Mitochondrial biogenesis
DEMitochondriale Biogenese
Mitochondrial biogenesis is how your cells build more mitochondria, the tiny power plants that make your energy. To pull it off, the cell has to coordinate genes from two places at once: the nucleus and the mitochondria's own DNA. The master switch is a protein called PGC-1-alpha, which itself takes orders from energy sensors like AMPK and SIRT1. What turns it on? Endurance exercise, caloric restriction, and cold exposure are the best-established triggers. When this process runs strong, it tracks with better stamina, metabolic flexibility (your ability to switch between burning carbs and fat), and healthier aging.
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Sources
- Mootha VK, Lindgren CM, Eriksson KF, et al.. (2003). PGC-1α-responsive genes involved in oxidative phosphorylation are coordinately downregulated in human diabetes. *Nature Genetics*doi:10.1038/ng1180
- Scarpulla RC. (2008). Transcriptional Paradigms in Mammalian Mitochondrial Biogenesis and Function. *Physiological Reviews*doi:10.1152/physrev.00025.2007