Your Cells Need Energy, Too: Supporting Mitochondrial Health as We Age

Your Cells Need Energy, Too: Supporting Mitochondrial Health as We Age

Why I’m paying more attention to mitochondria — and the supplements that may help support them

Most of us think about energy as something we either have or don't have.

We wake up energetic. Or we wake up tired.

But underneath that very familiar feeling is an enormous cellular energy system working every second of every day.

Mitochondria are tiny structures inside our cells that convert nutrients into ATP — the usable energy that powers almost everything our bodies do. Your heart needs it. Your brain needs it. Your muscles need it. Repair, movement, nerve signaling and normal cellular function all require energy.

And mitochondria don't remain unchanged throughout our lives.

As we get older, mitochondrial number, efficiency and quality control can decline. Damaged mitochondria can accumulate, muscle mass tends to decrease, recovery becomes slower, and the body's ability to generate and use energy can change.

That doesn't mean every tired person has a mitochondrial problem. Persistent fatigue deserves medical evaluation because anemia, thyroid disorders, vitamin deficiencies, sleep disorders, infections, medications and many other conditions can cause it.

But mitochondrial health is an important part of healthy aging that deserves considerably more attention.

And there are several nutritional interventions I think are particularly interesting.

Urolithin A: Helping the Body Clean House

The newest supplement on my list is urolithin A.

Urolithin A is fascinating because it doesn't primarily work by giving the mitochondria more fuel. Instead, researchers are studying its effects on mitophagy.

Mitophagy is essentially mitochondrial housekeeping. Older or damaged mitochondria are identified and cleared away so the cell can maintain a healthier population of mitochondria.

Our gut bacteria can produce urolithin A from compounds found in foods including pomegranates, walnuts and certain berries. The catch is that not everyone has the particular gut microbiome needed to produce meaningful amounts.

That is one reason supplementation has become so interesting.

Human clinical research with a patented form called Mitopure® has found changes in mitochondrial biomarkers and some improvements in measures of muscle endurance. The research is still developing, and I wouldn't call urolithin A an anti-aging miracle.

I would call it one of the more interesting emerging nutritional approaches to mitochondrial health.

The product I would use:
Timeline Cellular Longevity PRO — Mitopure® Urolithin A, 1,000 mg, available through Fullscript.

It provides the amount of Mitopure used in some of the clinical research without adding a long list of unrelated ingredients.

Creatine: Not Just for Bodybuilders

If you still think creatine belongs exclusively in the gym bags of twenty-year-old weightlifters, it's time to reconsider it.

Creatine helps regenerate ATP, the fundamental energy currency of our cells.

Muscles store creatine primarily as phosphocreatine. When energy demand increases, that reserve helps regenerate ATP rapidly.

That is useful for an athlete sprinting down a field, but it is also increasingly relevant to the conversation about aging.

Maintaining muscle becomes progressively more important as we get older. Muscle isn't merely about appearance or athletic performance. It contributes to mobility, balance, glucose regulation, independence and resilience.

Creatine is also being investigated for potential benefits beyond skeletal muscle, including brain energy metabolism and cognition.

And unlike many trendy longevity supplements, creatine monohydrate has decades of research behind it.

The product I would use:
Thorne Creatine Monohydrate, available through Fullscript, providing 5 grams of creatine monohydrate per scoop.

Another straightforward Fullscript option is Designs for Sport Creatine Monohydrate, also providing 5 grams per scoop with no other active ingredients.

Metagenics also offers Creatine UP®, which combines creatine with betaine and taurine. I prefer plain creatine monohydrate when the goal is to know exactly what I'm taking and why, although a combination formula may appeal to someone seeking broader exercise-performance support.

CoQ10: Right in the Middle of Cellular Energy Production

Coenzyme Q10 — CoQ10 — isn't just associated with heart supplements.

It plays a direct role inside mitochondria.

CoQ10 participates in the electron transport chain, the series of reactions mitochondria use to generate ATP.

Our bodies produce CoQ10 naturally, but concentrations tend to decline with age. Certain medications, particularly statins, may also reduce CoQ10 levels.

That doesn't mean everyone needs large amounts of supplemental CoQ10. But when I am thinking specifically about nutritional support for mitochondrial energy production, CoQ10 belongs in the conversation.

The product I would use:
Metagenics CoQ10 ST® 100 mg.

Metagenics also offers CoQ10 ST® 200 mg for people whose practitioner recommends a larger amount.

I prefer beginning with a clearly defined single nutrient instead of hiding CoQ10 inside a giant “energy” formula.

Magnesium: You Can't Make Energy Without It

Magnesium sometimes gets relegated to discussions about constipation or sleep.

It deserves a much bigger role.

Magnesium participates in hundreds of enzymatic reactions and is intimately involved in the reactions that produce and use ATP.

In fact, biologically active ATP normally exists bound to magnesium.

Magnesium also contributes to normal muscle and nerve function, glucose metabolism, heart rhythm and bone health.

The products I like:

Metagenics Magnesium Glycinate is a straightforward option when good absorption and gastrointestinal tolerance are priorities.

Through WholeScripts, XYMOGEN OptiMag® 125 is another attractive option and can be included in eligible customized MedPax dose packets.

This is one nutrient where more is not necessarily better. Total magnesium intake, kidney function, gastrointestinal tolerance and other medications all matter.

