More People Seek to Give Their Aging, Tired Mitochondria a Boost

Tiny structures found in cells throughout the body are responsible for generating most of the energy needed to sustain human life and health. These mitochondria convert fats and other energy-rich fuels into a substance called adenosine triphosphate, or ATP, that cells use to power their other activities.

As a person grows older, mitochondria throughout the body become less effective at carrying out this fundamentally important work. Tired, aging mitochondria can contribute to any of a wide range of health problems associated with aging since the energy required to avoid them is no longer as readily, reliably available.

Some people believe supplying mitochondria with fuel that is especially easy to consume will minimize the impact of aging-related degradation. The members of a family of fatty acids known as the medium-chain triglycerides, or MCTs, for instance, can be quite readily converted into ATP by mitochondria at any stage of life.




The reason for this is that MCTs are less structurally complex than most of the other fats that mitochondria normally work with. As only a couple of chemical bonds need to be broken to release the energy pent up in MCTs, they demand less from mitochondria than do other kinds of fuel.

Supplements Aim to Invigorate and Support Aging Mitochondria

MCTs are found in significant quantities in a number of foodstuffs that have become increasingly popular in recent years. Vegetable oils derived from coconuts and palm fruits, for example, include healthy amounts of MCTs among their molecular components.

Even switching to the exclusive use of such oils for cooking, though, will still normally force mitochondria to rely mostly on other types of fuel. Products like numedica mct oil are intended to make far larger amounts of the substance available to mitochondria than would any simple dietary modification.

Good Reasons for the Increasing Popularity of MCT-Focused Supplements

As a result, many people now take mct oil for energy in the body that would not otherwise be available. Such supplements are probably most popular among people who are getting older, but there are many others who suffer from mitochondrial disorders that can make them seem useful.

The United States Pharmacopeia (USP) has established standards applying to such products designed to ensure safety and efficacy. When shopping for mct oil usp, compliance can normally be taken as a sign of a high-quality supplement that will serve the desired purpose. People looking to improve the energy output of their own mitochondria in this way now have plenty of options to consider.

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