Melondy Phillips
Staff Writer
In an age of climate-controlled homes, offices and even vehicles, many humans have become intolerant of extreme temperature fluctuations. And while many people workout in gyms or at home, daily life full of physical work all day has become a thing of the distant past for most. We have grown accustomed to being comfortable.
Is this a good or a bad thing?
Science is still discovering just how fearfully and wonderfully the human body is made. One of the many fascinating aspects of the human body is the intricacies of its defense and repair mechanisms. Whether to initiate a “knee jerk” reaction to protect against harm, triggering the fight or flight hormone, or having the many layers of protection against viruses and bacteria, the sophistication of the human body is truly amazing. But it goes even deeper than that.
According to genome.gov, “Mitochondria are membrane-bound cell organelles (mitochondrion, singular) that generate most of the chemical energy needed to power the cell’s biochemical reactions.” The mitochondria are considered to be the “power-house” of the cell, converting nutrients from the food we eat into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which our cells use as energy for proper cell function.
Mitochondria are located throughout the body with the highest concentrations being in the heart, diaphragm, photoreceptor cells in the retinal (back of the eye), and in the skeletal muscles. These areas require a lot of energy and restoration to function well.
If the mitochondria aren’t working properly then the whole body is affected.
There are several ways to trigger an increase in healthy mitochondria function. Temperature swings is one effective method. Submitting the human body to temperatures of less than 66 degrees Fahrenheit can spurn mitochondria biogenesis. One study shows that even 30 – 90 seconds of cold water after a warm shower can have profound effects on the functionality of the mitochondria. A journal entry in the Public Library of Science, showed a 29% reduction in sickness absence for hot-to-cold shower regimen compared to the control group.”
Cold exposure reduces the mitochondria damaging ROS (reactive oxygen species).
For those of us who do not like cold, heat is another way to trigger mitochondria improvement. While many people use heating pads, hot baths and saunas to help relax tired sore muscles, it does much more for our overall health. Tcimedicine.com reports, “A 2018 study published in the “Journal of Applied Physiology” showed that lightly heating cultured muscle cells (muscle cells in a petri dish) created more mitochondria and increased the function of mitochondria’s respiratory capacity (ability to generate ATP). What’s interesting about this study is that in the human participants, no exercise was performed, yet the applied heat still caused the increase in mitochondria numbers and function.”
This provides a way for those who cannot perform or tolerate a lot of physical activity. Heat from saunas and Finnish saunas can help excrete heavy metals from the body, via sweating, resulting in detoxification at the same time triggering mitochondria growth. In one study, repeated exposure to heat stress for six days increased mitochondrial function by 28%, among other advantages. Exposure to temperatures ranging from 105 – 170 °F for 15 – 30 minutes increased the efficiency of the mitochondria as they began to use oxygen in the blood more efficiently.
Bathing in heat should not be excessive. Prolonged heat exposure could trigger heat stroke or other heat related health conditions, especially for those who are not used to heat extremes.
Fasting – Studies have found that a decrease in nutrients is linked to an increase in mitochondria numbers and function. Mouse models have shown that nitric oxide may mediate an increase in mitochondrial number during times of fasting or caloric restrictions. However, prolonging decreased nutrients for too long can have irreversible health issues which may include organ shutdown or death. Medical literature has also suggested a link between mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) sub- units, a reduction in TOR kinase genes, and Yhb1p (a protein previously implicated in the detoxification of nitric oxide), which may lead to lifespan extension.
Exercise training and pulsing high-intensity interval training (HIIT) for 30 seconds or less (or to breathlessness) are other ways that help increase mitochondria numbers and function. HIIT is pushing exercise to near limits of an individual’s ability and then backing way off or resting for a period of time before pushing intensity again. An example of this is walking as fast as possible, without running, for 30 seconds then following that by slow walking for about 90 seconds. This slow down allows the heart and breathing rate to come back down to normal state. Repeating these push cycles conditions the time intervals between heart beats or “heart rate variability.” The suggested training for HIIT is sets of 5-8 cycles at one time with no more than 3 set per week. Studies have found that HIIT training like this, over a 12-week period, increased mitochondria numbers, increased growth hormone, decreased abdominal fat, and improved lung, heart and metabolic health.
Our body is designed to protect itself, and when needed, make its own repairs, if given the proper care.
It’s sad to say how difficult that is to do in today’s world. We are constantly bombarded with poisons, toxins and stress, even down to the very air we breathe and water we drink. The best we can do is to start paying attention, eliminating as many poisons as possible, and training our bodies for better health.
There are many other ways to increase the number and function of mitochondria. I encourage research and perseverance.
