When the mitochondria are defective, the cells do not have enough energy. The unused oxygen and fuel molecules build up in the cells and cause damage. The symptoms of mitochondrial disease can vary. It depends on how many mitochondria are defective, and where they are in the body.

Because nerve cells are postmitotic, any mitochondrial damage that is sustained will accumulate with age and lead to dysfunction. Widespread damage to mitochondria causes cells to die because they can no longer produce enough energy. Indeed, mitochondria themselves unleash the enzymes responsible for cell death.

Examples of mitochondrial diseases include:

• Mitochondrial myopathy.
• Diabetes mellitus and deafness (DAD)
• Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON)
• Leigh syndrome, subacute sclerosing encephalopathy.
• Neuropathy, ataxia, retinitis pigmentosa, and ptosis (NARP)
• Myoneurogenic gastrointestinal encephalopathy (MNGIE)

A small study in children with mitochondrial disease examined the patient records of 221 children with mitochondrial disease. Of these, 14% died three to nine years after diagnosis. Five patients lived less than three years, and three patients lived longer than nine years.

The hallmark symptoms of mitochondrial myopathy include muscle weakness, exercise intolerance, impaired hearing and vision, ataxia, seizures, learning disabilities, heart defects, diabetes, and poor growth—none of which are unique to mitochondrial disease.

Treatments for mitochondrial disease may include:

1. Vitamins and supplements, including Coenzyme Q10; B complex vitamins, especially thiamine (B1) and riboflavin (B2); Alpha lipoic acid; L-carnitine (Carnitor); Creatine; and L-Arginine.
2. Exercises, including both endurance exercises and resistance/strength training.

10 Ways to Boost Your Mitochondria

1. 10 Ways to Boost Your Mitochondria.
2. Eat fewer calories.
3. Eat 2-3 meals, within an 8-10 hour window.
4. Throw away refined carbs like soda, white bread and pastries.
5. Eat quality protein like grass-fed beef and pasture-raised eggs.
6. Eat sources of omega-3s and alpha-lipoic acid.

Strategies to Improve Mitochondrial Function

1. Pick the right mother.
2. Optimize nutrient status to limit oxygen and high-energy electron leakage in the ETC.
3. Decrease toxin exposure.
4. Provide nutrients that protect the mitochondria from oxidative stress.
5. Utilize nutrients that facilitate mitochondrial ATP production.

The Mito Food Plan is an anti-inflammatory, low-glycemic, gluten-free, low-grain, high-quality- fats approach to eating. The plan focuses on supporting healthy mitochondria through foods that improve energy production.

The most commonly used dietary supplement ingredients for PMDs include antioxidants, such as vitamin C, vitamin E, and alpha-lipoic acid; electron donors and acceptors, such as CoQ10 and riboflavin; compounds that can be used as alternative energy sources, such as creatine [14]; and compounds that can conjugate or bind …

A previously unknown advantage of exercise “We’ve found that mitochondria in endurance athletes are constructed in such a way that they generate more energy than mitochondria in non-athletes. In fact, our measurements have shown us that these mitochondria can generate around 25% more energy.

Running 10 miles or more or running to exhaustion can actually temporarily weaken the immune system. This impairment of immune function generally lasts only for a few hours, although for some people, it may take several days, especially for those with an already weakened immune system.

In the recent study, neither continuous sub-threshold training nor long interval workouts of 4-7 x 4:00 at 90 percent of peak power (the highest power reached in a VO2max test on a stationary bike) changed mitochondrial function, but sprint workouts of 4-10 x 30 seconds at 200 percent of peak power of did boost …

An athlete’s body acclimatizes to high-altitude training by increasing blood volumes, red blood cell count and heart output, all of which allow muscles to get the oxygen they need and boost mitochondria.

Mitochondria Density Unlike mitochondria volume, which can be developed infinitely, there is an absolute mitochondrial density that each individual can attain, usually reached after 8-12 weeks of training.

As judged from the ability to increase mitochondrial respiration, high-load resistance exercise can stimulate mitochondrial function.

Mitochondria transform energy from food into cellular energy. Exercise increases the number of mitochondria improving your body’s ability to produce energy. In other words, the more mitochondria you have, the more energy you can generate during exercise and the faster and longer you can exercise.

Some different cells have different amounts of mitochondria because they need more energy. So for example, the muscle has a lot of mitochondria, the liver does too, the kidney as well, and to a certain extent, the brain, which lives off of the energy those mitochondria produce.

Mitochondria are vital organelles that provide energy for muscle function. When these organelles become dysfunctional, they produce less energy as well as excessive levels of reactive oxygen species which can trigger muscle atrophy, weakness and loss of endurance.