Nutritional Support for Athletic Recovery

As a healthcare practitioner, it's essential to recognize the significance of athletic recovery for your patients. Whether they are professional athletes or just enjoy exercising regularly, recovery plays a critical role in their overall health and performance. In this blog post, we'll discuss the importance of athletic recovery and provide tips on promoting it.^‡

The Benefits of Athletic Recovery

Athletic recovery is the process of allowing your body to rest and heal after physical activity. It's essential for preventing injuries, reducing inflammation and improving performance. Here are some of the benefits of athletic recovery:

• Reduced risk of injury: When your body is fatigued, you're more likely to get injured. Recovery helps reduce the risk of injury by allowing your body to repair and rebuild.
• Improved performance: Recovery is essential for improving performance. When your body is well-rested, you can perform at your best.
• Inflammation management: Inflammation is a natural response to physical activity. The key is maintaining a balanced inflammatory response. Effective recovery techniques help to promote balanced inflammatory responses.
• Prevention of overtraining: If you aren't paying attention, overtraining can strike without notice, negatively impacting performance, sleep, energy, motivation and eating patterns.

Factors of Recovery

When looking at the actual factors associated with recovery, it is important to understand the underlying physiology to effectively monitor objective markers that can quantify whether or not a patient is recovering from their efforts. Some of the factors include:

• Normalization of physiological functions like blood pressure and heart rate
• Restoration of energy stores (blood glucose and muscle glycogen)
• Replenishment of cellular energy enzymes

Nutritional Strategies Promoting Athletic Recovery

As a healthcare practitioner, you can help your patients promote athletic recovery by providing them with the right strategies. Here are some recommendations:

Stress Management

• Ashwagandha – An Ayurvedic herb that has been used for over 4,000 years and has been shown to moderate occasional stress.^1‡
• B-Vitamins – Promote cognitive function and positive mood in addition to supporting the body’s nutrient needs during stress.^{2, 3‡}
• Multivitamins – Under stressful states, the body has an increased need for many micronutrients and a multivitamin can be helpful to support the body’s increased needs.^4‡

Promote Healthy Cytokine Balance

• Curcumin – Curcumin has been the subject of over 3,000 studies over the past 30 years and has an extensive history of use. The remarkable breadth of applications of curcumin stem from its multifocal mechanisms involving diverse intracellular signaling pathways and the regulation of hundreds of genes involved in cytokine balance, detoxification and cellular health.^{5, 6, 7, 8, 9‡}

Promote Muscle Recovery

• Creatine – Creatine is an energy carrier that is naturally present in muscles, brain and other organs. By increasing the rate of creatine phosphorylation, ammonia and lactate levels in the blood are lowered resulting in faster recovery from exercise. It is also important for vegan and/or vegetarian athletes.¹⁰
• Magnesium – Magnesium is important for hundreds of processes throughout the body and supports muscle function and recovery. Additionally, athletes can have up to 20% increase in needs for this nutrient versus normal populations.^{11, 12, 13}

Promote Connective Tissue Repair

• Collagen – Collagen has been shown to support musculoskeletal health to help optimize performance and mobility and supports healthy cartilage and joint tissues.¹⁴
• Vitamin C – Supports the healthy production of collagen and the health of connective tissue.¹⁵

Conclusion

Athletic recovery is essential for preventing injuries, improving performance and promoting overall health. As a healthcare practitioner, you can help your patients promote athletic recovery by providing them with the right tools and information. Encourage rest days, provide stretching and mobility exercises, recommend proper nutrition, suggest massage and other recovery techniques and monitor progress. By doing so, you can help your patients achieve their fitness goals and live a healthier life.

References

1. Lopresti AL, Smith SJ. J of Herb Medi. 2021;28:100434.
2. Cohick PL, et al. Eur J of Clin Nutr. 2011;65, 4234.
3. Young LM, Pipingas A, White DJ, et al. Nutrients. 2019;11(9):2232.
4. Schlebusch L, Bosch BA, Polglase G, Kleinschmidt I et al. Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir geneeskunde. 2022;90(12).
5. Zhang F, Altorki NK, Mestre JR, et al. Carcin. 1999 Mar;20(3):445-51.
6. Santos-Parker JR, Strahler TR, Bassett CJ, et al. Aging (Albany NY). 2017 Jan 3;9(1):187-208.
7. James MI, Iwuji C, Irving G, et al. Cancer Lett. 2015 Aug 10;364(2):135-41.
8. Bundy R, Walker AF, Middleton RW, Booth J. J Altern Complement Med. 2004 Dec;10(6):1015-8.
9. Panahi Y, Rahimnia AR, Sharafi M, et al. Phytother Res. 2014 Nov;28(11):1625-31.
10. Wax B, Kerksick CM, Jagim AR, et al. Nutrients. 2021 Jun 2;13(6):1915.
11. Reno AM, Green M, Killen LG, et al. J Strength Cond Res. 2022 Aug 1;36(8):2198-2203.
12. Nielsen FH, Lukaski HC. Magnes Res. 2006 Sep;19(3):180-9.
13. Vernon WB. Magnesium. 1988;7(5-6):234-48.
14. Clark KL, Sebastianelli W, Flechsenhar KR, et al. Curr Med Res Opin. 2008 May;24(5):1485-96.
15. DePhillipo NN, Aman ZS, Kennedy MI, et al. Orthop J Sports Med. 2018 Oct 25;6(10):2325967118804544.

The Renewable Energy Within: Remodeling Mitochondrial Networks through Diet and Lifestyle Strategies

Webinar: "The Renewable Energy Within: Remodeling Mitochondrial Networks through Diet & Lifestyle Strategies" with Dr. Kelly Heim, Ph.D.

VIEW THE WEBINAR

This blog explains the process and importance of mitochondrial health and the various supplemental process to support cellular energy.

Throughout a typical day, everyone deals with their own individual routines and how to go about performing specific tasks during this time. Generally, most tasks we perform require mental energy, and some require a lot of physical energy. But regardless of the tasks, both will require a good amount of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the chemical energy all our cells use to sustain life and keep us healthy. Specifically, ATP is vital for the health and of certain organs such as the brain, muscles and other tissues that demand a lot of energy. One interesting fact about ATP is you use half your body weight worth of ATP every day, which a lot of it getting regenerated and some being made from scratch by our bodies.

ATP, indirectly, comes from the food we eat every day with cells converting caloric energy into ATP. Theoretically the more calories you eat, the more ATP you can make but you might rethink this after further study. A lower calorie diet rich in phytochemicals may help you create more cellular energy and ATP, which is a good thing for our bodies.

ATP is created by mitochondria, the energy powerhouses of the cells and essential organelles that generate this high-energy molecule. Glucose, fatty acids and certain amino acids that we consume are metabolized by the TCA cycle, or also known as the Krebs Cycle, in addition to other pathways. The end result is NADH, which carries an electron to the electron transport chain. Ultimately, this simulates ATP Synthase, the enzyme that makes ATP from ADP, a low-energy phosphate.

There are hundreds to thousands of these structures inside each cell, depending on the tissue. It’s even been suggested that about 10% of our body weight is mitochondria, but this is hard to measure¹.

Loss of mitochondrial quality or quantity has been associated with several phenotypes, including loss of grey matter, fewer cardiomyocytes, slower detoxification, and smaller, weaker muscles. Aging tends to occur more rapidly in organs that are highly dependent on mitochondria, such as the brain, muscles, and heart. A common opinion in the medical literature is that a cell with more mitochondria, or better functioning ones, is typically a healthier one. It’s probably also a younger one, since as we age the quality and quantity of mitochondria decline as we grow older. This pattern is a feature of AACD, or Age-Associated Cellular Decline, which describes the constellation of cellular and bioenergetic hallmarks of normal human aging.

Why would you want to enhance the quality or quantity of mitochondria? There are 3 clinical areas why this makes a lot of sense:

• Muscle strength and stamina
• Cardiovascular health
• Neurocognitive health

As we get older, the mitochondria diminish in function, energy output and membrane output. Older or damaged mitochondria not only make less ATP, but contribute to cellular degeneration and apoptosis. Together these two factors contribute to the decline in cellular function as we age.

The process to building new mitochondria is called mitochondrial biogenesis, which is highly responsive to diet and lifestyle. Research shows you can build new mitochondria by restricting calories and eating a low energy diet. Reducing caloric intake by eating less can create more ATP for your cells.

Urolithin A (UA) is a unique molecule which is derived from ellagitannins found in pomegranates and certain berries and nuts. A study published in Nature Medicine (2016) reported that urolithin A stimulated mitophagy in preclinical models and improved muscle function and exercise capacity in rodent models while also increasing muscle strength in C. elegans, a preclinical paradigm of aging.^2‡

In the first human clinical trial, four weeks of urolithin A supplementation in healthy, sedentary elderly subjects (at doses of 500 mg and 1000 mg per day), confirmed that UA is safe, orally bioavailable, and effective in increasing mitochondrial gene expression in skeletal muscle and improving mitochondrial biomarker profiles.^3‡

Urolithin A is a first-in-class mitophagy modulator for cellular energy & muscle health.⁴ It works, at least in part, by promoting mitochondrial renewal, which is a key factor in cellular energy production, muscle health and healthy aging.^‡

Renual, which contains urolithin A, coenzyme Q10 and trans-resveratrol, supports cellular energy and muscle health and is designed for middle-aged and older adults.^‡

Pure Encapsulations offers other products to support mitochondrial health, including Mitochondria-ATP, which supports cellular energy and mitochondrial health with a newly updated formulation that includes NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotinamide) to support NAD+, a key cofactor in cellular energy production.^‡

Learn more about these products by visiting our Energy and Fitness Health Category today!

We have a webinar based on this topic for you to listen, conducted by Dr. Kelly Heim, Ph.D.* You can watch here: https://blog.pureencapsulationspro.com/view-our-webinar-recording-the-renewable-energy-within-remodeling-mitochondrial-networks-through-diet-and-lifestyle-strategies/

Works Cited

1. Nisoli E., Carruba MO. J Cell Sci. 2006.119(Pt 14) 2855-62.
2. Ryu D, et al. Nat Med. 2016;22(8):879-888
3. Andreux PA, et al. Nat Metab 1:595-603
4. As of 11/2/2020 in the healthcare practitioner channel

*Dr. Kelly Heim is an employee of Atrium Innovations, Inc.

Healthy Aging & the Importance of Building a Better Body Battery

Webinar: “The Renewable Energy Within: Remodeling Mitochondrial Networks through Diet & Lifestyle Strategies” with Kelly Heim, Ph.D.

Associated material: Urolithin A Brochure, FAQs on Urolithin A

VIEW THE WEBINAR

The Connection Between Mitochondria and Healthy Aging

If you think back to your high school biology class, most of us will be able to recall that the mitochondria is considered the powerhouse of the cell. What does that mean in the context of our lives today, and why is understanding the mitochondria important for healthy aging?

It all comes down to energy. Think of optimizing mitochondrial health like installing a renewable battery for your body. All the tasks you will perform today, from sending emails to attending an exercise class, require energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate, or, ATP, which is largely made by the mitochondria. You use at least half of your body weight worth of ATP every day!¹

The process of ATP synthesis is complicated, but for a quick overview: glucose, fatty acids, and certain amino acids from our diet are metabolized by the TCA cycle, the Krebs cycle, and glycolysis. These chemical and enzymatic reactions produce NADH, which carries an electron to the electron transport chain, creating a proton gradient which stimulates ATP synthase. This is the enzyme that converts ADP to ATP, which is then used as energy for our cells.

There are hundreds or even thousands of mitochondria performing this task constantly in each cell, and it's been estimated that about 10% of your body weight is mitochondria.² This mitochondria workforce is dynamic with a continuous state of turnover, which means it can rapidly adapt to your changing energy demands. For example, ATP output will be low while you are sitting and sending emails but will increase greatly at your exercise class.

As we age the quality and quantity of mitochondria naturally decrease and contribute to something called ‘age-associated cellular decline’. Loss of mitochondrial quality or quantity has been associated with several phenotypes, including loss of gray matter in the brain, fewer cardiomyocytes, slower detoxification, and smaller, weaker muscles.³

On the micro scale, older, damaged mitochondria not only produce less ATP, but they contribute to tissue atrophy, cellular degeneration, and apoptosis.⁴ These factors contribute to the decline in cellular function that occurs when aging sets in and commonly progresses through the remainder of the lifespan.

Supporting Optimal Mitochondria Health

While aging is inevitable, there are two key ways you can support your mitochondria through the aging process.

