Everything you need to know about cardio health and your mitochondria

And what exactly are my mitochondria? 

If you want to keep your heart healthy you need to have healthy mitochondria. Your heart is one of the hardest working organs in your body, which means it has high energy needs. This energy comes from within your cells and is generated by the mitochondria – your cells’ power factory. 

As we age, our mitochondria start to decline in function naturally. Studies suggest this happens from the age of 30, the rate of decline can be as much as 10% per decade.

How do they relate to my cardio health?

Because of these high energy needs, heart muscle cells have one of the highest concentrations of mitochondria in the human body, up to 5,000 per cell. So as you can imagine, it’s important that the mitochondria in your heart are supported and in good working order, so your heart’s cells are strong and your heart organ can support your daily life and longevity.  

When learning about the mitochondria and how they work, there are a few main players you need to meet – free radicals, CoQ10 and oxidative stress. 

As we age, our mitochondria start to decline in function naturally - studies suggest that from the age of 30, the rate of decline can be as much as 10% per decade.

Age, Imbalance and Oxidative Stress 

When the mitochondria’s production of CoQ10 and free radicals are in balance, everything is fine. But from the age of 35, the mitochondria’s production of CoQ10 can begin to slow down, which means those cheeky free radicals aren’t kept in check. This exposes the cells to free radical damage – called oxidative stress.  

Oxidative stress is when the levels of antioxidants in our body are not high enough to counteract the damaging effect of free radicals. Research has shown that oxidative stress is thought to be a major contributor to the aging process, both at the cellular level as well as contributing to the external visible signs of aging. 

When oxidative stress affects your cardiovascular cells it can lead to compromised energy production by the mitochondria there. This mean you’re likely to have a less-than-optimal cardiovascular system.  

How you can level the playing field and support your mitochondria to boost your cardio health

When your cells are functioning optimally, your overall health and vitality are good. To help your cells to do this, your mitochondria need to be working properly, and thankfully there are many things you can do to help them. 

Eating a diet that’s low in sugar, processed food and carbohydrates, and high in green leafy vegetables, protein, healthy fats, antioxidants and whole fiber gives your body the tools it needs to function well, particularly your mitochondria.  

Exercise is also beneficial to mitochondrial health, as with the above foods, by reducing free radical production and therefore cellular damage. Strength training and aerobic exercise have been shown to benefit mitochondrial health in numerous studies – and the great news is that they also help to protect the health of those cardiovascular arteries too.