Our immune system is like a strong and silent warrior, working quietly in the background to fight off germs, bacteria, and foreign invaders that can make us sick. The functioning of the immune system is complex and there are still many elements of this intricate system that researchers are trying to understand. But the current pandemic has brought more attention to the immune system than ever before, as people around the world focus on their health and look for ways to strengthen their body’s defense against infection.

There’s no magic pill, trendy diet, or healthy habit that will prevent someone from contracting a virus or possibly becoming ill. And while certain lifestyle factors—such as diet, physical activity, sleep, and stress management—can all play a role in improving overall health and wellness, there is no way to actually “boost” your immune system.

Leading a healthier life, in general, will lead to a healthier, stronger body and in turn, a healthy immune system. But eating leafy greens and staying hydrated alone, while admirable, is not the only way to ensure your body is in fighting form to ward off pathogens. In fact, there’s a growing amount of evidence that suggests one of the keys to improved immune support may be in our cells.

Mighty Mitochondria
Inside the majority of our body’s trillions of cells are tiny organelles called mitochondria. The mitochondria are responsible for converting the air we breathe and the food we eat into energy the body needs to power everything it does to stay alive and well, including organ function, physical activity, recovery processes, digestion, hormones, sleep, and brainpower (to name a few). The mitochondria is often referred to as the “powerhouse” of the cell because it is responsible for powering so many important elements of the body’s processes that are crucial to life. And while many people may remember learning about the mitochondria in junior high school biology class, most people are not familiar with how these powerhouses are linked to immunity.

The mitochondria are involved with many essential processes that support the immune system, including: the activation, differentiation, and survival of immune cells—such as Natural Killer Cells (a type of white blood cell that is tasked with fighting aggressors), Macrophages (defensive cells within white blood cells that attack and destroy invaders), and T-Cells (immune response cells that fight infection).

Because the role of the mitochondria is so critical to the immune system, keeping them healthy and happy is important. When we’re young, our mitochondria are highly efficient—we have a lot of energy, we recover more quickly from injuries and illness, and we’re able to bounce back from a strenuous workout in a more timely fashion.

But like everything else in our bodies, the mitochondria can become less efficient with age. After we hit 30 years of age, our mitochondrial function can decline by about 10% with each passing decade.

The Role of CoQ10
An important role of the mitochondria is to produce an enzyme called CoQ10, which is an antioxidant that helps create cellular energy and neutralize excess free radicals. Free radicals are the by-product of the energy generation process. And since the mitochondria are at the center of this process, they’re more exposed to free radicals than the rest of the cells. In an effort to protect themselves, they line themselves with CoQ10. But if the mitochondria start to slow down, so does the body’s production of CoQ10. And, as levels of CoQ10 decrease, several detrimental activities can occur within the mitochondria, including:

• The energy production process is disrupted—less power is supplied to the cells, resulting in increased fatigue.
• Excess free radicals can leak out into the cells, which could damage them and result in oxidative stress (an imbalance between free radicals and the antioxidants that keep them in check).

Naturally, this would mean that as people age—to support their overall health and their immune system—they should supplement their diet with CoQ10. This is fairly accurate, for most people. However, it’s important to identify the right type of CoQ10 for your body. Most CoQ10 supplements on the market are too large to penetrate the mitochondrial membrane effectively. As a result, the majority get absorbed into the bloodstream, rather than inside the mitochondria (where it is needed most).

The exception is MitoQ, a unique form of CoQ10 that is specially formulated to pass through the mitochondria’s double membrane to act directly in the mitochondria. In fact, it can be absorbed into the mitochondria hundreds of times more effectively than many other CoQ10 supplements.

Supporting mitochondrial health should be a priority on everyone’s list of overall health and wellness goals. However, taking a supplement alone is not going to make anyone immune to illness. Nor will it prevent you from aging (unfortunately, no one can control Father Time). But evidence has shown that our overall health and well-being—including the strength of our immune system processes—is closely related to the health of our mitochondria. When the mitochondria are not functioning at their best, it can result in many serious health conditions—including seven of the 10 conditions that are most costly to human life.

As any doctor will tell you, there’s no replacement for good old-fashioned healthy living, which means: eating a well-balanced diet full of whole foods (with minimal amounts of processed foods), hydration, sleep and rest, physical activity, and of course, stress management. But taking care of your body at the cellular level should be a part of anyone’s long-term strategy to promote health and wellness.

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Dr. Mark Menolascino is the medical director of the Meno Clinic—Center for Functional Medicine, located in Wilson, Wyoming. He has over 35 years of healthcare experience; he completed medical school at the University of Nebraska Medical Center then completed Internal Medicine Specialist Training at Banner Health Arizona. He is one of the very few physicians that is Board Certified as an Internal Medicine Specialist, Board Certified in Holistic Medicine, as well as Board Certificated in Advanced Hormone Management and Anti-Aging Medicine. He additionally has a Master’s Degree in Pharmacology and Immunology and was a doctoral candidate in the Medical Scientist Program assisting with clinical trials of new medications as well as part of the Heart Disease Reversal Team with Dr. Dean Ornish. His medical knowledge is complemented by advanced training and clinical experience in Nutrition, Naturopathic, Chinese Medicine/Acupuncture, Ayurvedic Medicine and Homeopathy. He is also the author of a new book The Heart Solution for Women focusing on optimal health for women.