First, increase the formation of mitochondria by activating mitochondrial biogenesis. This process is highly responsive to diet and lifestyle, specifically caloric restriction. Though it may initially seem counterintuitive, eating less calories can boosts ATP levels.⁵ Other ways to support mitochondrial biogenesis is to increase exercise and consider supplementation with Adiponectin, Resveratrol, Berberine, PQQ, Adenosylcobalamin, and CoQ10.⁶ It is important to note that the new mitochondria created are still at risk of the effects of aging.^‡

The second way is to support mitochondrial health is to promote the removal of the old mitochondria through a process called mitophagy. As they age, mitochondria produce less energy, and may even disturb normal cellular functions as they accumulate. Therefore, cells rely on mitophagy, the process of selective disposal of dysfunctional or superfluous mitochondria and their components, to keep the cellular environment clear for only the best mitochondria possible. Exercise and caloric restriction are also helpful in supporting optimal mitophagy.^5,6

Mitophagy, like most things, can decrease with age. Poor mitophagy contributes to fatigue, decreased grip strength, and an increase in age-related neurological changes.⁸

When working on weight management with your patients, be sure to set reasonable expectations for increasing fiber in their diets.

This lends itself to the question: if we want to optimize healthy aging by supporting healthy mitochondria health, then how can we support mitophagy, which is also affected by aging?

The Role of Urolithin A

Oral ingestion of urolithin A has been shown to increase mitophagy in preclinical models and improve muscle function and exercise capacity in rodents, and increase muscle strength in C. elegans.^9‡

Urolithin A is a metabolite derived from ellagitannins found in pomegranates, nuts, and berries. Urolithins have excellent bioavailability, and can reach very high micromolar levels in plasma, as well as cross the blood brain barrier. However, ellagitannins are complex and require a multi-step breakdown by the microbiome before these metabolites are freely available.^10,11 Not all people have the bacteria in their microbiome necessary to fuel this breakdown.^12,13 Oral supplementation can be an easier way for their bodies to access this metabolite.

In 2019, Andreux et all performed a clinical trial of oral urolithin A supplementation (500mg, 1000mg per day) on sedentary, elderly adults showed these doses to be safe, bioavailable, and effective in increasing mitochondrial gene expression in skeletal muscle and improved mitochondria biomarker profiles.^14‡

Urolithin A is a first-in-class mitophagy modulator for cellular energy & muscle health.^‡ Along with exercise, caloric restriction, and an understanding of the importance of mitochondrial renewal, you can support your body battery for years to come.

Works Cited

1. Tornroth-Horsefield, Susanna, and Richard Neutze. “Opening and Closing the Metabolite Gate.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 105, no. 50, 2008, pp. 19565–19566.
2. Lane, N. Power, Sex, Suicide: Mitochondria and the Meaning of Life. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005.
3. Larsson L, Degens H, Li M, et al. Sarcopenia: Aging-Related Loss of Muscle Mass and Function. Physiol Rev. 2019;99(1):427-511. doi:10.1152/physrev.00061.2017
4. Calvani R, Joseph AM, Adhihetty PJ, et al. Mitochondrial pathways in sarcopenia of aging and disuse muscle atrophy. Biol Chem. 2013;394(3):393-414. doi:10.1515/hsz-2012-0247
5. Guan Y, Drake JC, Yan Z. Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 2019 Jul;47(3):151-156. 6.
6. Mehrabani S, Bagherniya M, Askari G, et al. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2020 Aug 27.
7. Waltz TB, Fivenson EM, Morevati M, et al. Sarcopenia, Aging and Prospective Interventional Strategies. Curr Med Chem. 2018;25(40):5588-5596.
8. Sebastian D, et al. Mfn2 deficiency links age-related sarcopenia and impaired autophagy to activation of an adaptive mitophagy pathway. EMBO J. 2016
9. Ryu D, et al. Nat Med. 2016 Aug;22(8):879-88.
10. Espín JC, Larrosa M, García-Conesa MT, Tomás-Barberán F. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:270418.
11. Heim KC. In: Antioxidant Polymers: Synthesis, Properties, and Applications. Cirillo G, Iemma F, eds. Taylor and Francis, c. 2012.
12. García-Mantrana I et al. Nutrients. 2019 Oct; 11(10): 2483.
13. Cortes-Martin A, Garcia-Villalba R, Gonzalez-Sarrias A, et al. Food Funct. 2018, 9:4100-4106.
14. Andreux PA, et al. The mitophagy activator urolithin A is safe and induces a molecular signature of improved mitochondrial and cellular health in humans. Nature Metabolism. June 2019. 1: 595-603