Just like our body, each cell goes through a metabolic process. The mitochondria generate most of the cell’s energy required to power the biochemical reactions of the cell. There is energy produced by the chemical being converted called adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which also provides energy for other reactions within the cell, and you need a constant supply to survive. Depending on where the cell is located, it can have different amounts of mitochondria because it needs more energy. Liver, kidney, muscle and brain cells are great examples where you could find hundreds if not thousands of mitochondria in a single cell. The more complex the organ, the more energy it needs to produce to carry out its functions.
Considering 90% of our body’s energy is produced by the mitochondria, perhaps some alarms are going off, especially if you resonate with any of the above symptoms. The performance of these biological batteries affect your body’s ability to heal itself which is what it wants to do, however the environment must be conducive for that healing to happen. These membrane organelles turn the food you eat into energy for the body at a cellular level. A few cliff notes about mitochondria’s functioning:
- Upregulates natural detoxification
- Fights infections, pathogens, parasites etc
- Carries out cell signaling/communication (vital for immune function and cell death)
- Stimulates apoptosis (cell death) of damaged or compromised cells to prevent mutations that lead to major health issues
- Produces water for the cell
- Produces heat
- Repairs DNA
As you can see, they play a pretty big role in the vitality of our body and cell health. You’re probably wondering what mold has to do with mitochondria, and we’re glad you asked. In the event of mold illness, the immune system goes into hyperdrive, but does not exactly ever calm down. Mold enters the body by either inhalation (breathing it into the lungs), absorption (through the skin), or consumption (eating). Once inside the body, mold releases mycotoxins, an uber poisonous chemical that overwhelms the body, especially the vital organs like liver and kidney, whose primary function is detoxification. More specifically, mitochondria helps the liver to detox ammonia so when someone says “you don’t need to cleanse, that’s what your liver is for!” that would not apply to someone with mold poisoning and a liver that is struggling to keep up.
