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Restoring Mitochondrial Function Overview
🕑 Added 2022-03-17 04:52:40 +0000 UTCEDIT: CK and I just got off the phone together earlier. He has brought to my attention a major flaw in the entire exclusion zone water (mitochondrial metabolic water) theory after he shared a paper by Douglas Wallace that I had missed stating the EZ water ejects sodium chloride out of its matrix. This has MAJOR implications in the validity of the entire theory as I've often described the importance of electrolytes in cellular hydration and related processes of energy metabolism. CK and I will be working on filling in the gaps and formulating our own theories on this subject. I already had most of this article written prior to the call and will either edit this article or post an entirely new article on the basis of these corrections once we do just so you all have the fullest picture possible. For all intents and purposes, anything referring to "Exclusion zone water/EZ water" that I might miss in this brief editing process will be corrected under "coherent cellular water". However, the underlying mechanisms for reestablishing reduction-oxidation potential (redox), coherent cellular water formation, and mitochondrial function are all still valid and will be tied back into the latest theory being formulated. Stay tuned for this one, it's going to be big. There will likely be a number of corrections to the following underlying explanation.
Fundamentally, restoring mitochondrial function means reestablishing reduction-oxidation potential, coherent cellular water formation, and energy metabolism/ATP production. This returns us to what Pollack says in his book: when sunlight hits water, the exclusion zone (EZ water, fourth phase of water, gel-like water in cells that repels toxins and neutralizes ROS properly) forms a negative charge. (The interaction with sunlight is correct, Pollack's explanation has many holes, this is something that will be addressed). This is what mitochondria require in the modern age today, moreso than anything else you can do for your health. It always comes back down to mitochondrial function and the mitochondrial genome (mtDNA). What do mitochondria make when the organism is exposed to natural full-spectrum light and grounded to bare earth (grounding = inverse hall magnetic spin effect)? It’s water. Coherent cellular water. Cells take glucose, oxygen, and light to turn into carbon dioxide (CO2) and water. This is the reverse of photosynthesis in plants, which takes carbon dioxide, water, and light to make glucose or sugar. In my perspective, redox (mitochondrial function) comes before detox so that your cells have the energy (ATP) for the methionine/methylation and glutathione cycles (glutathione, superoxide dismutase, catalase, metallothionein, melatonin are the primary examples of reduction-oxidation potential/redox) to function whatsoever. Energy to make the entire biology function, but to also jumpstart healing processes again (autophagy, apoptosis, repair, mitochondrial biogenesis/mitophagy (fusion/fission), neurogenesis/synaptogenesis).
The brain, central nervous system, organs, and muscles have sufficient energy to perform the daily activities required of you without fatigue. Your skin looks youthful and glowing. Your teeth and skeleton are strong and bright, with little to no plaque formation. Diseases and health conditions begin to resolve. It is the true meaning of objectively optimal health. Inside the mitochondria, the fifth cytochrome is called the ATPase, which is the part of the mitochondria that produce ATP or cellular energy, which should be spinning at a more rapid rate when hydrogen (H+) is put into it in simple terms. In a healthy human being at rest, it has been shown to spin at around 15000 times per second. When a healthy human being is active (exercise, for example), it can increase by up to three times to keep up with the energy demand. When a healthy human being performs cognitive tasks (critical thinking, chess, research, etc.), the same thing as physical activity can happen.
When there is an accumulation of deuterium within the cellular matrix or within the cytosol of the cell, the ATPase spin rate slows down significantly. Deuterium is the “heavy” hydrogen isotope that has double the atomic mass of hydrogen, while necessary in the growth and development of children, it is being shown to contribute to aging and decreased mitochondrial redox potential (ability to deal with oxidative stress properly = aging and inflammation inherently). It competes with “light” hydrogen on the electron transport chain and slows the ATPase, where even a 5-10+% accumulation over the normal 150ppm in the blood can contribute to mitochondrial dysfunction. It also doesn’t fit properly into the proton channels within the ATPase.
