Experts say this activity rebuilds mitochondria and may slow aging |
Experts say this activity rebuilds mitochondria and may slow aging
The powerhouse of the cell may be a key to longevity.
[Illustration: Getty Images]
The mitochondria, perhaps better known as the powerhouses of cells, are emerging as a possible factor in the pains of aging. Some scientists are of the mind that poor mitochondrial health can lead to symptoms and diseases related to aging, like Alzheimer’s and cancer.
“The mitochondria just give up earlier than other parts of the cell because of the wear and tear that they’re subjected to,” Pinchas Cohen, dean of USC’s Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, told The New York Times. “They’re the canary in the coal mine of cellular dysfunction.”
It’s true that mitochondria produce energy from the food that we eat. But that’s actually not all that they do.
How Cell Health Impacts Aging
They also help immune functioning, create peptides that send messages between organs, and are essential for general cellular housekeeping, according to the NYT.
But as we get older, the number of mitochondria in our cells and their ability to function decline. The organelle begins producing more and more reactive oxygen species (ROS), a toxic byproduct of the energy production process.
That has an effect on our overall health.
Other researchers believe the reverse, that aging and disease actually cause the dysfunction in the mitochondria.
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