| I want to go over a brief explanation of | | | | from the metabolism of fat and protein versus |
| mitochondria. We know that that mitochondria | | | | sugar for example. The mitochondria are crucial |
| play a big role in body metabolism in those | | | | for this level of energy currency production. |
| individuals with Autism. Mitochondria also play a | | | | An appropriate example to help explain this |
| role in everyone's health in terms of how our | | | | concept is to think about starting a campfire. In |
| body produces energy. Some individuals have | | | | the beginning, you use small twigs and dried |
| underlying mitochondrial disease, which is usually | | | | leaves, kindling, to start the fire. It burns quickly |
| detected early in life and can even be life | | | | but will not burn for a long time, similar to the |
| threatening. Other people have an underlying | | | | way our body uses sugar or glucose. It can |
| mitochondrial dysfunction which may not be life | | | | jumpstart the body but will not sustain us. Once |
| threatening but certainly can be problematic when | | | | you have the fire started you need to add larger |
| faced with environmental challenges. If an | | | | pieces of wood to sustain the fire. This would be |
| affected individual gets sick, has a vaccine | | | | the fat and protein to help sustain our body for |
| reaction or has heavy metal toxicity, that can put | | | | longer periods. Burning sugar is a quick yet |
| a lot of stress on the body. | | | | inefficient form of body metabolism whereas our |
| With chronic fatigue syndrome the body cannot | | | | body usually burns fat for longer periods. |
| produce enough energy so the person is | | | | But, if you start having issues in the mitochondria |
| constantly tired. The mitochondria have become | | | | with their ability to regulate your metabolism, that |
| stressed to the point where they are not | | | | is when you run into problems. We see this often |
| functional. The same thing can happen with those | | | | in Autism where various factors inside the |
| who have Autism, their mitochondria can be | | | | mitochondria become dysfunctional. There are |
| dysfunctional and their energy metabolism can | | | | supplements that support mitochondrial function |
| become compromised. This can negatively impact | | | | like CoQ10, NADH and ribose. They fuel and feed |
| everything from the immune system to the | | | | the mitochondria so they will function more |
| nervous system to the detoxification system. | | | | appropriately. You will hear more about |
| You can envision mitochondria to be little factories | | | | mitochondria in the future, they are the energy |
| that are inside our cells, producing tons of energy. | | | | systems inside our cells. The mitochondria produce |
| The primary fuel sources for mitochondria are fat | | | | energy to keep our organs functioning |
| and protein. We get a lot of energy byproduct | | | | appropriately and to keep us all healthy. |