Healthy Mitochondria Are The Key To A Sharp Mind And A Well Functioning Brain
Our brain uses more energy than any other organ, accounting for up to 20% of our body’s total energy demands.
Cellular organelles called mitochondria exist inside every cell in the body, and play a critical role in getting our brain the energy it needs.
Mitochondria produce energy through the process of cellular respiration.
They take food molecules and combine them with oxygen to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP) - which provides our brain and body with the energy they need.
Our brain’s prefrontal cortex, which underpins executive function, has more mitochondria than other cortical regions.
The healthier our mitochondria the more energy our brain has... and the better we perform!
There are many ways to improve mitochondrial function, including:
- High intensity interval training (HIIT)
- A Polyphenol-rich diet (cacao, dark berries)
- Supplementing with:
- Creatine
- Acetyl-l-carnitine
- Resveratrol
- Apigenin
References
PMID: 16799133, PMID: 28554320, PMID: 27610211, PMID: 19720100, PMID: 26770656, PMID: 23172919
