I have posted a number of blog posts surrounding the effects of the mitochondria have on aging cells. In this post I will attempt to clarify the why you should care about these cellular activities. Please forgive me for droning on this subject; however, Dr. Patsi and I believe that understanding this information may be THE KEY to reversing some of the causes of aging and more importantly, fending off senior-related diseases.
Damage and subsequent dysfunction in mitochondria is an important factor in a range of human diseases due to their impact on cell metabolism. Mitochondria are found inside the nucleus of every cell of the body except red blood cells.
Mitochondria are responsible for creating more than 90% of the energy needed by the body to sustain life and support growth. When they fail, less energy is generated within the cell. Cell injury and even cell death follow. If this process is repeated throughout the body, whole systems begin to fail, and life is severely compromised.
Today most scientists agree that vigorous exercise for seniors can reverse the damage to the mitochondria and promote the energy supply necessary to support your cells. Damage and dysfunction in the mitochondria contribute to 70% of the diseases associated with aging.
Causes of Aging: Oxidative Stress
Another major cause of aging is “oxidative stress.” It is the damage to DNA, proteins, and lipids (fats) caused by oxidants, which are highly reactive substances containing oxygen. These oxidants are produced normally when we breathe, and also result from inflammation, infection, and consumption of alcohol and cigarettes. In one study, scientists exposed worms to two substances that neutralize oxidants, and the worms’ lifespan increased an average 44%.
When we first discovered that free radicals existed in humans, they were quickly blamed for aging and other diseases. Contrary to what researchers first thought, we now know that oxidative stress is beneficial in controlled amounts. In fact, it’s essential. Newer research has shown that oxidative stress prompts your cells to become stronger over time by increasing your body’s antioxidants.
Free Radical Theory of Aging
The free radical theory of aging (FRTA) states that organisms age because cells accumulate free radical damage over time. A free radical is any atom or molecule that has a single unpaired electron in an outer shell. Most biologically-relevant free radicals are highly reactive. For most biological structures, free radical damage is closely associated with oxidative damage. Antioxidants are reducing agents, and limit oxidative damage to biological structures by passivating them from free radicals.
Antioxidants are helpful in reducing and preventing damage from free radical reactions because of their ability to donate electrons which neutralize the radical without forming another. Ascorbic acid, for example, can lose an electron to a free radical and remain stable itself by passing its unstable electron around the antioxidant molecule. The free radical theory of aging implies that antioxidants such as vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol), beta-carotene and Superoxide dismutase will slow the process of aging by preventing free radicals from oxidizing sensitive biological molecules or reducing the formation of free radicals. (Source: Wikipedia)
This has led to the hypothesis that large amounts of antioxidants, with their ability to decrease the numbers of free radicals, might lessen the radical damage causing chronic diseases, and even radical damage responsible for aging.
Free radicals also serve as important signaling molecules for a number of functions in your body, so getting rid of them entirely would likely be counterproductive.
All forms of exercise cause some oxidative stress. This is one of the reasons it makes you healthier. Your body is slightly weakened, recovers, and becomes more resistant to oxidative stress from the next workout (or other stressors).
Most researchers agree that vigorous exercise produces healthy amounts of oxidative stress, to the point they call it an antioxidant.
“AGE”: Advanced Glycation End-products
Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are proteins or lipids that become glycated as a result of exposure to sugars. This is another factor in aging. It happens when glucose, the main sugar we use as energy, binds to some of our DNA, proteins, and lipids, leaving them unable to do their jobs.
They can be a factor in aging and in the development or worsening of many degenerative diseases, such as diabetes, atherosclerosis, chronic renal failure, and Alzheimer’s disease
The problem becomes worse as we get older, causing body tissues to malfunction, resulting in disease and death. Glycation may explain why studies in laboratory animals indicate that restricting calorie intake extends lifespan.
Most likely oxidative stress, glycation, telomere shortening, and chronological age — along with various genes — all work together to cause aging. Just how much exercise, nutrition, and cellular health contribute to stave off rapid aging is what we are trying to find out. Even without the scientific definitive proof that is being explored, we can decide to take preventative measures that make sense:
Exercise daily, don’t eat crap, and pay attention to what your body and brain needs.
We’ll discuss cellular health and nutrition intensively in our third book, Senior Nutrition 4 Life. Until then we would warn you to avoid three damaging habits.
- Alcohol has been known to hasten the progression of many mitochondrial disorders.
- Cigarette smoke, probably due to the carbon monoxide, is known to hasten the progression of conditions.
- MSG (monosodium glutamate) has for years been known to cause migraine headaches in otherwise healthy individuals, and may trigger these events in susceptible older people with mitochondrial malfunction. MSG is frequently added to Chinese and other Asian foods, and is also found in high levels of dried and canned soup. Read the label and avoid MSG altogether.
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