This occurs because the more technology (nnEMF and artificial blue light) one uses and the further disconnected one gets from nature (sunlight, grounding, water, seasonal eating and weather exposure, etc.), this accumulation occurs which slows down the electron transport chain. On a clinical level, this can be seen in Magnetoencephalography (MEG data), Electroencephalography (EEG, seen with lower alpha wavelength rate), Electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG), Heart rate variability data (HRV, seen with a fingerprint which appears less chaotic, should be more chaotic, look at chaotic rate vs glucose metabolism, can show blue light/nnEMF toxicity), and Coronary artery calcium score for the heart (CAC, shows arteries allowing calcium efflux into tissue from mitochondrial dysfunction, nnEMF, artificial blue light, hyper calcium-glutamate, etc., showing solar light wavelengths can’t enter through the skin to surface of arteries to release nitric oxide (NO) which should dilate the arteries from UVA light exposure based on latitude and regulate the calcium efflux).
Sunlight (most notably red/infrared light but also UV light as well), drinking clean spring water from high elevation or the close to the cold North/South poles (deuterium depleted and rich in mineral content for coherent cellular water formation and DC electric current function inherently, there is also deuterium depleted water available which can be pricy but can be useful in latitudes further away from the equator. Still better to form your own deuterium depleted EZ water within your cells) (again, this will likely be corrected, I no longer believe the EZ water theory, this must be reexamined and will be corrected in updated article, replace with coherent cellular water while reading), proper sleep in total darkness, cold thermogenesis, eating a high-fat diet (even non-hydrogenated plant fats are found to have lower deuterium content (i.e. black seed, pumpkin seed, and olive oil), and fasting/ketosis also depletes the body of deuterium and improves mitochondrial function by increasing EZ water formation in cells (deuterium depletion definitely plays a role in mitochondrial energy production as outlined above and in a number of the studies I've shared, although we need to identify if it influences the cellular water at all)
Fluoride is present primarily in tap water (consider both drinking and bathing water), it competes with iodine meaning it displaces iodine from performing its roles in thyroid status and brain/CNS function. It functions as a dielectric blocker, meaning it “blocks” the DC electric current where it is stored within the body, and the electronegative characteristics of fluoride on the periodic element table make it so that it “steals” electrons and draws them into the core of the molecule. In the context of mitochondrial function, it will indirectly compete with oxygen which is considered a “terminal electron acceptor” in the electron transport chain (ETC). This decreases the Ph and the energy production capability in the cell, inherently decreasing reduction-oxidation potential (redox). You want to ensure you do not include fluoride in your drinking water at all, and it is best to find a shower filter that eliminates most if not all fluoride as well. Iodine-rich seafood, shellfish, and seaweeds help to compete with fluoride stored in the body and aid in its removal.
I've discussed the mitochondrial function and reduction-oxidation potential (redox) status extensively over the past year, so I figured I'd do a quick write-up on how to reestablish mitochondrial/redox status efficiently so I don't have to keep rewriting it in every new protocol article.
The topic itself is quite complex, so I'll do a quick summary then include a few papers from Doug Wallace, one of the leading experts on mitochondria and redox status in the world today if you'd like to read more on the subject.
Wallace, Douglas C.. “Mitochondrial diseases in man and mouse.” Science 283 5407 (1999): 1482-8 . (Full link to paper)
Wallace, Douglas & Fan, Weiwei & Procaccio, Vincent. (2010). Mitochondrial Energetics and Therapeutics. Annual review of pathology. 5. 297-348. 10.1146/annurev.pathol.4.110807.092314. (Full link to paper)
Wallace DC. A mitochondrial paradigm of metabolic and degenerative diseases, aging, and cancer: a dawn for evolutionary medicine. Annu Rev Genet. 2005;39:359-407. doi:10.1146/annurev.genet.39.110304.095751 (Full link to paper)
What Is Life Answered in Terms of Properties and Activities of Auto-cooperative Assemblies of Molecules, Atoms, Ions and Electrons Called Nano-protoplasm, Gilbert N. Ling http://www.physiologicalchemistryandphysics.com/pdf/PCP42_ling.pdf
Life at the Cell and Below-Cell Level: the Hidden History of a Fundamental Revolution in Biology:/Gilbert N. Ling. http://www.bioparadigma.spb.ru/files/Ling-2001-Life.at.the.Cell.Level.pdf
(I will be including the latest references CK and I come across to piece together our new theories, however I will include this one for you all for now to explain why the sudden change in perspective:
CK and I would like to provide the absolute best information to improve and optimize both your health and your lives altogether, even if it means tearing into every concept we previously held true to build anew again. It is not quite that ALL of it was incorrect, but a number of pieces of the puzzle were put into the wrong places. He and I are going to correct these pieces and try to explain it in as simple terms as we can manage for the average person to understand as well. I believe he will be editing his previous articles as well as we get a further understanding for the correct theories to fill in the gaps we've come across.
My friend and research partner CK summarized this topically very well...
"When we talk about redox state it's not just about maintaining as little oxidation as possible, but rather keeping an appropriate balance in place between reduction and oxidation.
Put simply, oxidation refers to any chemical reaction involving the loss of an electron, when something is oxidized it just means that one of its electrons is transferred to another molecule. Reduction is the inverse of this, a molecule or atom gaining an electron from another molecule or atom.
As you can see, it's impossible for reduction to occur without oxidation, and vice versa, hence the shorthand "redox" refers to this category of reactions. Now when we look at how this occurs in the body free radical production is an excellent example.
A "free radical" is any molecule with an unpaired electron, which makes it highly reactive and unstable, it will neutralize itself by reacting with the first available electron donor.
The most common source of free radicals in the body is oxidative phosphorylation (the main ATP synthesis pathway in mitochondria), which involves an electron circuit that sometimes cross-reacts with nearby oxygen or water molecules creating "reactive oxygen species" as a result.
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) refers to free radicals containing oxygen, while the less common reactive nitrogen species (RNS) refers to nitrogen containing free radicals. RNS are created primarily as byproducts of the metabolism of nitric oxide, which regulates blood flow.
These free radicals are neutralized by antioxidants, which act as electron donors, oxidizing themselves in order to reduce free radicals before they have the chance to react with nearby protein, lipids, or DNA instead. Antioxidants are then recycled back into their reduced form.
This process maintains the balance referred to broadly as the "redox state". It's true that too much oxidation can be harmful, playing a role in the pathology of cancer, heart disease, and aging. I've discussed this frequently in the context of iron, light environment, etc.
But this isn't the whole story, oxidation can also be beneficial, and some antioxidants can paradoxically increase the risk of these same diseases. As an example, ROS are used as signaling molecules between the mitochondria and cell nucleus, altering gene transcription
This ROS signaling is what allows light to dynamically alter gene expression and regulate circadian rhythm (via genes like CLOCK, Bmal1, etc.). This is an example of how changes like these can play out during infrared light exposure via sunlight or therapy: (see attached image)
If we block this signaling we may impair these processes and potentially alter circadian rhythm or other aspects of cell metabolism. The interaction between ROS and muscle growth is another example, certain antioxidants have been shown to slow hypertrophy.
The question is nutrient antioxidants is also complex. While vitamin C is an very beneficial antioxidant, it also paradoxically increases iron oxidation, so it may not be so beneficial in all cases or at very high doses.
The takeaway from all this is that in many cases oxidative stress is actually a hormetic response and provides benefit. Things like living at high altitude, exercise, sunlight exposure, cold thermogenesis, saunas, etc, all operate via this mechanism.
If you want to balance redox state apply oxidative stress via these activities, while also utilizing appropriate antioxidants. In particular, plant compounds are highly beneficial here, especially those in the flavonoid or quinone classes (polyphenols in general are excellent). Focus on food sources for these phytochemicals, as well as most nutrients. There are definitely cases where nutrient supplements are necessary or beneficial, but especially when it comes to antioxidants like retinol, vitamin C, and vitamin E, food sources are king. Lastly, it's important to avoid things that create imbalances in this redox state. Some like isolated blue light disrupt circadian signaling, while others like iron accumulation or alcohol consumption quickly outpace any hormetic benefits they may provide at low doses."
This is where the importance of light, water, and magnetism (native and non-native EMF) ties in, and everything I've been discussing for years ties together with.
The most important factor in mitochondrial function is your daytime and nighttime light environment. This means seeing the sunrise and sunset every single day for the rest of your life. Any sunlight exposure throughout the day is crucial as well. If you work an inside job, ensure you take breaks periodically. Vitamin D status (only produced midday from UVB light spectrum) is a very important indicator of mitochondrial status. If you miss a day, make sure you see the sunset and then start again tomorrow. Don't beat yourself up about it, just remain as consistent as you possibly can. If you don't wake up until after the sunset, I guarantee your mitochondrial status is shit as a result of circadian dysregulation. You need to start setting an alarm in the morning, airplane mode on the phone if you set it on your cellular device, so you wake up before or during the sunset (6-7 to 10-11 AM depending on latitude with the changing seasons). You may go back to sleep if you choose to, but the sunrise is extremely energizing in and of itself, and you will begin to adjust to a natural circadian rhythm especially if you fix your evening/nighttime light environment.
