The Two Biggest Nutrients That Influence Mitochondrial Health

I was listening to a podcast lately with Dr. Steven Gundry on Tom Bilyeu’s Impact theory and he was speaking mostly about the keto diet, otherwise known as the ketogenic diet. He shared some insightful ideas here but the two golden nuggets of information that I got that were most valuable from this hour long chat were the antioxidants that influenced mitochondria most. If you want to learn more about ketones and the ketogenic diet, read this article.

In the interview he shared that mitochondria does whats called ‘uncoupling’ which I still do not fully understand, so please forgive me of any ignorance in advance. My understanding is that this ‘uncoupling’ of mitochondria allows them to be utilized optimally. When they are coupled together they are not as effective.

He shared that there are two key antioxidants (one, often known as a hormone) that play a key role in the decoupling the mitochondria so that they can be utilized in a healthy and efficient manner by the body.

What Are Mitochondria & Why Are They Important?

Mitochondria are quite literally the powerhouse of the cell and they generate the most chemical energy to power the cells biochemical reactions. Mitochondria produce what is known as ATP. ATP is adenosine triphosphate and is responsible for providing the cells with energy. Muscle cells, nerve cells, chemical synthesis and so much more. Think of ATP as caffeine for your cells. It’s naturally occurring and you want healthy levels of it to keep your nerves, muscles and body strong and energized!

The Two Nutrients That Uncouple Mitochondria Most

1. Glutathoine: Glutathione is an antioxidant that helps to reduce oxidative stress that can damage the body’s cells. The human body naturally produces glutathione in the liver. It is important to keep your liver healthy and to give your body what it needs to produce this powerful antioxidant in the liver. Sulfur rich foods, vitamin C, Selenium all help the body to naturally produce glutathione. Spinach, avocados, asparagus, and Okra are some of the richest dietary sources of glutathione out of the ground.
   
2. Melatonin: Melatonin is often known as a sleep hormone but it also has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic and more! This is a powerful sleep hormone however that is once again produced by our body internally. Melatonin is produced by the pineal gland (otherwise known as the 3rd eye) which is in the middle of your brow in between your two eyes. Melatonin is produced ideally at 9PM and spikes upwards to induce high quality sleep. The biggest advice I have here is to turn down (and off) spectrums of white, green and blue light at night. This causes you brain and pineal gland to see it as daytime when it’s really night time. By turning down light and having warmer spectrums of light such as orange/red at night you allow your pineal gland to dial into the natural circadian rhythm and to produce the right amount of melatonin at the right time for ideal sleep support. We also link to a blue blocker pair of sunglasses in our store (here) that makes this easier for dealing with all light from lightbulbs, to screens and more.
   
   Make sure to get these nutrients and foods in your diet for rich levels of mitochondrial energy! You can listen to the full interview with Steven Gundry and Tom Bilyeu below.

I recommend Trubrain’s Sleep formula for a delicious source of melatonin if you want to have something to supplement your body in its melatonin pathways.

You can see the review of their drinks here: