| Reader, I find it frustrating when I hear mainstream doctors talk about the "diseases of aging" — like cancer, dementia, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and even frailty — as if there's nothing you can do about them.
The truth is…
There's nothing natural about these conditions.
Today's chronic diseases are a direct result of the unnatural world we live in. You see, we've rendered our environment so that it's foreign and toxic to our bodies.
And it's damaging your mitochondria — what I call the second half of the anti-aging equation.
Many studies have demonstrated that oxidative overload damages organs and tissue, resulting in various diseases, and leaves poor mitochondria without defense.
Causing them to age before their time.
When this happens, down goes your energy production... and down goes your capacity to rejuvenate and repair your body.
And it's a big cause of the number one complaint of aging among my patients. If you're in that group, you already know what I'm talking about.
It's fatigue.
Your mitochondria make up your body's master energy system. They are the nanotechnology of your cells — and they power every organ and function in your body.
So, what happens to these little powerhouses?
It begins with the natural aging process itself. You see, the more energy these cellular engines put out, the more waste they produce. That waste, in the form of free radicals and oxidative assault, causes the mitochondria to misfire.
Over time, your mitochondria start to deplete — some die off, and those that remain become weaker. And so do the cells they inhabit, which grow old and don't function as well as younger cells.1
Mitochondria can also be damaged by a variety of environmental toxicants, including air pollutants, heavy metals, endocrine-disrupting compounds, and pesticides.
But mitochondrial decline isn't just a byproduct of aging — it's the source of the aging process itself. Organs and organ systems fail, and diseases begin to strike when your mitochondria begin to fail.
Scientists have found that faltering mitochondria emit signals that spread malfunction to other cells, disabling healthy mitochondrial activity and triggering the onset of disease.2
The good news is that you can rejuvenate the mitochondria in aging human cells to prevent disease from taking hold. 3 Simple Steps To Boost Mitochondria To Fight Disease And Fatigue You have the power to rejuvenate these microscopic energy powerhouses that are found in each one of your cells.
Here's what I recommend to my patients: - First, take my favorite supplement, CoQ10: This super nutrient is key to delaying or preventing mitochondrial depletion. Its power begins with its antioxidant properties, which protect your mitochondria against free radical damage. But more than this, CoQ10 is a high-octane fuel, and your mitochondria need it to produce the energy they run on.
Every cell in your body uses CoQ10 to get energy from your mitochondria. It sparks them to make extra energy.
If you don't get CoQ10 through dietary sources like liver, or from supplements, your energy levels will fall, and your organs will function below par. Cholesterol-busting statins also drastically reduce CoQ10 levels.
However, a CoQ10 supplement can yield immediate benefits. I recommend that everyone take 50 mg of CoQ10 daily. If you're over 60 or suffering from a chronic condition, increase the dose to 100 mg a day.
And make sure it's the ubiquinol form of CoQ10, which is the most potent.
- Then, protect your mitochondria with PQQ: While CoQ10 does an amazing job of squeezing more power out of your remaining mitochondria, it does nothing for the mitochondria you've already lost. That's where the little-known nutrient, pyrroloquinoline quinone, or PQQ, comes in.
PQQ triggers your cells to build healthy new mitochondria, producing more fuel, so your cell systems work more energetically and more efficiently. At the same time, PQQ also protects your mitochondria, by neutralizing free radicals that damage and kill your mitochondria.
Kiwi fruit, sweet green peppers, carrots, potatoes, cabbage, sweet potatoes, and bananas are good sources of PQQ.
You can also take a supplement. I recommend 20 mg of PQQ.
- Finally, don't forget this energy-increasing amino acid: Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALC) plays a crucial role in making energy in your cells. It transports fatty acids into the mitochondria, where they are burned for fuel. It also carries toxic waste out before it can do damage.
But as you age, carnitine levels in your tissues drop. That's why you need acetyl-L-carnitine. Your body converts L-carnitine to ALC. Studies show when your mitochondria slow down, ALC can fire them up again. Studies also show ALC reverses the malfunction in mitochondria as you age.3
The best source of L-carnitine is grass-fed red meat. But you can also supplement. I suggest taking at least 500 mg of ALC every day on an empty stomach. Look for a formula with only L-carnitine and not D-carnitine, as D-carnitine is synthetic. To Your Good Health, 
Al Sears, MD, CNS
References: - Barja G. "The mitochondrial free radical theory of aging." Prog Mol Biol Transl Sci. 2014;127:1-27.
- Cheng X and Ferrell JE. "Apoptosis propagates through the cytoplasm as trigger waves." Science. 2018; 361(6402):607-612.
- Kidd PM. "Neurodegeneration from mitochondrial insufficiency: nutrients, stem cells, growth factors, and prospects for brain rebuilding using integrative management." Altern Med Rev. 2005;10(4):268-93.
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