With that said, your evening/nighttime is just as important. Even dim light will dysregulate your circadian rhythm (melatonin and melanopsin), artificial blue light most significantly at around 80-90% melatonin suppression with even brief exposure and circadian delay. Red/amber light (experiment with trashing your blue/white LED and fluorescent bulbs in favor of red/amber or incandescent) or even better, firelight creates significantly less melatonin suppression but it still occurs on a slight level. Optimally, or if you have a severe health condition, ZERO light after sunset is extremely important to begin to reset your mitochondrial status and circadian rhythm. Without melatonin and melanopsin function in place, it has been shown that mammals no longer have the ability to catch up on sleep whatsoever, and this is where people start getting fat, their brain starts degenerating, and their health status altogether goes out the window, becoming extremely susceptible to disease in all of its forms.
In regards to the previously mentioned tech/office jobs, ensure you install software like Iris on your computer or laptop to filter blue light and screen flicker. Wear blue light blockers even during the daytime while using technology. DO NOT wear them outside during the daytime under any circumstance, it is fine if you wear them in the evening when the bright streetlights turn on if you live in a city. Try to ensure your skin is covered with clothing as well unless you are outside during the daytime, as melanopsin receptors are also found within adipose tissues and can be influenced by light exposure on the skin.
Red and infrared light is present as long as the sun is out during the daytime, with sunrise and sunset being most important during this time. Red/IR light therapy, photobiomodulation, and low-level laser therapy (all the same therapies, just different names in research papers) is also extremely useful to reset mitochondrial status by exclusion zone water formation in cells (replace with coherent cellular water formation in cells) and interacting with cytochrome 1 in the electron transport chain to facilitate ATP development. This requires a therapy device with a low flicker rate and nnEMF output for optimal results, the sun is a much cheaper option as the quality devices can get quite expensive.
Try to minimize your nnEMF exposure to the greatest extent possible within your individual context. Grounding barefoot on bare earth and/or immersing yourself in natural bodies of water will help to counter the detriment of usage, however, it will not completely eliminate it. Just be mindful, that's all I'm saying. It plays a major role in mitochondrial function, redox status, and electron transfer.
Nutritional surplus is another extremely important factor that I've been driving home since I began sharing my insights on health back in 2018. I've discussed this factor extensively in previous articles, but again you can utilize a tool like the Cronometer app to ensure you're hitting all of your bases consistently (namely B vitamins and electrolytes). There are exceptions to this such as iron, calcium, copper, and vitamin A, which are preferable not to have in excess on a daily basis unless you're inherently deficient in each per your blood work and micronutrient panel. IV micronutrient therapy can be useful, however, paired with the advice above, it may very well not be necessary unless a deficiency is life-threateningly severe (alcoholism and thiamine/B12, for example).
As I mentioned above, fats in seafood/shellfish, animals, and even plants are depleted of deuterium as well as being an optimal source of energy for metabolism. Most notably SN-2 position DHA from seafood/shellfish, pasture-raised eggs, and animal brains for cell membrane matrix integrity, electron content, it's semiconductive nature, and the ability to regenerate photoreceptors in the eyes and skin, thus your circadian rhythm and finally your mitochondrial function. In regards to carbohydrates, it is best to stick to complex whole food sources IN SEASON. You can ask local farmers directly, visit a local farmers market, and/or research seasonal fruits and vegetables where you live/in your latitude on your own online. With more sunlight present and as you begin to optimize mitochondrial function, you will notice you can tolerate a wider spectrum of foods even out of season. You can always return to seasonal eating again if anything else may arise. The UV light fresh fruits and vegetables are grown under is stored within the plants to some extent and is released upon digestion where blood rushes to the gut to circulate the nutrients and light throughout the body with mitochondrial dysfunction and/or circadian dysregulation, can exacerbate circadian mismatch if imported from other countries via incompatible light spectrum for your latitude. The other important factor is non-imported seasonal foods are much less likely to be grown with pesticides and included other chemicals to maintain freshness along their imported journey.
