Optimizing Mitochondria

Bill_Roberts · May 22, 2015, 12:59am

Using the term properly, alpha-glycerophosphocholine and phosphatidylserine are not phosphoglycolipids.

Whether the term is being used properly for the most common product marketed as having phosphoglycolipids isn’t clear. A reference the company claims to support the product (Seidman M. Mumatz J. et. al.: Influence of lecithin on mitochondrial DNA and age-related hearing loss. Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery 127(3): 138-144) refers to lecithin. So is “phosphoglycolipids” a way to sell lecithin for more? (Phosphoglycolipids are a very minor component.)

The second citation I see referred to by them (Nicolson GL, Conklin KA: Reversing mitochondrial dysfunction, fatigue and the adverse effects of chemotherapy of metastatic disease by molecular replacement therapy. Clin Exp Metastasis 25(2): 161-9, 2008 ) refers to generic things such as Co-Q10.

Their third claimed reference is not indexed by Pubmed, which always speaks poorly to the credibility of a journal. In this case, it’s an industry association journal to push nutraceuticals.

Going and reading it anyway, it states:

“The supplement product, [I’m redacting the name] with B-Vitamin Complex ([company name redacted]), is a patent-pending proprietary vitamin, mineral and nutrient complex containing an exogenous source of polyunsaturated phosphatidylcholine and other membrane phospholipids (Table 1).”

So that’s no indication of anything more than lecithin plus B vitamins etc, either.

On credibility, similar for the fourth and last reference. Looking for the impact factor (a measure of credibility, based on how often articles in the journal are cited by peer-reviewed journals) this journal has a rating of 0.00 as measured by ResearchGate.

As for the company’s claims on their website, personally I don’t find this credible or promising:

[quote]The Problem: As we get older, we get holes in our cells caused by oxidative stress and other outside forces. These holes cause us to lose energy, and lead to all the other characteristics associated with aging.

The Solution: [Name redacted] plugs the holes with healthy, unoxidized, phosphoglycolipids. How Repairs Damaged Cells [Name redacted]'s formula containing phosphoglycolipids moves from tablets in the GI tract to the intestinal cell membranes by the process of Spontaneous Incorporation.[/quote]

Ohhh-kay.

More seriously, phospholipids are quite important but they need not be obtained from a patent-pending exclusive source.

If interested in the natural occurrence and chemistry of phosphoglycolipids, a good brief write-up is http://lipidlibrary.aocs.org/Lipids/glycopl/index.htm

PB_Andy · May 22, 2015, 1:18am

My only concern with the whole optimizing mitochondria thing is, many of these ingredients act as significant antioxidants in some form or fashion. So if you are taking these supplements in a meal that is close to your workout (or even later in the day when your body is still repairing), it could hamper one’s physiological adaptation to exercise.

for example:

Resveratrol:

Resveratrol blunts the positive effects of exercise training on cardiovascular health in aged men ( Resveratrol blunts the positive effects of exercise training on cardiovascular health in aged men - PMC )

Acute exposure to resveratrol inhibits AMPK activity in human skeletal muscle cells. (in vitro study, Acute exposure to resveratrol inhibits AMPK activity in human skeletal muscle cells - PubMed )

Resveratrol supplementation does not improve metabolic function in non-obese women with normal glucose tolerance ( Resveratrol supplementation does not improve metabolic function in non-obese women with normal glucose tolerance - PMC )

High-dose resveratrol supplementation in obese men: an investigator-initiated, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial of substrate metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and body composition. ( High-dose resveratrol supplementation in obese men: an investigator-initiated, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial of substrate metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and body composition - PubMed )

CoQ10:

Oxidative stress and antioxidant defense in plasma after repeated bouts of supramaximal exercise: the effect of coenzyme Q10. ( Oxidative stress and antioxidant defense in plasma after repeated bouts of supramaximal exercise: the effect of coenzyme Q10 - PubMed )

Effects of ubiquinone-10 supplementation and high intensity training on physical performance in humans. ( Effects of ubiquinone-10 supplementation and high intensity training on physical performance in humans - PubMed )

PQQ:

A novel quinolinebased second-generation mTOR inhibitor that induces apoptosis and disruptsPI3K-Akt-mTOR signaling in human leukemia HL-60 cells. (in vitro, A Novel Quinoline Based Second-generation mTOR Inhibitor that Induces Apoptosis and Disrupts PI3K-Akt-mTOR Signaling in Human Leukemia HL-60 Cells - PubMed )

And there are a ton of studies on vitamins C and E being a negative for exercise, so one might want to steer clear of anything with a substantial antioxidant effect around their workout time.

cstratton2 · May 22, 2015, 6:00am

[quote]PB Andy wrote:
My only concern with the whole optimizing mitochondria thing is, many of these ingredients act as significant antioxidants in some form or fashion. So if you are taking these supplements in a meal that is close to your workout (or even later in the day when your body is still repairing), it could hamper one’s physiological adaptation to exercise.