Omega-3s: Supporting the Environment Around the Mitochondria

Omega-3 fatty acids don't function like creatine or CoQ10.

I don't consider fish oil an “ATP supplement.”

But EPA and DHA become incorporated into cell membranes and influence cardiovascular, inflammatory and neurological physiology. That makes omega-3 status relevant to a larger healthy-aging strategy.

The products I would consider:

XYMOGEN Omega MonoPure® 1300 EC through WholeScripts.

Or:

Metagenics OmegaGenics® 5-in-1 Fish Oil 1000 mg EPA-DHA.

I wouldn't take several competing omega-3 products. Pick one quality formulation and know how much EPA and DHA you're actually getting.

Vitamin D: Important — But Test, Don't Guess

Vitamin D influences considerably more than bone.

It is involved in normal immune function and muscle function, and inadequate vitamin D status can itself contribute to muscle weakness.

But vitamin D is also a perfect example of why supplementation should not become a contest to see who can take the largest dose.

Check the blood level. Then supplement appropriately.

Products I use or would consider include:

Metagenics Vitamin D3 5000 + K

and

XYMOGEN K2-D3 5000 through WholeScripts or Fullscript.

Five thousand IU is a substantial daily amount and isn't automatically appropriate for everyone. The dose should reflect vitamin D status, dietary intake and clinical circumstances.

People taking warfarin or other vitamin-K-sensitive medications also need professional guidance before using a D3/K combination.

B12 and Folate: Don't Overlook the Basics

Before someone spends hundreds of dollars chasing the newest mitochondrial compound, I want to know whether they are deficient in nutrients we have understood for decades.

Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause fatigue, weakness, anemia and neurological problems.

And absorption of B12 can become more difficult with age.

This is one reason I would want a B12 level, CBC and related laboratory assessment as part of investigating persistent fatigue.

For supplementation when appropriate:

Metagenics Intrinsi Vitamin B12-Folate™ is one option.

Through WholeScripts, XYMOGEN Methyl Protect® provides activated B-vitamin support and has the additional advantage of being eligible for MedPax.

My Mitochondrial Core

If someone asks me to reduce all of this to a manageable starting point, I wouldn't hand them twelve bottles.

I would think first about:

Urolithin A for mitochondrial quality control.

Creatine monohydrate for ATP regeneration and preservation of muscle.

CoQ10 for mitochondrial energy production.

Magnesium because energy metabolism literally depends upon it.

Then I would look at omega-3s, vitamin D, B12 and folate according to diet, age, medications, laboratory values and individual needs.

That is a very different philosophy from throwing every supplement advertised for “energy” into a shopping cart.

Supplements Should Support the System, Not Replace It

There is another piece of mitochondrial health that can't be put into a capsule.

Muscle needs to be used.

Resistance exercise sends powerful biological signals that encourage muscle adaptation and mitochondrial function. Walking and other aerobic activity matter. Adequate protein matters. Sleep matters. Blood sugar regulation matters.

And our bodies need enough calories and nutrients to do the work we are asking them to do.

A supplement can support those systems.

It cannot replace them.

And Fatigue Still Deserves an Investigation

This is important enough to say again.

Persistent fatigue should not simply be labeled “poor mitochondrial health.”

If fatigue is new, substantial or lasting, I would want to investigate common and potentially correctable causes.

That may include a CBC, iron and ferritin, vitamin B12 and folate, thyroid testing, vitamin D, comprehensive metabolic panel and glucose or A1c, with additional testing based on symptoms and medical history.

You can support mitochondrial health while simultaneously asking why your energy has changed.

Those aren't competing ideas.

They are part of the same goal: understanding what the body needs and giving it the best possible chance to work well.

A More Convenient Way to Take Supplements

There is another problem with supplements that doesn't get discussed enough.

The bottles.

One supplement becomes three. Three become six. Before long there is an entire row of bottles on the kitchen counter, and you have to remember what gets taken in the morning, what goes with food and what you already took.

This is one reason I like the MedPax option available through WholeScripts.

Eligible XYMOGEN capsules, tablets and softgels can be measured and packaged into personalized individual dose packets based on the schedule you establish. Each packet can contain the supplements intended for that particular time of day.

No opening six bottles every morning.

No wondering whether you already took something.

And WholeScripts states that the supplements can be presorted into these personalized packets at no additional cost for the MedPax packaging service.

That deserves an article of its own, because sometimes improving a supplement program isn't about discovering another supplement.

It's about making the supplements you already decided to take easier to take consistently.

Before You Order

Supplements can interact with medications and may not be appropriate for every medical condition. Kidney disease is particularly relevant when considering magnesium and creatine, anticoagulant therapy matters with vitamin K-containing products, and laboratory testing can help determine whether nutrients such as vitamin D, B12 or iron are actually needed.

Use supplementation as one part of an informed health strategy — not as a substitute for medical evaluation when something has changed.

Your mitochondria may be microscopic, but the energy they produce powers virtually everything you do. Taking care of them is one more way of taking care of the whole person.

Sources

Timeline / Fullscript product information for Cellular Longevity PRO, Mitopure® Urolithin A 1000 mg.

Fullscript product information for Thorne Creatine and professional creatine monohydrate formulations.

Metagenics current product catalog, including CoQ10 ST®, Magnesium Glycinate, OmegaGenics®, vitamin D, B12/folate and creatine formulations.

WholeScripts information regarding XYMOGEN formulations and personalized MedPax dose packaging.