LifeCare Chiropractic

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Mitochondrial dysfunction

CARNITINE REMOVES TOXINS FROM MITOCHONDRIA – (04-25-05)

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Cardiac carnitine leakage is promoted by cardiomyopathy

Recall that carnitine is used to shunt fatty acids into the mitochondria so the mitochondria can burn the fatty acids for energy formation.  It also functions in the reverse to remove toxins form the mitochondria.  So, lowering carnitine==potential for less energy production and mitochondrial dysfunction.  This effect would be larger in higher respiratory tissues like heart, brain, liver and skeletal muscle.

This particular study sees a link with cardiomyopathy.

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MIGRAINES ARE STRONGLY RELATED TO OXIDATIVE STRESS – (05-16-05)

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Platelet membrane fluidity and peroxynitrite levels in migraine patients during headache-free periods

Two things to mention here.  First, we are seeing a sustained movement towards the concept that migraines, just like the seizures that clinicians are not yet willing to throw in the same category, is strongly related to oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction.

This article adds more fuel to this concept by evaluating the peroxynitrate levels in migraine and headache patients in between attacks.  Levels were elevated, indicating either that oxidative stress contributes directly to the headaches, or that the headaches induce oxidative stress that persists long after the headache.

Also, I personally feel that migraines are constantly over-diagnosed by doctors that don’t understand HA.  They never touch the neck and so cannot possibly rule out problems coming from the neck.  And, most likely a patient who has had HA for many years has several types of HA going on, and they all need to be addressed for full resolution to occur.

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IS MITOCHONDRIAL DYSFUNCTION THE ROOT CAUSE OF CHRONIC DISEASES? – (05-23-05)

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Mitochondrial dysfunction in cardiovascular disease

Regular readers of the Updates will know that I feel that mitochondrial dysfunction is the root of all chronic disease evil.  Remember that, in the process of generating energy for our bodies to function in the form of ATP, free radicals are produced that have the potential to cause severe damage to all types of tissues that they come in contact with.  The body and Mother Nature have hundreds of compounds that help us quench these free radicals and prevent damage.

But, with today’s’ lifestyles of poor protective compounds from foods, pro inflammatory diets and toxin/heavy metal exposure every time we turn around, the likelihood that the mitochondria cannot keep up is high.  These free radicals can damage the DNA of the mitochondria and, since the mitochondria don’t have very good repair mechanism, the mitochondria can no longer function and dies.  This process, occurring over time, can kill the mitochondria and the energy that the cell needs to survive.

Free Radical Biology and Medicine

MITOCHONDRIAL DYSFUNCTION IS THE ROOT CAUSE OF CHRONIC DISEASES – (09-17-07)

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Accelerated Mitochondrial Adenosine Diphosphate/Adenosine Triphosphate Transport Improves Hypertension-Induced Heart Disease

I’ve made it quite clear that I believe mitochondrial dysfunction / oxidative stress is the root of all evil when it comes to chronic disease. So it is with great disappointment that I bring another article that supports this concept. Basically, researchers found in a rat study that supporting the ability of the mitochondria to produce energy for a heart cell prevented the inevitable enlargement of the left ventricle.

Thus, anything that will support mitochondrial function, such as a diet high in phytonutrients / redox potential, calorie restriction w/o nutrient restriction, exercise or targeted supplementation with antioxidants is likely to protect the heart. As an added bonus, all these interventions will also lower any offending high blood pressure.

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CAUSES OF MIGRAINES TO A MITOCHONDRIAL DYSFUNCTION – (08-13-07)

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CoQ10 Deficiency and Response to Supplementation in Pediatric and Adolescent Migraine

Given that we have shifted our thinking of the cause of migraines to a mitochondrial dysfunction / oxidative stress model, the results of this study should come as no surprise. I still find it very bothersome, though, that we have so many patients being treated for migraines under a “pain control only” model without any thought to fixing the underlying mechanism.

The problem here is that oxidative stress leads to so many other chronic diseases that the patient and doctor just missed an opportunity to change the health trajectory away from one of chronic disease.

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THE TRUTH ABOUT MITOCHONDRIAL DYSFUNCTION – (07-23-07)

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Molecular Mechanisms of Insulin Resistance in Humans and Their Potential Links With Mitochondrial Dysfunction

As much as I consider insulin resistance to be a devastingly unrecognized problem in today’s society, the truth is that mitochondrial dysfunction is the underlying cause of IR.

This study is just one more in the growing collection supporting the concept that defects in a muscle cell’s ability to generate energy and protect against energy generation predispose IR. It is likely that too much glucose in the cell causes the cell to back off on energy production in an attempt to protect itself, starting the cycle. Luckily, lifestyle changes targeted for helping w/ IR are the very same that help mitochondria function better. Funny how that works out.

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TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE – (07-23-07)

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Evidence-Based Research in Complementary and Alternative Medicine III: Treatment of Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease

If you were ever looking for a good resource for finding out more about AD, this is definitely a great place to start. Notably, this article looked very critically at the available evidence for treatment of AD, and found that antioxidants, which would include Ginko, definitely play a role. It’s not to say that other natural approaches will not work, but the criteria that were set to pluck the research studies to evaluate were very strict.

Given the current mitochondrial dysfunction leading to neuronal apoptosis (preprogrammed cell suicide) model for neurodegenerative disorders, the fact that antioxidants would be effective should come as no surprise. Unfortunately, clinical recommendations, as usual, as lagging far, far behind the research.

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MITOCHONDRIAL DYSFUNCTION AS A CAUSE OF AGEING – (08-25-08)

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Mitochondrial dysfunction as a cause of ageing

Ah. My favorite topic. The Holy Grail of chronic disease prevention. The lynchpin of cellular health. Anything to harms mitochondria numbers or function is bad for us and leads to chronic disease. Anything that helps increase the number and efficiency of mitochondria promotes health and avoids chronic disease. It really can be that simple. It all boils down to the mitochondria. Protect them at all costs. This becomes even more important as we age, since mitochondrial function declines with age and begins to lead to the problems associated with aging.

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