Meet your Mitochondria

M Mitochondria Your Mitochondria are complex, bean-shaped organelles found in almost every cell of the body We inherit our mitochondrial DNA only from our mother So we've been able to use mitochondria to trace human origin back millions of years Because they have their own DNA, most scientists think they were once free-living cells, engulfed and incorporated into larger cells over a billion years ago The Mitochondrion Mission A mitochondrion's main job is to carry out the way a cell gets energy, called oxidative metabolism: + C6H6O6 ATP + CO2 glucose (from food) molecule cells use for carbon dioxide oxygen (air) energy Mitochondria make 90% body's energy Mitochondria make up half of our dry body weight of the The more energy a cell needs, the more mitochondria Young adults produce their body weight in ATP every single day kg 1 they have This declines as we get older The cells with the most mitochondria:, Mitochondria generate 90% oF the liver muscle brain free radicals in your cells as they make ATP Other than energy \production mitochondria also help with: heart kidney Mitochondria also direct/ programmed cell death, (apoptosis), one way in which the body destroys Cell repair Sex hormone production Cell ´signalling Cell growth cancer cells and fights some infections When Mitochondria Malfunction So, when mitochondria start to fail, it's a big deal, and not only because energy production plummets Autoimmune diseases like: Research suggests damaged mitochondria play a role in many diseases: lupus and rheumatoid arthritis Neurological and Metabolic neuromuscular diseases and diseases: conditions like: multiple sclerosis type 2 diabetes Alzheimer's and obesity Heart disease Parkinson's stroke and hearing loss some forms of cancer Over 200 conditions are now known to be associated with poor mitochondrial function Maturity and Mitochondria Many scientific studies support the mitochondrial free radical theory of aging, the idea that mitochondria also play a part in the aging process Damaging molecules called free radicals are made in The good news is that science also shows that we might be able to do some the mitochondria during ATP production things to save our mitochondria including: If too many are made (called oxidative stress,) T Increasing these molecules the amount we exercise damage parts of the cell, including the mitochondrion itself Eating a balanced diet Adding vitamins, minerals, and cofactors to our diet VIT VIT Mitochondria have antioxidants in place to help prevent this damage Unfortunately, the amount of these antioxidants declines as we age MIПOZ Sources: MitoQ Aging: The Mitochondrial Connection BEAUTY IS Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Mitochondrial Function Diagnostic Challenges in Mitochondrial Disease Mitochondria: In Sickness and in Health HEALTHY MITOCHONDRIA and cofactors to our diet HH