MitoQ and your immune system
Mar 24, 2020
|Mitochondria are one of the most important components of a cell.
Previously, researchers believed that mitochondria were only important for the generation of energy, however increasingly research is showing that many other crucial biochemical processes are also regulated by mitochondria. One of which is your immune system.
“For immunologists, mitochondria can be the powerhouse of immunity along with their role as the powerhouse of the cell.” – Frontiers in Immunology, July 2018
What is the immune system?
This is the part of your body that is your defense mechanism. It helps protect against pathogens and is made up of many body parts including the bone marrow, thymus and lymph nodes. They communicate and work together to keep us healthy and functioning at our best.
Your immune system has many ways to protect. First, your skin provides a barrier against the outside world to help prevent us from getting infection and injury, while the inside contains cells such as macrophages, T-cells, natural killer cells (just to name a few) that help prevent pathogens from interacting with the host and causing complications.
Several studies have shown that immunity and mitochondria are interlinked. Recent findings have shown that mitochondria regulate immune responses, while leukocytes (a white blood cell) need a reliable mitochondrial network. Therefore, keeping your mitochondria healthy is very important.
Mitochondria produce the antioxidant CoQ10 along with free radicals as part of the energy making process. As we age, this fine balance of antioxidants and free radicals start tipping to the side of free radicals as the production of CoQ10 starts to slow down. This can expose the cells to damage, leading to compromised energy production and immune system.
Unfortunately regular CoQ10 antioxidants are too big to penetrate the selective mitochondrial membrane effectively, where CoQ10 is needed most.
MitoQ is a world-first enhanced form of the antioxidant CoQ10 that has been made smaller and had a positively charged molecule attached to it. These properties mean that MitoQ can be absorbed into the mitochondria up to 1000x more effectively than regular CoQ10 supplements. MitoQ is highly studied with over 60 million US dollars spent on independent research and over 400 peer-reviewed articles.
When it comes to your immune system, it’s all about stacking the odds in your favour by taking measures that support it to be as strong as possible. There are many additional ways in which you can help optimize your immune system, such as:
- Wash your hands frequently
- Eat a diet high in vegetables and fruit
- Exercise and don’t smoke
- Drink alcohol in moderation
- Get adequate sleep
Here at MitoQ, we believe that having healthy mitochondria not only supports energy production but also many other systems in your body, such as the immune system. MitoQ mimics the actions of natural CoQ10, helping to restore the mitochondria’s energy levels so they're powered up and able to help support your immune system. This in turn helps to keep us healthy and ready for whatever challenges may come our way.
By Dr. Mark Menolascino Medical Director of the Meno Clinic – Center for Functional Medicine, and Kai Man Yuen, MitoQ Medical and Scientific Affairs Specialist
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