CHE - Customised Health Essentials - customisedhealth.net

11/11/2025

Creatine and mitochondria:

Creatine isn’t just a muscle supplement, it’s one of the body’s most important molecules for maintaining mitochondrial health. Inside nearly every cell, creatine works with your mitochondria to keep energy flowing, oxidative stress low, and membranes stable.

1️⃣ Creatine as an Energy Shuttle

Mitochondria make ATP - your cell’s energy currency. Creatine acts like a transport system, carrying that energy from the mitochondria to where it’s needed most (like contracting muscle or firing neurons).
🟢 Example: During intense activity, creatine rapidly recycles ATP so energy never runs out mid-effort.

2️⃣ Protection of the Mitochondrial Membrane

Creatine interacts directly with cardiolipin, a special phospholipid found only in the inner mitochondrial membrane.

Cardiolipin anchors key energy-producing proteins of the electron transport chain.

Creatine helps stabilize cardiolipin, preserving mitochondrial structure and preventing membrane leakage during stress.
🟢 Example: This protection supports healthy ATP synthesis and guards against mitochondrial “collapse” during energy crises.

3️⃣ Reducing Oxidative Stress

By buffering ATP and stabilizing cardiolipin, creatine reduces the buildup of reactive oxygen species (ROS) — harmful byproducts of energy metabolism.
🟢 Example: Less oxidative stress means healthier neurons, heart cells, and muscles over time.

4️⃣ Triggering Mitochondrial Biogenesis

Creatine supports the AMPK–PGC-1α pathway - the same signaling network activated by exercise and fasting.
This encourages your cells to make more mitochondria, improving endurance and metabolic flexibility.
🟢 Example: Creatine doesn’t just fuel mitochondria — it helps your body build more of them.

5️⃣ Why It Matters Clinically

These mitochondrial effects explain why creatine is being explored beyond sports - in conditions like heart failure, neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s), aging, and Long COVID.
🟢 Example: In these conditions, protecting mitochondrial membranes and energy balance may slow cellular decline.

Creatine isn’t only about strength. It’s mitochondrial support at the molecular level. By stabilizing cardiolipin, buffering ATP, reducing oxidative stress, and promoting new mitochondria, creatine helps protect the very engines of your cells

08/11/2025

08/11/2025

Flavonoids might defend your cells by building near-invisible scaffolds inside them

Flavonoid diversity has long been linked with lower all-cause mortality, but antioxidant chemistry alone couldn’t explain why. New research from Harvard’s Wyss Institute suggests that these plant compounds may act through an entirely different mechanism; by self-assembling into supramolecular fibers that stabilize cellular proteins under stress.

In this Frontiers in Nutrition study (PMID: 40964684), molecular dynamics simulations and cell assays showed that flavonoids such as quercetin, isoquercitrin, and quercitrin stack into nanofibers that physically interact with enzymes and structural proteins, preserving their shape and activity. When human fibroblasts were exposed to ultraviolet radiation, cells pretreated with sugar-containing flavonoids maintained far greater viability and collagen-related protein expression than those treated with vitamin C, suggesting a non-antioxidant route to cellular protection.

Does this translate to humans?
✅ Possibly, but evidence is preliminary. The study used cultured cells and computational models, not dietary interventions. However, the findings align with large epidemiologic data showing that greater flavonoid diversity (6–20 % lower all-cause mortality) predicts better long-term resilience.

Practical Application:
🍇 A variety of flavonoid-rich foods like berries, tea, citrus, and cocoa may support cellular stability by providing structurally distinct molecules that assemble differently within cells.
🧪 The research points toward the idea that molecular diversity, not just antioxidant capacity, is what underpins the health benefits of polyphenols.

Limitations:
🔹 In vitro and in silico data; human tissue distribution and concentrations remain uncertain.
🔹 Flavonoid glycosides are often metabolized by gut microbes before absorption, so identical assemblies may not form in vivo.
🔹 The mechanism remains hypothesis-generating; future work must confirm structural interactions in living systems.

Flavonoids may protect cells not just by neutralizing radicals, but by building molecular scaffolds that reinforce protein networks - a hidden arc

05/11/2025

A recent study has confirmed that vitamin D levels play a crucial role in determining muscle strength and size. Researchers found that individuals with higher vitamin D levels not only demonstrated greater muscle power but also had improved muscle growth compared to those with deficiencies.

