Where do you turn when you’ve exhausted caffeine as an energy resource? You turn to your cells. Although stimulants, like coffee and energy drinks, have benefits and can give us a quick energy fix, long-lasting, sustainable energy takes more work.
If you haven’t heard, optimizing your energy production, revamping your routine, and leading a more energetic, youthful life is possible. It starts with supporting the energy powerhouses inside your cells called the mitochondria.
We’ll tell you how your energy levels directly correlate to your mitochondrial health and give you tips on taking care of them so you can feel more energized and regain that competitive edge you might be missing.
What Do the Mitochondria Do?
Most of us believe our energy production starts with our morning cup of coffee, but the truth is that energy production happens deep inside our cells.
Every bodily system, organ, and tissue in our bodies is made of cells, and inside these cells are tiny batters, called mitochondria, that power the cells to carry out their cellular function.
Let’s Get Science-y
Put on your lab coats, because we’re taking it back to high school biology to understand how energy production works.
Every cell has between 1,000 and 2,500 mitochondria. The more mitochondria, the more energy the cell is capable of producing. Mitochondria are specifically involved in a process called oxidative phosphorylation. This is the last step in cellular respiration, or the process by which your cells break down the glucose in the foods you eat and transform it into energy.
During oxidative phosphorylation, the mitochondria inside your cells transform a compound called adenosine diphosphate (ADP) to adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is essential — it fuels virtually every process in our bodies. ATP is so important that our cells create an amount almost equal to our body weight each day.
How Does Mitochondrial Function Impact Your Overall Energy?
Cellular energy production directly correlates to our overall energy levels. When our cells are functioning properly, bodily systems function properly. When they don’t, a trickle-down effect can cause us to feel tired, experience illness, and even develop disease.
Mitochondria As We Age
Getting older means changes, and we don’t necessarily like many of these changes. Aging happens throughout our entire bodies, including inside our cells. Mitochondria are the original quiet quitters, weakening and slowing down their job production as we age.
When mitochondrial function begins to decline, there’s less energy production at the cellular level. With age, the number of mitochondria in the cells also declines, further affecting ATP production and causing us to feel tired.
Oxidative Stress
Inside our bodies, a delicate balance of free radicals and antioxidants exists. Free radicals are unbalanced molecules that damage our cells’ DNA. When the DNA is damaged, the cell can’t function properly, and that damaged DNA gets transferred to new cells.
Oxidative damage can lead to problems from energy metabolism within the cell to issues like cardiovascular disease.
What Are Some Signs Your Mitochondria Could Use Some Support?
Mitochondrial decline starts as early as age 30, so if you’re suspicious that your waning energy could be due to mitochondrial dysfunction, you could be right. Feeling tired may not be enough to convince you of a need for change, but coupled with the following symptoms, you might find focusing on cellular health an essential part of your wellness journey.
General Feelings of Tiredness
Everyone gets tired from time to time. We might have entire weeks that are physically or emotionally challenging, leaving us feeling drained.
However, when we continually feel tired in the absence of these challenges, and while we’re getting adequate sleep, the underlying cause could be our mitochondrial function.
Lack of Motivation
Getting stuck in a rut from time to time can be a completely normal part of life. But if you simply can’t shake your lack of motivation, there could be an issue. Losing interest in things you once enjoyed or did with no trouble can result in a lack of motivation that is hard to overcome.
When you find yourself completely unmotivated to complete tasks, perform your work, or hit the gym, it might mean you’re suffering from mitochondrial decline, not just a lack of willpower or personal motivation. That’s a good thing because it’s an easier fix.
Trouble Concentrating
The laser focus you enjoyed in your youth seems to have vanished. In its place, you find yourself struggling for words during conversations, forgetting things frequently, and struggling to focus on presentations or even a good book.
Your lack of focus probably has roots in your cells, where new mitochondria aren’t being produced as much, and existing mitochondria are essentially sitting down on the job.
Thankfully, there are solutions to help support your cellular health, maintain your mitochondrial function, and feel more energized.
How Can You Find a High-Quality Mitochondria Supplement?
A quick search pulls up a lot of supplements that claim to help support your mitochondrial biogenesis and function. It can feel like a challenge to find the right one. Here are two tips to help you find the best mitochondrial support available.
Formulated by Physicians
You can take the advice of a self-proclaimed wellness expert on social media, or you can trust highly-qualified medical professionals for your care. We prefer the latter. That’s why L’Evate You relies on a team of doctors and healthcare professionals with years of experience to develop products that are safe, effective, and beneficial.
L’Evate You is focused on supporting your health from the tiniest organelles (like the mitochondria) to the major system in the body.
Gut-Healthy Ingredients
The health of your digestive system correlates to virtually every other bodily system, even your immunity. When your gut flora is unbalanced, you experience problems with digestion like bloating, upset stomach, and constipation. If you don’t fix it, those problems lead to deeper issues, like compromised immunity, illness, and even disease.
The overgrowth of unhealthy bacteria in the gut has been linked to changes in how our mitochondria function and the release of inflammatory cells that can trigger an unnecessary immune response.
A high-quality dietary supplement that focuses on mitochondrial health will contain ingredients that support overall gut health, like probiotics, prebiotics, and fiber.
How Can You Use Mitochondria Supplements for Energy?
You can use a mitochondria supplement to help support a more sustainable energy level. Keep in mind, however, that these supplements don’t work overnight.
Being consistent with your supplement and making other small changes (like adopting a healthier diet and getting more physical activity) will help you benefit most from your supplement.
One option? A greens powder. Greens powders are designed to help you fill in dietary gaps and support your overall health. L’Evate You Vitality Daily Greens are also packed with ingredients to help supercharge your mitochondria:
- M-Charge Complex. Our proprietary complex of mitochondria-boosting ingredients, including Beetroot, ElevATP®, PQQ (pyrroloquinoline quinone), and MLG-50® Fulvic Acid. This blend is designed to support all-day energy and even improve athletic performance.
- Essential Greens Blend. We pack our greens powder with 30 superfoods and nine greens in every scoop. You’ll get the vitamins (like vitamin C and A), minerals (like magnesium), and nutrients your body needs, even if your daily diet falls a little short. You’ll also get a boost of B vitamins which can help support healthy energy levels.
- Prebiotics, probiotics, and fiber. Your digestive system just got a high five.
- Antioxidants. Our blend of antioxidant ingredients helps support your cell health on a broader level.
- Mushroom blend. To help support your healthy cholesterol and sodium levels. Our mushroom blend also helps enhance mood and brain function.
It’s easy to support your mitochondria when you use L’Evate You Vitality Daily Greens. All the greens you know your body needs, none of the prep work — that’s something everyone can get behind.
How Often Can You Use a Greens Powder?
It’s recommended to use a greens powder once a day. Get creative with it! New recipes are always being added to our website to give you delicious options for using your greens powder.
Try adding it to a smoothie or simply mixing it with a glass of water.
The Bottom Line
Your mitochondria are keeping you down, but you can fight back by supporting their function and making sure they’re creating the energy your body needs. Get your energy back with mitochondria-supporting ingredients. L’Evate You makes it easy for you to care for your whole body.
Sources:
The role of mitochondrial function and cellular bioenergetics in aging and disease | PMC
Adenosine Triphosphate - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics
Mitochondrial Aging and Age-Related Dysfunction of Mitochondria | PMC
Oxidative Stress in Cardiovascular Diseases: Still a Therapeutic Target? | PMC
Gut bacteria signaling to mitochondria in intestinal inflammation and cancer | PMC