Fuelling Your Future - Managing Mitochondrial Health
Looking After Our Mitochondria: The Key to Healthier Aging and Disease Prevention
When it comes to health, we often think big - diet, exercise, stress. But real power lies in the tiny engines inside our cells. Meet your mitochondria: microscopic "power banks" fuelling every cell in your body. These unsung heroes don’t just keep you going, they influence how you age and your risk for diseases, especially those affecting the brain, like dementia.
Understanding how to care for our mitochondria is one of the most impactful things we can do to support healthier aging, enhance brain function, and stave off chronic illnesses. Here’s why mitochondrial health matters, and how you can nurture yours every day.
What Are Mitochondria?
Mitochondria are often called the "powerhouses" of the cell, and for good reason—they convert nutrients from the food we eat into ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the energy currency of our cells. Without ATP, your heart can’t beat, your lungs can’t breathe, and your brain can’t think. Each cell in your body contains hundreds to thousands of mitochondria, depending on how energy-hungry that tissue is. For example, brain and muscle cells are packed with them because they demand a constant energy supply. But mitochondria do more than just provide energy. They’re involved in cell signalling, regulating the cell cycle, and even determining whether a cell lives or dies. And like everything else in your body, they’re vulnerable to wear and tear—especially as we age (1, 2).
Mitochondria and Aging
Aging is often described as a decline in the body’s ability to maintain homeostasis, or balance. Mitochondria are central to this process. Over time, mitochondrial function tends to decline due to oxidative stress, accumulation of mutations in mitochondrial DNA, and reduced ability to generate energy efficiently (3).
This mitochondrial dysfunction is now recognized as a hallmark of aging. It contributes to a wide range of age-related diseases, including:
Neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s (4)
Cardiovascular disease (5)
Type 2 diabetes (6)
Cancer (7)
Chronic fatigue and muscle wasting (8, 9)
In the brain, where energy demand is incredibly high, declining mitochondrial health can impair cognitive function, memory, and even mood. It’s no coincidence that mitochondrial decline is closely tied to the development of dementia (4).
Mitochondria and Brain Health
The brain accounts for about 2% of your body weight but uses around 20% of your energy. That means it’s highly dependent on mitochondria. When these organelles start malfunctioning, neurons struggle to function and die off more rapidly. In diseases like Alzheimer’s, research has shown that mitochondrial dysfunction occurs early, even before symptoms appear. Damaged mitochondria produce excess reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to oxidative stress, inflammation, and eventually, neuron death.
By protecting your mitochondria, you’re not just supporting your body, you’re actively defending your brain against premature aging and neurodegeneration (2, 4).
How to Support Your Mitochondria
The good news? Mitochondrial health is incredibly responsive to lifestyle. Here are the most evidence-based strategies to nurture and protect your cellular powerhouses.
1. Exercise—Especially High-Intensity and Strength Training
Exercise is one of the best ways to stimulate mitochondrial biogenesis, or the creation of new mitochondria. Both aerobic and resistance training help your body produce more mitochondria and improve their efficiency (10).
HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training), in particular, has been shown to significantly boost mitochondrial content in muscle and improve insulin sensitivity.
Resistance training supports mitochondrial function in aging muscles, which helps maintain strength, mobility, and metabolic health.
2. Eat Mitochondria-Friendly Foods
I regularly recommend a diet for my clients who want or clearly need to optimise their mitochondrial function. Our focus is on reducing inflammation, minimizing oxidative stress, and supplying the body with essential nutrients and antioxidants.
Top nutrients for mitochondrial function include:
CoQ10 – an essential coenzyme in the electron transport chain. Found in oily fish, organ meats, and supplements.
B vitamins (especially B1, B2, B3, B5, and B12) – support energy metabolism.
Magnesium – critical for ATP production.
Alpha-lipoic acid, L-carnitine, and creatine – support mitochondrial energy transport and can be found in meat, or taken as supplements.
Antioxidants – like vitamins C and E, and polyphenols from berries, green tea, and dark chocolate help counteract oxidative stress (12).
A Mediterranean-style diet is especially beneficial as it is rich in whole foods, healthy fats, lean proteins, and low in processed sugar, all of which support mitochondrial health (11).
3. Intermittent Fasting or Time-Restricted Eating
Fasting triggers autophagy, the cellular cleanup process that removes damaged components, including faulty mitochondria. Giving your cells time to rest and reset can boost mitochondrial efficiency and resilience. Even a simple 12–16 hour overnight fast can have a positive effect. Studies show that fasting supports metabolic flexibility, reduces inflammation, and may even increase lifespan (13).
4. Sleep and Circadian Rhythm
Mitochondria have their own circadian rhythms! Disrupted sleep can impair mitochondrial energy production and increase oxidative stress. Prioritize:
7–9 hours of quality sleep
Consistent sleep-wake times
Morning sunlight exposure to reset your body clock
Good sleep = better brain and better mitochondria (14).
5. Cold and Heat Exposure
Mild hormetic stressors like sauna sessions or cold showers can stimulate mitochondrial biogenesis. This is the concept of "what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger" at the cellular level.
Saunas increase heat shock proteins, reduce inflammation, and may protect against neurodegenerative disease.
Cold exposure activates brown fat and mitochondrial activity, improving metabolic health (15).
6. Avoid Mitochondrial Toxins
Certain lifestyle and environmental exposures damage mitochondria directly. These include:
Smoking
Excess alcohol
Pesticides and heavy metals
Chronic stress
Poor diet (especially processed foods and trans fats)
Reducing your exposure to these toxins helps preserve mitochondrial integrity and function over time (16).
Small Habits, Big Impact
You don’t need to overhaul your life overnight to start supporting your mitochondria. Small, consistent habits, like walking daily, eating more greens and variety of veg, fruit and fibres, getting sunlight, and cutting back on processed food, can all significantly improve your energy, brain function, and resilience to aging.
Your mitochondria may be microscopic, but their impact is massive. By taking care of them, you’re investing in a longer, sharper, and more vibrant life. Through a detailed and personalised diet and lifestyle plan, I can help you maintain mito function and find optimal energy in mind and body for decades to come.
Academic references:
1. Mitochondriahttps://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/9/6/137
2. Aging and inflammation – A central role for mitochondria in brain health and disease
4. The role of mitochondrial dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis
5. The role of mitochondria in Cardiovascular Disease
6. The role of mitochondria in the pathogenesis of Type 2 Diabetes
8. Oxidative stress, chronic disease, and muscle wasting
9. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Mitochondrial dysfunction
10. Physical exercise increases mitochondrial function and reduces oxidative damage in skeletal muscle
11. Mediterranean Diet and Mitochondria: New findings
12. Dietary polyphenols and mitochondrial function: Role in Health and Disease
14. Mitochondria’s role in sleep: Novel insights from sleep deprivation and restriction studies