOCHONDRIAL DIET is a particular type of diet that leads the body to produce ketones and use them as the main energy source. Ketone bodies are produced in the liver when carbohydrate intake is particularly low (< 100 grams per day). Only the brain and red blood cells need glucose. Scientific research has shown that ketones can scavenge free radicals in mitochondria and reduce oxidative damage. In the Mitochondrial Diet you should eat many healthy lipids such as extra virgin olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocado. And get a proper intake of healthy proteins such as grass-fed beef, wild-caught fish, organic eggs and chicken. It is also important to constantly introduce colorful and seasonal vegetables and fruit into your diet. This is because these important vegetables bring with them many beneficial substances such as polyphenols. Polyphenols protect mitochondria from damage and improve mitochondrial function. They also promote the creation of new mitochondria. Some particularly good sources of polyphenols are plums, blueberries, blackberries, artichokes and cherries. Use intermittent fasting once a week Eating too much is problematic for the mitochondria. Excess energy in our body (from overeating or inactivity) causes oxidative stress and this damages the mitochondria. There is evidence that if you restrict calories (within reason) mitochondria respond by producing more mitochondria (biogenesis) and removing damaged ones (mitophagy).
4. HIGH INTENSITY MITOCHONDRIAL ACTIVITY
Everyone knows that exercise is good for you. Studies on mitochondria are making us understand more clearly why physical exercise is good for us. According to some authors, physical exercise is the single most important therapy for mitochondrial health. Aerobic exercise is particularly useful for stimulating the body to generate new mitochondria and improve its function. The most common types of aerobic training are: walking, cycling and jogging. According to some studies, strength training is also able to improve the mass and function of mitochondria although to a lesser extent if lighter weights are used (low-load strength training). Recently a further exciting discovery: although exercise makes mitochondria in muscles work harder, it somehow also improves the quantity and function of mitochondria in other areas of the body. Exercise, for example, stimulates the creation of new mitochondria in the brain and liver. This type of impact on the overall health of the mitochondria has not yet been clarified by science. However, this is great news that makes us understand how mitochondria also somehow talk to those of other organs within the network of the human organism.
5. INTEGRATION OR SUPPLEMENTATION
As mentioned, a balanced and varied diet rich in antioxidants is the essential and by far most important safeguard for mitochondrial health. But if we wanted to take food supplements, what should we integrate to improve the health of the mitochondria?
magnesium
B vitamins
polyphenol extracts
coenzyme Q10
6. ANTIOXIDANTS
Mitochondrial function can be compromised by toxins resulting from pollution, tobacco smoke or heavy metals or simply from water, with increasingly greater quantities of chlorine and fluoride. The best way to provide antioxidants is through diet. Maintaining an adequate integration of vitamins A, C, D helps to partially neutralize the negative effects of these molecules.
But there is a still little-known way to fight free radicals in a continuous and practical way: hydrogen.
This gas has two important physiological characteristics:
1. Rapid circulation within the body thanks to the micro-dimensions of the molecules
2. High water solubility and lipid (fat) solubility.
Unlike all the antioxidants that we could introduce with our diet, which circulate in the body only through the bloodstream, hydrogen diffuses more quickly even outside the bloodstream, penetrating into any tissue. The process that takes place inside our body is "very simple": molecular hydrogen H+ binds with the free radical which has the chemical formula OH-, essentially forming water (H2O), which hydrates the cells.
Medical Bibliography:
1) Chistiakov DA, Sobenin IA, Revin VV, Orekhov AN, Bobryshev YV. Mitochondrial aging and age-related dysfunction of mitochondria. Biomed Res Int. 2014;2014:238463. doi: 10.1155/2014/238463. Epub 2014 Apr 10. PMID: 24818134; PMCID: PMC4003832. (2) Fructose-Rich Diet Affects Mitochondrial DNA Damage and Repair in Rats by Federica Cioffi Rosalba Senese Pasquale Lasala Angela Ziello Arianna Mazzoli Raffaella Crescenzo Giovanna Liverini Antonia Lanni Fernando Goglia and Susanna Iossa (3) Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism 2016, Vol. 36(9) 1603–1613 Author(s) 2016 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/0271678X15610584 jcbfm.sagepub.com (4) Lindsey B. Gano , * Manisha Patel , * and Jong M. Rho Thematic Review Series: Calorie Restriction and Ketogenic Diets Ketogenic diets, mitochondria, and neurological diseases (5) Front. Physiol., 15 September 2017 Sec. Exercise Physiology Impact of Resistance Training on Skeletal Muscle Mitochondrial Biogenesis, Content, and Function Thomas Groennebaek and Kristian Vissing (6) Janssen JJE, Grefte S, Keijer J, de Boer VCJ. Mito-Nuclear Communication by Mitochondrial Metabolites and Its Regulation by B-Vitamins. Front Physiol. 2019 Feb 12;10:78. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00078. PMID: 30809153; PMCID: PMC6379835. (7) Jasper Most, Silvie Timmers, Ines Warnke, Johan WE Jocken, Mark van Boekschoten, Philip de Groot, Igor Bendik, Patrick Schrauwen, Gijs H Goossens, Ellen E Blaak, Combined epigallocatechin-3-gallate and resveratrol supplementation for 12 wk increases mitochondrial capacity and fat oxidation, but not insulin sensitivity, in obese humans: a randomized controlled trial, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 104, Issue 1, July 2016, Pages 215–227 (8) Calliandra B. Harris, Winyoo Chowanadisai, Darya O. Mishchuk, Mike A. Satre, Carolyn M. Slupsky, Robert B. Rucker, Dietary pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) alters indicators of inflammation and mitochondrial-related metabolism in human subjects, The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, Volume 24, Issue 12, 2013, Pages 2076-2084 (9) Joel N. Meyer, Maxwell C. K. Leung, John P. Rooney, Ataman Sendoel, Michael O. Hengartner, Glen E. Kisby, Amanda S. Bess, Mitochondria as a Target of Environmental Toxicants, Toxicological Sciences, Volume 134, Issue 1, July 2013, Pages 1–17 (10) Hydrogen-rich water, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29497485/
Setti Claudio Massimo
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