Posted on 02/08/2023 2:23:48 PM PST by ConservativeMind
Depression can drain a person's energy. In the elderly, depression has been linked with the deterioration of the tiny power plants in our cells.
These power plants are the mitochondria, tiny structures within our cells that handle several important tasks. The most critical is producing the molecules our cells use for energy. When mitochondria don't function well, it causes all kinds of problems for us. Mitochondrial diseases such as Alper's disease and Barth syndrome are the best known and usually become obvious in infancy or childhood. But researchers are now finding other effects.
Major depression, for example. Researchers report that older adults with major depression often have rapidly aging mitochondria.
The team measured levels of a protein produced by mitochondria in the blood of depressed adults over 70. The protein, GDF-15, is strongly associated with aging, poorly functioning mitochondria. And aging mitochondria are strongly linked with fast biological aging. The higher the level of GDF-15 in the blood, the more impaired the mitochondria tend to be. In other words, this is when our tiny power plants start to fall apart.
"We have seen it in immune cells; in glial cells in the brain; in adipose tissue. We see a systemic cellular senescence changes in depressed older adults," says Diniz, meaning overall, older adults with major depression show accelerated aging in cells throughout their body.
"One problem feeds into another, and make what began as a small issue into a much larger one," he says.
The researchers have begun testing interventions that improve mitochondrial function and clear senescence in humans in hopes that they may slow or even reverse biological aging. They are also collaborating with partners working with senolytics, experimental drugs that selectively remove aged, malfunctioning cells, in the hopes of improving mood, strength, and energy in older adults.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
The senolytics mentioned above generally seek to kill the whole cell, rather than just the mitochondria.
I’ve posted study information on these, in the past.
I have found that alcohol counteracts this situation.
Best approach I’ve had with mitochondrial health is sustained moderate exercise. ‘Zone 2’ for minimum of 45 minutes four times a week. Stationary bike is what I do. It’s a miracle activity.
Thanks.
Following...
Should Urolithin A be taken separately from anti-oxidants?
I tend to take it at night with fish oil and plasmogen and a couple of amino acids that seem to help with sleep.
Take various AO (generally lots of plant based) during the day, away from exercise time, as AO seem to interfere with benefits of exercise (ironically).
Dr. Doug Wallace: A Mitochondrial Etiology of Metabolic and Degenerative Diseases, Cancer and Aging
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDDFV7Sovvs
It needs some fat, which is why it as MCT oil in with it in the capsule.
I’d say take it by itself or with a meal that has some fat.
I know the bottle doesn’t really clarify it, though.
Well, this is depressing news.
I have the stationary bike also. I’m still walking good at 89.
Happy walking!
I drag my aszz out walking 4 miles every day and fast. Outside. This is slavery! Treadmills are boring. Though I go do treadmill when it is raining and to see what my current heart rate is.
My main concern is do antioxidants interfere with it?
For example, antioxidants interfere with some chemo bc they bell to protect cancer cells from the chemo.
I wonder if antioxidants would protect weak mitochondria from this.
Urolithin A isn’t an antioxidant. It is a metabolite normally made by gut bacteria that only 40% of the population has, and only about 100 mg/day would be expected.
NAC does stop antioxidants and bodily processes from causing apoptosis of cells, but I am unaware of anything blocking mitophagy (apoptosis of mitochondria within cells), but that’s a new area of study, too.
NAC does interfere with mitophagy:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41419-019-1470-z
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167488915001147
Understand UA is not and AO.
Good to know about NAC.
Almost sounds like you should cycle between the two.
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