How To Boost Your Energy Level As You Age

As we age we may often feel tired and fatigued. This fatigue may be due to emotional problems like excessive worries or poor mood, sleep disorders and/or physical problems. Is there something we can do to help with fatigue? One frequently overlooked cause of fatigue is a low or borderline-low level of vitamin B12. The best response for this is a high dosage of vitamin B12, either orally or a sublingual tablet under the tongue which is absorbed in the veins under the tongue. Ideally, methylcobalamin, which is the neuro-active form of vitamin B12, should be used. Taking folic acid together with vitamin B12 may be even more effective. Poor mood is very common and is often undiagnosed and untreated.

Physicians and therapists can usually help people with chronic poor mood. But many people with fatigue do not have major emotional problems, sleep disorders or a specific physical illness. A frequent cause of non-specific fatigue, especially as we get older, is the decreased ability of cells to produce energy. Approximately 95% of energy production occurs in "power houses" called mitochondria, located inside each cell. Mitochondria have their own membranes and their own RNA and DNA. Mitochondria produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP) which is the main chemical for storing energy; however, this process also causes the production of free radicals which damage mitochondrial function. Is there something to try to improve mitochondrial energy production? YES!

Acetyl L-carnitine is a nutrient that helps transport long-chain fatty acids (fats) into mitochondria and increases mitochondrial energy production.
It should not be taken alone because it increases oxidative stress from free radicals. Alpha lipoic acid is a powerful "universal" antioxidant which acts in fat-soluble and water-soluble areas of our bodies. Antioxidants interact with free radicals and become inactive. Alpha lipoic acid can recycle inactive antioxidants (such as vitamin C, vitamin E, coenzyme Q10 or other molecules of alpha lipoic acid) back into active antioxidants.
Alpha lipoic acid also assists with the metabolism of glucose (sugar).

Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley have done exciting research showing that feeding old rats a combination of acetyl L-carnitine and alpha lipoic acid can improve mitochondrial function while protecting from oxidative stress from free radicals. Old rats fed with acetyl L-carnitine and alpha lipoic acid had more motor activity. They also had one-third the motor activity compared to young rats. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is needed by mitochondria for electron transfer in order to produce chemical energy (ATP). CoQ10 is another powerful antioxidant which can also protect mitochondria from free radical damage. Most importantly, Mitochondrial Energy Booster contains 200 mg of CoQ10, 300 mg of alpha lipoic acid and 1,000 mg of acetyl L-carnitine. It's also important for promoting neurological health. Acetyl L-carnitine also promotes cardiovascular and neurological health. The combination of CoQ10 together with acetyl L-carnitine and alpha lipoic acid may be even more effective for promoting cardiovascular health as well as neurological health.