26/12/2025
The mitochondria are the powerhouses/chemical factories of your body and found in your muscles and heart. Good nutrition helps to utilise what you eat better for energy to do physical activity 💪
A guide to nutrients that support mitochondria
Mitochondria turn food into usable energy (ATP) and are critical for brain, muscle, and overall health. Stress, aging, and disease can damage them, but certain nutrients help keep them strong and functional.
1️⃣ Antioxidants & Protectors
Quercetin (from apples, onions): Restores mitochondrial energy production and stabilizes membranes.
Green tea (EGCG): Shields mitochondria in brain, liver, muscle, and heart from oxidative stress.
Resveratrol (from grapes, red wine): Promotes recycling of old mitochondria (mitophagy) and boosts antioxidant defenses.
Lipoic acid: Cofactor for mitochondrial enzymes; enhances oxygen use and reduces oxidative stress.
🟢 Example: These nutrients act like “shields,” reducing damage from free radicals.
2️⃣ Energy Carriers & Cofactors
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10): Electron carrier in the respiratory chain; without it, mitochondria can’t make ATP efficiently.
NAD+ precursors (NR, NMN, NAM): Increase NAD+ levels, stimulating mitochondrial energy production and delaying decline with age.
Creatine: Buffers cellular energy; supports mitochondrial function and helps protect against damage in high-demand tissues like muscle and brain.
🟢 Example: These compounds are like “wiring and batteries” that keep the power grid running.
3️⃣ Membrane & Structural Support
Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA/DHA): Build mitochondrial membranes, reduce stress, and promote healthy turnover of dysfunctional mitochondria.
Acetyl-L-carnitine: Helps shuttle fatty acids into mitochondria for burning; improves oxygen use and membrane stability.
🟢 Example: Think of these as “building materials” that strengthen mitochondrial walls and fuel delivery.
4️⃣ Mitochondrial Biogenesis (New Mitochondria)
Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ): Stimulates creation of new mitochondria (biogenesis). Deficiency reduces mitochondrial numbers.
N-acetyl cysteine (NAC): Boosts glutathione, improves mitochondrial antioxidant status, and enhances respiration.
🟢 Example: These nutrients are like “construction signals,” telling the body to build more mitochondria and keep them working.
Your mitochondria thrive on the right mix of protection (antioxidants), fuel carriers (CoQ10, NAD+, creatine), building blocks (omega-3s, carnitine), and growth triggers (PQQ, NAC). Together, these nutrients help sustain energy, slow aging, and protect high-demand tissues like brain, heart, and muscle.
