Category: Blog

• Claire Yang – 普天登产品介绍

As you are now aware, healthy cells promote healthy aging. The Aging Story Parts 2 & 3 described two factors that can disrupt the health of your cells – oxidative stress (from excessive exposure to free radicals) and the disruption of mitochondrial function. The method to protect against oxidative stress was the focus of The Aging Story Part 4. In Part 5, we will discuss a new method that works to defend against the disruption of mitochondrial function.

PROMOTING CELL FUNCTION – PROTECTING THE HEALTH OF YOUR MITOCHONDRIA

In Part 3: Aging & Mitochondrial Health, it was said that to promote overall cell function you must preserve the health of your mitochondria. To do so requires that you keep levels of free radicals low and that the processes regulating the number and health of mitochondria within each cell remain intact (also referred to as the quality control process).

There are two methods for managing free radical levels which include – 1) minimizing your exposure to sources of free radicals; and 2) taking the supplement Protandim Nrf2 Synergizer to boost your body’s internal defense system.

To overcome deficits in the quality control process, which stem from both the body’s natural deterioration process as well as from excessive exposure to free radicals, you must compensate for the functions that are negatively impacted.

One such function that becomes less efficient over time is mitochondrial biogenesis which, if left uncorrected, can lead to a number of problems. Specifically, a decline in mitochondrial biogenesis is associated with reduced mitochondrial number and functionality. Therefore, to counter these effects, you must find a way to stimulate this process.

The NRF1 protein is a key player in the activation of mitochondrial biogenesis. As such, the upregulation of NRF1 offers a unique way to protect the health of your mitochondria and thus, promote cell function as you age.

So what is NRF1? How does it work? And how do you trigger it?

WHAT IS NRF1?

Like Nrf2, NRF1 is a structure (a protein) within cells of the body.

To provide a more detailed explanation, NRF1 is a transcription factor. Transcription factors are one of the most common tools that our cells use to control gene expression. To make sense of this information let’s quickly review some human biology –

• Each cell in the body that has a nucleus (all but red blood cells) contains 2 sets of chromosomes, one set from mom and one set from dad. Together there are 46 chromosomes total inside the cell.
• A chromosome contains hundreds to thousands of genes.
• Genes specify the structure of particular proteins that make up each cell.
• Genes contain DNA.
  • DNA contains the instructions for making all the proteins in your body.
  • DNA can replicate, or make copies of itself. This is important when cells divide as each new cell needs to have an exact copy of the DNA present in the old cell.
• Genes are usually in a default “off” state.
• Each cell expresses, or turns on, only a fraction of its genes.
• Genes are turned on and off in different patterns. This is what differentiates cells and allows them to have different functions.
• Transcription factors regulate gene expression by turning genes “on”.

So circling back to NRF1… it acts as a transcription factor that activates, or turns “on”, genes that are involved in mitochondrial function and biogenesis.

HOW DOES NRF1 WORK?

NRF1 acts like a light switch. Activating the NRF1 protein is like flipping the light switch on and leads to the activation of many genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis (the process of making new, healthy mitochondria). Mitochondrial biogenesis is an important part of the quality control process, a function that supports cellular health by continually recycling and regenerating mitochondria.

WHY DOES NRF1 MATTER?

As was mentioned in Part 3: Aging & Mitochondrial Health, maintaining peak cell function is essential when it comes to healthy aging and preserving your youth. To keep the cells working at full capacity, all structures within the cell must also be functioning efficiently and effectively.

Unfortunately, there are many destructive forces, as well as a natural deterioration process, that threaten the health of your cells by interrupting the function of a key cell structure – the mitochondria.

The destructive forces include both internal and external factors and cause damage to cells by increasing their exposure to free radicals. Remember that in small amounts, free radicals act as signaling molecules and help the body to respond to changes in its environment. The problem arises when the free radical load increases to a level that exceeds the body’s ability to defend against their harmful effects. High levels of free radicals can damage cell structures, particularly the mitochondria, which can eventually interfere with overall cell function.

In addition to the damaging effects of an imbalance between the free radical load and the body’s defense system (oxidative stress), the natural deterioration process takes a toll on the mitochondria. As you age, the process of mitochondrial biogenesis becomes less efficient, impacting the number and functionality of mitochondria in the cell and compromising cell function.

Here is where NRF1 becomes important. When activated, NRF1 turns on genes that encode for proteins involved in the respiratory chain as well as in mitochondrial DNA transcription and replication machinery. In other words, it stimulates the production of proteins that are needed for cellular energy production and proteins involved in the making of new, healthy mitochondria.

By using signals from the environment to activate NRF1, you can support the health of your cells if and when your body’s ability to carry out mitochondrial biogenesis is compromised (as a result of either oxidative stress or the body’s natural deterioration process).

HOW TO TRIGGER NRF1

Start taking Protandim NRF1 Synergizer – a supplement containing a powerful blend of phytonutrients.

This particular dietary supplement stimulates NRF1 to a greater extent than when ingredients are consumed individually. It provides a natural way to stimulate mitochondrial biogenesis, a process needed to make new, healthy mitochondria and is an important aspect of maintaining cellular health as you age.

Here is a recap that ties together Part 3: Aging & Mitochondrial Health & Part 5: The NRF1 Solution –

• The mitochondria are key structures within your cells that, when damaged, can compromise overall cell function.
• Both the natural deterioration process associated with aging as well as exposure to oxidative stress can interrupt mitochondrial function – specifically mitochondrial biogenesis.
• Deficits in mitochondrial biogenesis are intimately associated with a decline in mitochondrial number and functionality.
• Since the functional purpose of biogenesis is to help maintain mitochondrial quality and to secure sufficient ATP production, finding ways to activate this system could help with:
  • The maintenance of energy production (meeting the cells’ energy demands)
  • The prevention of endogenous oxidative stress (excessive free radical production by the mitochondria)
  • The promotion of healthy aging (by maintaining cellular health)
• In order to promote health as you age, and thus preserve your youthful vitality, high numbers of high-functioning mitochondria (specifically in cells that have high energy requirements) are needed.
• Making more mitochondria requires the activation of mitochondrial biogenesis and promoting mitochondrial efficiency requires ample protection from oxidative stress.
• Protandim NRF1 Synergizer is a dietary supplement that provides a natural way to stimulate mitochondrial biogenesis.
• Activating the NRF1 protein is like flipping a light switch on and leads to the activation of many genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis (the process of making new, healthy mitochondria).
• In addition to its effects on mitochondrial biogenesis, Protandim NRF1 Synergizer offers an effective way to maintain mitochondrial efficiency by helping to protect against the damaging effects of oxidative stress.
• And that concludes The Aging Story. But knowledge is of little value unless you put it into practice. So start working towards better cellular health today by taking both Protandim Nrf2 and NRF1, something that will help you to remain youthful despite the inevitable uptick in age year after year.