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EXERCISE FOR AGING & LONGEVITY
The Secret to Physical Stamina
Slow Jogging or Zone 2 Training has always been the Holy Grail
Mitochondria.
Mitochondria is the primary energy-producing units within almost every cell of your body. This allows your body to use nutrients, such as carbohydrates and fats, and convert them into energy that can be used to power your everyday activity. Their health determines the wellness of our tissue and organs, while their dysfunction can cause life-threatening conditions.
Dr. Iñigo San Millán, former competitive cyclist and assistant professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, recently published his findings in Antioxidants (April 2023), ‘The Key Role of Mitochondrial Function in Health and Disease’.
He reinforced that mitochondrial function is key in health and disease. Mitochondrial function refers to the various roles and activities that mitochondria perform within a cell.
Mitochondria are referred to as the ‘powerhouses’ of the cell because their primary function is to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the cell’s main energy currency, through a process called oxidative phosphorylation.
“Fatty acids can be converted to energy ONLY in the mitochondria” — Iñigo San Millán
Exercise continues to be the only known stimulus for the maintenance and improvement of mitochondrial function.
Athletes with optimal mitochondrial health burn fuels and recycle lactate, a byproduct produced in the body during vigorous exercise, more efficiently.
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