Muscle & Mitochondria

Muscle health and mitochondrial health are linked. The more healthy muscle you have the more mitochondria your skeletal muscle has. More mitochondria being able to convert nutrients to usable energy leads to an increased metabolic rate which is important for weight management as well as blood sugar level control. As muscle mass declines progressively from the age of 30 (true!) it is important to work to maintain and build muscle mass to prevent age related decline in muscle and metabolic health.

First up - what are mitochondria?

• Mitochondria are organelles (little organ) that are found in all cells of our body except red blood cells.

• They convert glucose and oxygen into energy (ATP).

• They create the antioxidant melatonin which is used to neutralise reactive oxygen species at the cellular level. This melatonin is different to the melatonin released by the pineal gland at night to help you sleep.

• The brain, heart and skeletal muscles are the most energy demanding muscles of your body and have the highest number of mitochondria.

• Mitochondria decline by 10% each year from 20 years of age.

• Mitochondrial dysfunction increases oxidative stress — thought to lead to ageing and contribute to chronic health conditions. Mitochondrial dysfunction also reduces the ability of the mitochondria to replace itself leading to more damaged mitochondria hanging around longer.

How is muscle health and mitochondria linked?

Dr Gabrielle Lyon, the founder of the institute of Muscle-Centric Medicine in New York refers to skeletal muscle as the organ of longevity since the more healthy muscle you have the more mitochondria you have also. This is key to metabolic health and results in an increased ability of your body to convert nutrients to energy and boost immune function via peptides that help fight germs and reduce inflammation.

What is hormesis and how does it affect mitochondria?

Hormesis is positive stress that makes the body stronger and more adaptable to bad stress. Types of hormetic stress include; exercise, breathing exercises and hot and cold therapy. Hormesis is necessary to challenge the homeostatic balance and improve mitochondrial health.

Athletes in their 70’s have been found to have the same number of mitochondria as a person in their 20’s and scientists believe this is due to hormesis as physical activity is linked to enhanced mitochondrial creation and more efficient energy generation. However excess exercise results in a loss of this positive effect and incomplete recovery - so more is not better(1).

Photo by Dinielle De Veyra: (https://www.pexels.com)

Training for mitochondrial health

Training for mitochondrial health involves both endurance training and strength training. Training skeletal muscle impacts mitochondria, secretes mytokines - peptides that travel throughout the body that interface with the immune system leading to healthier skeletal muscle and a healthier immune system.

For endurance getting your heart rate up is important so going for a brisk walk, a bike ride, a swim in the ocean or a dance session are great options. Strength training can be body weight exercises such as yoga, calisthenics or weighted exercises.

Dr Lyon recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate activity per week with 2 hours of resistance training per week.

Nutrition for mitochondrial health

Your body is made of protein and so replacing protein through the diet is extremely important particularly when trying to build muscle and therefore mitochondria. Skeletal muscle is a nutrient sensing system and is very sensitive to dietary protein – particularly amino acids. This system becomes less sensitive with age, so protein becomes even more important the older you get. Muscle and mitochondria also need healthy fat and carbohydrates to function optimally however excess calories (above what your body needs) are challenging for the body – something to be mindful of.

Dr Lyon recommends the following for protein dosing and timing:

• Eating 1g protein per kg of ideal body weight

  • Ideal is subjective so say you feel good at 60kg aim for 60g protein per day.

• 30g protein per meal is required to stimulate tissue growth. However, timing is important. The first and last meal of the day is when protein is required to protect against skeletal muscle breakdown.

  • So if you require 60g protein per day this split will be 30g protein at the first meal and 30g protein at the last meal.

• An example of what 30g protein might look like:

  • two large boiled eggs (approx. 7g protein each egg) +

  • 100g ricotta cheese (8g protein) with fruit +

  • a glass of milk (8g protein).

  According to Dr Lyon, the protein requirement for the meal in the middle is not as critical for muscle development and maintenance. However, combining protein, fats and carbs at eat meal will help to keep you full throughout the day.  

Summary

Mitochondrial health is key to longevity and healthy ageing. Incorporating strength training, resistance training and adequate protein to reduce skeletal muscle loss will support muscle maintenance, metabolic health and mitochondrial creation into old age.

The information provided on this website is for information purposes only and is not meant to be nor should be considered medical advice.