Protein is the other important factor, preferably protein from animal foods. All of the proteins that make up your cells, organs, skeleton, muscles, tendons, etc. are replaced on a daily basis, so sufficient amino acid intake is crucial for maintaining health stability and even more crucial to optimizing your health. This will reflect in mitochondrial function as well with increased lean muscle mass. Ensure you eat a protein/fat-heavy breakfast shortly after waking and sunrise exposure. Carbohydrates are best tolerated when circadian glucose tolerance is highest shortly after dawn around noon-ish with a healthy functional circadian rhythm, this will inevitably correct itself as you begin to follow this advice, as well as glucose metabolism as a whole. I usually have carbohydrates with lunch and before/after my evening lift around the time the sun begins setting. It is optimal to have a window of a minimum of 2-4 hrs before bedtime for optimal melatonin production and sleep quality (glymphatic system function, repair, autophagy, apoptosis, etc.)
Exercise is important for mitochondrial biogenesis as well as acting as a circadian zeitgeber, meaning it sets your circadian clock mechanisms similarly to light/darkness and eating times. It has been shown to best influence the circadian rhythm in the evening around 5-7 PM, but try to fit it in as you are able to within your schedule without being too early or too late into the day where it interrupts the cortisol/melatonin cycle. Any exercise is better than NONE. This includes both resistance and endurance training. Even a damn walk is better than nothing, get that blood flowing. Try to pair each form of exercise throughout the week for best results. If you are looking for a coach, I highly recommend reaching out to my friend, BowTiedOx on Twitter. I will be working with him myself once I get everything unpacked and settled in the new house with new equipment ordered. I trust him with exercise moreso than most other people I've come across in the Twitter circle.
This ties into your drinking water intake. Ancestrally, prior to the stripping of nearly all minerals in available water with the advent of purification and distillation, our water was a MAJOR source of dietary electrolytes and minerals. It is preferable to drink QUALITY spring water with a rich mineral/electrolyte profile to utilize the water intracellularly properly. As mentioned above, the higher the elevation and closer to the North and South poles the water is sourced from, the lower the deuterium content will be. If not affordable in your context or not available in your area, reverse osmosis (RO) water can work fine as well. Anything but tap water, especially if you live in a major city. There may be exceptions in specific states/rural areas, water sources, and countries, however, most of the municipal tap water within the USA is highly contaminated and best to be avoided for optimal health. I do believe the risks of dehydration far outweigh any potential risk of plastic bottles. Obviously, glass is going to be most optimal but there is not currently any data to support microplastics not being eliminated from digestion and the gut via the feces when bound to fiber consumed. Perhaps I am hopeful, but even I still occasionally utilize plastic bottles when I'm out of glass bottles and have had zero issues in my immediate health or blood work. Do what you can afford and don't get too neurotic about the minute details.
Cold (ocean swims, ice baths, cold showers, even ice packs, ambient outside temperature (may not be feasible with spring around now), get COLD) and heat exposure (sauna, ambient outside temperature, this ties into exercise as well) can also have a very positive benefit on mitochondrial function via a number of pathways, which I've outlined in previous articles. This very likely will tie into the newest coherent cellular water theory CK and I will be formulating. We evolved exposed to the elements utilizing the hormetic benefit on health, remaining in air-conditioned or heated environments year-round all day long cannot possibly be a positive benefit. Obviously necessary for some environments across the world, though short-term exposure will not kill you. Sometimes you need to get uncomfortable to get comfortable.
Ketosis and fasting have a benefit on mitochondrial function and deuterium depletion, however, if you are underweight it is best to focus on the above-mentioned factors. If you are not or even better, are overweight, this can be a useful tool to utilize occasionally or if you are not the type to struggle with muscle mass growth or physical performance on a high-fat diet. With that said, a fast once in a while still won't kill you even if you aren't. I prefer high-fat days on my rest days as I notice with metabolic flexibility, the state of ketosis seems to aid my muscle recovery. About one a day a week, I've been focusing on skipping the fasting personally as I'm still working to put on muscle mass myself. This comes down to individual context ultimately.
It's getting late here and I have a couple of straggler boxes to ship out before I leave for NY on Tuesday. Excited to see my wife very soon. Love always, family. Let me know if you have any questions. If I think of anything else to include or realize I've missed anything, I will edit or add in comments. I'll be working on a couple more articles before I head out, but had to lay out this mitochondrial function/redox overview foundation for the next article I have planned: heavy metal detox support.
Have an awesome night, guys.
Grimhood aka Daniel
