What is Mitochondrial Medicine?

...and why is it so important?

Mitochondrial medicine has developed within last 30 years. There is now increasingly more research that suggests that mitochondrial energy production plays a critical role in cell health maintenance, cell communication, cell regulation and control of cell division. It should not be surprising that given the fundamental role of the mitochondria in the preservation of normal cell function, maintaining good mitochondrial health will have significant benefits for maintaining good overall health.

The aim of mitochondrial medicine is to maintain and restore cell functions as an additional method to conventional medicine. This may lead to lower doses of medications that are being used to treat disease.

Mitochondrial medicine does not replace therapeutic methods of modern conventional medicine, but may increase the effectiveness of conventional medical treatment. Medical studies, as well as two international congresses on Coenzyme Q-10 (and other mitochondrial medicines) have reported success in treating chronic issues with metabolism, muscular and neurological diseases, cardiovascular diseases, chronic degenerative and inflammatory joint disease and spinal diseases.

A positive effect has also been reported in sport medicine. The muscle regeneration process benefits after heavy training and during sporting competitions. It is noteworthy to mention that mitochondrial medicine supplements are not restricted substances from a doping perspective.

Significant effects are described in the field of stress management where mitochondrial medicine provides support of stress reserves responsible for management of mental and physical stress (by supporting the ANS, hypothalamo-pituitary-suprarenal system, subcortical sympathetic centers and central nervous system).