Vitamin D helps regulate calcium and phosphate in the body, both essential for healthy muscle function. Low levels of this vital nutrient can lead to weaker muscles, slower recovery, and increased risk of injury, while optimal levels support protein synthesis and muscle fibre development.

The study highlights the importance of maintaining adequate vitamin D through sunlight exposure, diet, or supplementation, especially for athletes, older adults, and anyone looking to improve physical performance. Maintaining proper vitamin D levels may enhance strength, endurance, and overall muscle health, making it a simple yet powerful tool for fitness and wellbeing.

These findings could reshape how trainers, healthcare professionals, and fitness enthusiasts approach muscle development and injury prevention. Ensuring your body has enough vitamin D is no longer just about bone health, it’s now a key factor in building stronger, healthier muscles.

01/11/2025

WONDERS OF FERMENTED FOOD FOR MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES 🧠
We often think of mood and stress as purely mental, but new research is confirming that your mental well-being is deeply connected to a surprising place: your gut.

Your gut and brain are in constant communication. The health of your gut bacteria (your microbiome) sends signals that directly influence how you feel, your stress levels, and your overall mood.

A major systematic review analyzed multiple studies to see if you could improve mental health by changing your gut. They focused on probiotics—the beneficial bacteria found in natural fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, and sauerkraut.

The conclusion was powerful: consuming these beneficial probiotics was shown to significantly reduce symptoms of depression and help alleviate the body's response to stress.

For those committed to a natural, long-term health strategy, this is profound. It shows that by actively nourishing your gut with these foods, you are also supporting your brain.

This is a powerful, non-pharmaceutical way to manage mood and build resilience for a long, healthy life. 🧠🦠😊

For those who want to see the science, the review is published in Annals of General Psychiatry.
Source: Wallace, C. J. K., & Milev, R. (2017). "The effects of probiotics on depressive symptoms in humans: a systematic review." Annals of General Psychiatry, 16, 14.

31/10/2025

Researchers have discovered a certain molecule (psiguadial A) in guava fruits that can trigger Apoptosis (a/k/a programmed cell death or cell su***de) in liver cancer cells.

Apoptosis is a natural process that helps maintain a healthy balance of cells by removing old, damaged or unneeded cells. Cancer cells often develop mechanisms to evade this process, allowing them to multiply uncontrollably. By inducing apoptosis psiguadial A forces cancer cells to die, which can help suppress tumor growth.

There are actually also other compounds in guava that have been studied and identified as anti-cancer such as Quercetin and Gallic Acid.

This research is in its very early stages, but the results are promising in lab studies.

NO PMID AVAILABLE YET. SOURCE: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/09/250914205840.htm

30/10/2025

30/10/2025

27/10/2025

Sweet potatoes are a powerhouse — rich in beta-carotene, vitamin A, and antioxidants. They support eye health, reduce inflammation, and even act as a mild natural pain reliever. Swap them in for white potatoes and notice sustained energy without the sugar spike. Roast them, mash them, or add them to smoothies for a simple upgrade your body will thank you for. 🍠🌱

25/10/2025

Chronic inflammation is a silent driver behind many of the world’s deadliest diseases—from heart disease and diabetes to Alzheimer’s and cancer.

Now, scientists are discovering that one of the body’s most powerful tools in fighting it may not be a drug, but a nerve. The vagus nerve, which runs from the brainstem to organs like the heart and gut, plays a crucial role in regulating inflammation. When functioning properly, it keeps the immune response in balance. But when it malfunctions, chronic inflammation can take hold.

Enter vagus nerve stimulation—a promising bioelectronic therapy that uses electrical pulses to "reset" immune activity and reduce inflammation. Unlike medications, this approach may offer long-term relief without major side effects. Already FDA-approved for epilepsy and depression, vagus nerve stimulation is now being explored for autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s disease, as well as neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

With researchers working to map the vagus nerve and refine stimulation techniques, this innovative therapy could soon offer millions of patients an alternative to lifelong drug regimens—potentially marking a revolutionary shift in how we treat chronic disease.

REFERENCE:
"Inflammation, vagus nerve stimulation, and your health", Northwell Health (Medically reviewed by Kevin Tracey, MD).