Using Biohacks, You Can Increase The Amount of Mitochondria In your Body to Become Healthier, Happier and More Productive

The human body is a miracle of engineering and evolution

Mitochondria are your cells' power generators. They take food and oxygen and convert it into energy your cells can use.

Mitochondria are organelles inside the cells that convert food into energy. Mitochondria are like power plants in a cell; they work by taking sugar or oxygen from foods you eat and turning it into ATP (adenosine triphosphate). This is the most basic unit of energy for your body.

In Greek, mitochondria mean "thread-like" because they look sort of like little rope-like structures under a microscope (if you've ever seen an image of them). But what's really interesting about these little guys is that they can be traced back all the way to bacteria. A long time ago, bacteria were able to invade other bacteria cells and turn them into their own homes—and now those invaders live inside us!

Many bodily processes depend on mitochondria, including neurotransmitter metabolism and DNA synthesis.

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Problems with mitochondria tend to happen as you get older. They are less efficient than when you were younger.

Mitochondria are the power generators in our cells. They convert food into energy that our cells can use to function properly and stay healthy. As we get older, they don't work as well—but you can increase the number of mitochondria in your body to keep yourself feeling younger and healthier longer. When I test individuals for mitochondrial dysfunction, I am now finding it in their twenties, which means that by the time they are forty they are even worse off.

What causes mitochondrial dysfunction?

In simple terms, mitochondrial dysfunction refers to the mitochondria's inability to function normally. Symptoms of mitochondrial dysfunction arise when the body's energy requirements are not met by the mitochondria. A person's dietary habits, lifestyle habits, stress and environment all contribute to mitochondrial dysfunction.

As well as its role in mitochondrial disease, mitochondrial dysfunction plays a significant role in numerous diseases such as neurodegenerative disorders, metabolic syndrome, cancer, and obesity.

The dysfunction of mitochondria can be caused by environmental factors (drugs, occupational chemicals, and tobacco smoke) or genetic abnormalities (both mitochondrial and nuclear).

How might mitochondrial dysfunction be affecting you?

While each mitochondrial dysfunction may look differently, here are some symptoms you should be aware of.

Your immune system may be compromised if you are constantly sick
Menstrual irregularities - estrogen dominance may be the cause
Bloating and digestive problems - dysfunctional mitochondria may prevent your body from making digestive enzymes
Fatigued - remember mitochondria produce energy
Allergies and toxic buildup - mitochondria support detoxification

ARE YOUR DYSFUNCTIONAL MITOCHONDRIA TO BLAME FOR YOUR SYMPTOMS?

Your body needs its mitochondria to be in peak condition to work properly.

They make sure that your brain, heart, kidneys, and liver all work properly and to stay healthy. Mitochondria are the power plants of the cell. They produce energy that your body can use, and they’re found in every cell of your body.

To keep your mitochondria healthy, you need to:

Eat a healthy diet that includes lots of fruits, vegetables and protein
Drink plenty of water, especially if you exercise regularly
Keep processed foods, fried food and additives to a minimum
Pesticides and herbicides should be avoided - consider organic methods whenever possible
Animal foods containing hormones and antibiotics should be avoided
Strengthen your gut microbiome
Consider taking supplements like CoQ10 (especially when on a cholesterol-lowering medication like statins) or resveratrol
Improve your sleep hygiene
Check for heavy metal toxicity
Maintain optimal levels of B vitamins, magnesium, iron, copper, and Vitamin C (test don’t guess)
Provide mitochondria with nutrients by incorporating essential fatty acids

Medical researchers have discovered a way to increase the amount of mitochondria in your cells without any kind of drugs

One method for increasing the number of these power generators is through high-intensity exercise--and yes, I mean actually going all out during strength training sessions instead of just doing some light lifting and cardiovascular exercises like walking on a treadmill at two miles per hour with no incline! You can do this every other day (with rest periods between each session)

Here's what you do:

Work out at 90% of your maximum rate of exertion for 20 seconds, then rest for two minutes. Do this four times total during your workout time.
You only need a little time each day to see the benefits of this approach. Just be sure to give yourself at least 48 hours between sessions; otherwise, the body begins breaking down muscle tissue instead of building it up and increasing mitochondria counts in cells throughout the body and brain power!

You can do this exercise at home, in a gym, on a stationary bike or running track. Do it for eight minutes, three times per week (for example: Monday–Wednesday–Friday). As you get stronger and more fit, increase the amount of time spent exercising each session—but you don’t need to go above 15 minutes at any time. Since you're doing this over just eight minutes, you don't need much time each day to see the benefits of this approach -- but there are plenty of them!

This is a great way to get your heart rate up and your body moving. It's also an excellent way to improve how healthy you are, which will help increase the number of mitochondria in your body.

Be intentional when supplementing. Taking care of our mitochondria is one thing, but increasing the number of mitochondria in our bodies is another. One way is through exercise, but another is through intentional nutrition and dietary supplements. Resveratrol and quercetin are two powerful antioxidants that support mitochondrial biogenesis. Among the foods that contain resveratrol are red grapes, blueberries, dark chocolate, peanuts, and mulberries (I've planted mulberries on my front porch). You can find quercetin in apples, capers, leafy greens, berries, and broccoli onions (go ahead, pickle those red onions). You may still need some additional support with specific nutrients and your body's demands even with the best whole foods diet. With the help of a functional integrative physician, you can sort through your deficiencies and needs and support with targeted supplements.

Supplementation to consider include coenzyme Q10, alpha lipoic acid, magnesium and D-ribose.

The coenzyme Q10 produced by mitochondria is essential to the production of energy. This substance works to neutralize toxic substances that cause inflammation and pain in your body. A deficiency of CoQ10 has been linked to oxidative stress, inflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction in fibromyalgia. In addition to promoting mitochondrial function, alpha-lipoic acid blocks inflammation. Over 300 chemical reactions in the body require magnesium, so adequate amounts are also essential for mitochondrial health. As a last point, D-ribose is a carbohydrate that helps mitochondria produce ATP in your muscle cells, which is depleted by prolonged periods of stress.

You may think that you're too busy to do this kind of thing, but if you think about it for a moment, you'll realize that there's always time for something good for your health. You could even start now! If you're reading this sentence right now, then there's probably no better time than right now -- and if not now, then soon. There's no reason to put off supporting your mitochondria until tomorrow because tomorrow never comes; instead, start today!

The Mitochondria: The Cell's Little Engine That Could

We hope this article has helped you understand what mitochondria are and why they're so crucial for your health. We also covered some of the biohacks that can increase the number in your body. If you're looking for a new way to improve your health or want to learn more about mitochondria, then try some of these out!

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