{"id":33749,"date":"2024-05-07T09:50:48","date_gmt":"2024-05-07T16:50:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/?p=33749"},"modified":"2024-05-15T10:14:32","modified_gmt":"2024-05-15T17:14:32","slug":"mobility-mitochondria-an-intimate-connection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/all-mfn\/mobility-mitochondria-an-intimate-connection\/","title":{"rendered":"Mobility & Mitochondria: An Intimate Connection"},"content":{"rendered":"
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We all love our mobility because it offers us the freedom to move more freely and live more fully.\u00a0When we are young we can run, jump, climb, skip and move our body in all directions, freely and easily.\u00a0As we grow older and more sedentary, our mobility begins to decline gradually.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We barely notice the small incremental losses until we are challenged to perform out-of-the-ordinary tasks like walking uphill, dancing at a wedding or climbing several flights of stairs.\u00a0That\u2019s when we feel fatigue, stiffness and weakness. Difficulty performing an activity that was once easy is a marker of diminution and a wake-up call to be proactive to regain vitality.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have control over how we age, and we can prevent functional decline regardless of what we are repeatedly told.\u00a0I find it disturbing that many friends and colleagues in the healthcare world chalk up difficulty walking, climbing stairs or performing activities of daily living to \u201cjust part of aging.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mobility disability might be common, but it doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s inevitable. Forty percent of Americans 65 years of age and up have difficulty walking \u00bc mile and climbing stairs.(1)<\/sup> People in the Blue Zones live healthier and longer, largely because of positive lifestyle choices including daily physical activity and a healthy plant-based diet.\u00a0Let\u2019s pull the curtain back on where mobility comes from, so we can see that our lifestyle choices play a starring role in how well we age or how rapidly we decline.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mobility Systems<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Every day we find ourselves walking, bending, squatting, lifting, carrying, twisting, turning and reaching as we perform our daily routines.\u00a0While these tasks all sound simple, they are incredibly complex because a network of systems need to work in a specific way to coordinate movement.\u00a0On demand and simultaneously, the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord), peripheral nervous system, muscles, bones and joints, sensory and energetic systems all need to function together to accomplish each activity successfully.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mobility Decline<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Losing mobility as we age is accelerated by inactivity and is usually the result of multiple impairments in one or more of the body\u2019s systems including: bone and joints, muscle, the central nervous system and energetic systems.(2)<\/sup>\u00a0All systems depend on energy production. Just like talking on a cell phone requires a charged battery and driving a car needs gasoline in the tank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We need energy to fuel our body\u2019s entire metabolism to function properly.\u00a0Research over the last decade is pointing to mitochondrial dysfunction as a huge factor contributing to the age-related loss of muscle mass, strength and function (sarcopenia) and mobility loss.(3)<\/sup>\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mighty Mitochondria<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Recall from Biology 101 that mitochondria are the \u201cpowerhouses\u201d of the cell; converting carbohydrates, fats, and proteins from the food we eat into energy.\u00a0(They also carry out a wide range of critical actions, but that topic is beyond this article\u2019s scope.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are approximately 1,000- 2,500 mitochondria in each cell!(4)<\/sup> The higher the energy demand, the more mitochondria the cell will contain. Our brain, heart, muscles and nerves are densely populated with mitochondria, making up about 25% of each cell\u2019s volume.(4)<\/sup>\u00a0When the cell can\u2019t keep up with energy demands, the mitochondria can become damaged; we\u2019re left feeling tired, forgetful and weak.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Supporting Mitochondria <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Altered mitochondrial function is associated with free radical production, inflammation, accelerated aging, chronic disease(5)<\/sup> and sarcopenia.(3)<\/sup> As we grow older, our ability to produce energy decreases but we can make it more efficient by adjusting our lifestyle, environment and diet.(5)<\/sup>\u00a0Here\u2019s how:<\/p>\n\n\n\n