Does your energy run lower than normal?
Do you have muscle aches and pains?
Are you afraid of developing Alzheimer’s, high blood pressure, stroke, heart attack or Parkinson’s?
These issues are associated with mitochondrial dysfunction!
Mitochondria are in every cell and they produce energy to keep your cells alive. However, their role is much bigger than that. They synthesize steroid hormones1, clean out old, dying cells, store calcium and release it when needed, generate heat, communicate with other cells, and communicate with different parts of the cell, especially the nucleus. 2 The nucleus contains DNA and that is where a lot of action happens. Genes in the nucleus can be turned on or off to create health or disease.
There is a big difference in the kinds of conditions women get versus men.
There is a reason for this…
Estrogen regulates mitochondria function!3
Some of the many diseases that have sex differences are high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s disease. The reason is women have more estrogen. Estrogen protects against Alzheimer’s, high blood pressure, stroke, heart attack or Parkinson’s in women. Men have a higher rate of these conditions yet, after menopause the rate of these conditions increases in women. The early protection wanes as estrogen levels wane in menopause. 3
Nutrients for Mitochondria
If you are suffering from any condition that may be associated with a mitochondrial disorder, such as heart disease, diabetes, memory decline, and other neurological conditions. Some of these nutrients can improve mitochondrial health along with a healthy diet and lifestyle and avoiding toxins that can poison the mitochondria.
- Carnitine
- Magnesium
- B Vitamins
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- Alpha-lipoic acid
- Vitamin C
- N-acetyl Cysteine/Glutathione
- Coenzyme Q10
Consider bioidentical hormone replacement therapy if you are at risk of any estrogen related mitochondrial diseases. Consult with an experienced functional medicine physician who can address the root cause of illness and give you personalized care. Take the course Is HRT right for you if you want to know if you are a good candidate for bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.
References:
- Miller WL. Steroid hormone synthesis in mitochondria. Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2013;379(1-2):62-73. doi:10.1016/j.mce.2013.04.014
- Xia M, Zhang Y, Jin K, Lu Z, Zeng Z, Xiong W. Communication between mitochondria and other organelles: a brand-new perspective on mitochondria in cancer. Cell Biosci. 2019;9(1):1-19. doi:10.1186/s13578-019-0289-8
- Klinge CM. Estrogenic control of mitochondrial function. Redox Biol. 2020;31:101435. doi:10.1016/j.redox.2020.101435
She is a recognized and award-winning holistic, functional, integrative and anti-aging healthcare practitioner, speaker and author, and has been featured in ABC News, Forbes, WOR Radio and many media outlets to spread the word that you can live younger and healthier at any age.