The Caffeine-Free Way To Support Healthy Energy Levels

If you find yourself in the midst of an energy crisis, you’re in good company: These days, more and more people rely on caffeine- and sugar-laden energy drinks just to make it through the day. But while these popular crutches might keep you awake for a few extra hours, they won’t do much to keep you looking and feeling young… because, as it turns out, boundless energy at any age actually starts in your cells.

More specifically, it begins in your mitochondria—cellular generators responsible for producing your body’s most fundamental molecular energy currency, known as ATP. Without proper cellular ATP, even the simplest biological activities become impossible, and scientists theorize that the true cause of rapid aging and energy loss traces back to inadequate or declining stores of this essential molecule.¹

Unfortunately, a multitude of factors can interfere with your mitochondria’s ability to manufacture ATP. Excess weight gain and high carbohydrate intake are among the most common of these, as both influences can make it more difficult for your body to use stored fat as a fuel source, causing a vicious cycle of insulin and glucose imbalance paired with decreased energy.

Everyday toxins—including pesticides, dioxins, persistent organic pollutants and heavy metals—are also notorious energy-zappers, capable of invading the mitochondria and disrupting their ATP-generating and delivery mechanisms. With less than optimal mitochondrial function, your body’s free radical levels escalate, thereby affecting the health of various proteins, enzymes and your DNA—a negative process perfectly illustrated by the reduced energy transport seen in the brain cells of subjects faced with subpar cognitive function.^2-3

What’s worse, this drop in ATP production leaves less available energy for detoxification, which means your body’s toxic load only continues to increase.⁴ That’s one reason why ongoing detox support is so critical—and an effective way to address this problem is with CP’s gentle, daily detox shake, Detox Complex. Additional supplements—such as AL-CoFactors™ and Gallbladder Formula, also available from CP—can offer further assistance in the effort to neutralize common pollutants that you encounter throughout your day, while supporting optimal bile flow for proper toxic elimination.

Fortunately, research shows that regular exercise can also increase your body’s cellular energy output by contributing to the creation of more mitochondria. Engaging your muscles in routine workouts can create positive changes in your cells over the long term—the most noteworthy of which is a visible increase in mitochondria within muscle cell fibers.^5-7 Exercise induces the generation of nitric oxide (NO), too, which increases oxygen and nutrient flow, and mediates mitochondrial function and generation.^8-10

A daily workout, however, isn’t the only routine that can boost your mitochondrial population. Current research points to supplementing with the red wine polyphenol resveratrol as an effective way to upregulate sirtuin-1 (SIRT-1)—a longevity gene that activates mitochondrial biogenesis through several different pathways, thus acting as an exercise and calorie-restriction mimic.^11-12

The result, especially when paired with healthy diet and exercise habits, is more abundant and more efficient mitochondria to power your body… and enhance the seemingly inexhaustible energy that they bring.

You can ensure that you get the most out of resveratrol’s benefits by pairing it with its natural derivative pterostilbene, which studies indicate may offer longer-acting support than your average single-ingredient resveratrol supplement. Look for this powerhouse combo as the daily formula ResPG, available now from Complementary Prescriptions®.

References:

1. Shallenberger F. Bursting with Energy. Laguna Beach: Basic Health. 2007;33-41:79-85.

2. Aliev G, Li Y, Palacios HH, Obrenovich ME. Oxidative Stress Induced Mitochondrial DNA Deletion as a Hallmark for the Drug Development in the Context of the Cardiovascular Diseases. Recent Pat Cardiovasc Drug Discov. 2011 Aug 25. Published Online Ahead of Print.

3. Sullivan PG, Brown MR. Mitochondrial aging and dysfunction in Alzheimer’s disease. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2005;29:407-410.

4. [No authors listed] [Regulation of the mitochondrial ATP-sensitive potassium channel in rat uterus cells by ROS]. [Article in Ukrainian] Ukr Biokhim Zh. 2011 May-Jun;83(3):48-57.

5. Reznick RM, Shulman GI. The role of AMP-activated protein kinase in mitochondrial biogenesis. J Physiol. 2006;574:33-39.

6. Coffey VG, Hawly JA. The molecular basis of training adaptation. Sports Med. 2007;37:737-763.

7. Rockl KS, Witczzak CA, et al. Signaling mechanisms in skeletal muscle: acute responses and chronic adaptations to exercise. IUBMB Life. 2008;60:145-153.

8. Nisoli E, Falcone S, et al. Mitochondrial biogenesis in mammals: the role of endogenous nitric oxide. Science. 2003; 299:896-899.

9. Nisoli E, Falcone S, et al. Mitochondrial biogenesis by NO yields functionally active mitochondria in mammals. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2004;101:16507-16512.

10. Clementi E, Nisoli E. Nitric oxide and mitochondria biogenesis: a key to long-term regulation of cellular metabolism. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol. 2005;142:102-110.

11. Lagouge M, Argmann C, et al. Resveratrol improves mitochondrial function and protects against metabolic disease by activating SIRT1 and PGC-1alpha. Cell. 2006;127:1109-1122.

12. Sakamoto K. Silencing metabolic disorders by novel SIRT1 activators. Cell Metab. 2007;6:247-249.