Mitochondria are tiny structures in our cells that make up our bodies. They are responsible for producing energy from the food we consume along with the air we breathe, which in turn is responsible for the maintenance and repair of our bodies. Failure of these structures leads to debility, disease, and aging.

Therefore, in order for successful aging to occur we must maintain the integrity of these cellular “powerhouses”.

How Fit are Your Mitochondria?

Since the instructions (DNA) for construction and replication of your mitochondria are strictly inherited from your mother and her maternal lineage, you need only look at the longevity of your maternal side of the family to determine your mitochondrial fitness.

Did your maternal grandmother live to a ripe old age?

If so, then your mitochondria are of good stock. This reminds me of the 102 year old Irishman when asked the secret to his longevity replied, “choose your parents, very, very carefully”.

Even if your maternal side of the family wasn’t long-lived don’t despair. There are still lifestyle choices that can support these structures. On another note, even if your maternal lineage shows longevity, it doesn’t mean you can throw all caution to the wind and engage in an unhealthy lifestyle without consequences.

Exercise Your Mitochondria:

When we engage in moderate (30 minutes 3 times a week) aerobic and anaerobic (weight-lifting) exercise, we encourage the fittest of our mitochondria to divide. For evidence of this in action you need only look at those Jack LaLannne types the next time you’re at the gym. You know those senior citizens that still have great muscle tone from a lifelong commitment to exercise. The trick is not to over do it and not under do it for that matter. If you belong to a gym, ride the exercise bike or use the elliptical on a program that has you breathing hard and elevates your heart rate.

Feeding of Your Mitochondria:

Since ultimately the food we eat is what the mitochondria will use to produce energy and to maintain themselves, the old adage “junk in -junk out” definitely applies here. I don’t think anybody in today’s society needs to be told to eat your fruits and vegetables, avoid saturated fats, trans fats, rancid fats, avoid simple sugars, and to eat high-quality protein foods. One thing however, that people may not be aware of, is the havoc wreaked by Advanced Glycated Endproducts (AGE’s). These substances are produced when we brown and blacken food items in the cooking process. Therefore, raw forms of food are always preferable.

Maintaining Mitochondrial Membranes:

Free radicals, a class of highly reactive compounds, are the “bane of membranes”. In order for mitochondria to function properly their membranes must be non-compromised. Just the normal functioning of the mitochondria produces free radicals that results in accumulative damage to their membranes. Fortunately, we possess within our cells, detoxifying systems for these compounds, but if they are overwhelmed by bad lifestyle choices then the mitochondria will be compromised.

Dr Bruce Ames, a professor at the University Of California, Berkeley, has come up with a unique combination of nutritional supplements to keep your mitochondria in tip-top shape. The product is called Juvenon and consists of acetyl-L-carnitine (500mg) and alpha-lipoic acid (200mg), which can be purchased separately from a variety of vitamin and supplement suppliers or your local health food store. These two items should be taken twice a day.

Another product, derived from a plant, Amla (Emblica officinalis), has shown promise as a protector of mitochondrial membranes against free radical attack. It is also readily available as a nutritional supplement.

Resveratrol, a compound found in red wine, is getting a lot of press lately. Research in animal models suggest that it can have profound effects on mitochondria by stimulating the muscle cells to produce more mitochondria and boosting their ability to neutralize free-radicals. However, one would need to drink a toxic amount of red wine to reap the benefits of this compound. Fortunately, it is available in pill form from a number of nutritional supplement providers.