Oxidative damage to mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), leading to so-called mitochondrial dysfunction, is one of the main factors of human aging and the development of chronic diseases [1]. This is counteracted by continuous mitochondrial renewal. In this way, IHT counteracts oxidative stress, increases the efficiency of oxidative metabolism, slows down the aging process and prevents/delays the development of age-related diseases [2].
[1] Picard, M.; Turnbull, D.M. Linking the Metabolic State and Mitochondrial DNA in Chronic Disease, Health, and Aging. Diabetes 2013, 62, 672–678, doi:10.2337/db12-1203.
[2] Marshall, R.P.; Droste, J.-N.; Giessing, J.; Kreider, R.B. Role of Creatine Supplementation in Conditions Involving Mitochondrial Dysfunction: A Narrative Review. Nutrients 2022, 14, 529.
The human body consists of about 80 trillion cells. Mitochondria are the energy centers of our body. They are found in every cell and they are the ones that supply the body with the energy necessary for life and the functioning of every organ. For example, a nerve cell has about 10,000 mitochondria, and an egg cell has up to 100,000 mitochondria. Mitochondria in the heart muscle make up about 36% of its total mass. They also perform a number of other important functions, such as detoxifying our body.
Your mitochondria are real power plants, because based on their mass, they produce between 10,000 and 50,000 times more energy than the sun. For us humans, this means that our mitochondria produce about the same amount of ATP as our body weight every day. Unlike other organelles, mitochondria have their own DNA (mtDNA). Although it is much shorter than the DNA in the cell nucleus, it occurs in several copies. Thanks to their own genome, mitochondria can reproduce independently of the cell. As the power plants of our cells, mitochondria are primarily responsible for providing us with energy. If many of them become damaged, energy production in our cells becomes increasingly inefficient. Over the years, the lack of energy becomes increasingly noticeable: for example, in the form of increased fatigue and exhaustion. During cellular respiration, free radicals are formed, which in physiological quantities are important for various processes in our body. However, in excess, they lead to oxidative stress, which damages the cell and its organelles.
To prevent this, mitochondria are equipped with a good protective system (including antioxidants), the activity of which is regulated by the production of free radicals.