THE human body is made up of trillions of cells. How you feel and function depends on how all these cells feel and function. To stay healthy, each cell must produce its own energy. Cells cannot borrow energy from each other.

This energy is created by microscopic structures called mitochondria. "Mitochondria are the power plants of our cells," says Simon Melov, director of the genomics core at the Buck Institute for Age Research in Novato, California. "They convert food into energy in the form of Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), which the body uses to live."

For this to happen, cells require a vitamin - like substance called Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10).

Most cells contain between 500 and 2,000 mitochondria which account for as much as 60 per cent of the volume of muscle cells and 45 per cent of the volume of heart cells. Mitochondria are unusual because they have their own genes and their own DNA. (All other DNA is found inside the cell's nucleus.) Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is more likely to get damaged in the course of everyday living.

This damage has been implicated as a major contributor to the ageing process. Some researchers believe that damage to the mitochondria may be the ultimate cause of ageing.

"Mitochondria have been called the Achilles' heel of the cell in ageing," says lifespan researcher Tory Hagen of the Linus Pauling Institute in Corvallis, Oregon. Damaged mitochondria can also lead to disease. In fact, more than 200 inherited diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, cancer, heart disease and stroke, have been associated with impaired mitochondrial function.

Every time mitochondria make energy, they produce harmful free radicals which, if not neutralised, can cause damage to the mitochondria.

The mitochondria membranes are the key to energy production. If the membranes are damaged, less energy is produced and toxins build up. To prevent free radical damage, cells recruit a set of antioxidants like a combination of Alpha Lipoic Acid, Acetyl L- Carnitine and CoQ10.

"It's possible that weakened mitochondria leave people more susceptible to Parkinson's Disease or accelerates the progression of Alzheimer's," says Mark Mattson, chief of the cellular and molecular neurosciences section of the National Institute on Aging.

1. CoQ10 is a vital ingredient in energy production. As we grow older, our body produces less CoQ10 and that's when our energy- producing system starts to slow down. Our brains are no longer sharp, our hearts do not beat as efficiently and we tire easily.

Low levels of CoQ10 affect every aspect of life. It also affects health, which brings on diseases and speed up ageing. It is not surprising that scientists have regarded the body's energy- producing system as the most basic system. It is also the master energy system that runs all our body's functions - circulatory system, immune system, endocrine system and everything else that keeps us alive. Yet this most important system has largely been ignored, and the result has wrought havoc on the lives of almost everyone that has past the age of 30. What causes deficiency?

CoQ10 is produced by the body in a 17-step process that requires at least eight vitamins, trace minerals and the amino acid tyrosine. A lack of one can hinder the production of CoQ10. Also, after age 20, CoQ10 level starts to decline and the accelerated drop is seen after 40.

2. Acetyl-L-Carnitine or Alcar is a natural constituent of the inner mitochondrial membrane, especially in heart, brain, and muscle. Since the levels decline with age, supplementation of Alcar is vital as it also helps restore mitochondrial function.

Alcar also helps burn fatty acids (fats) for energy and is involved in the transportation of long chain fatty acids into the mitochondria for conversion of energy. Heart function is affected because the heart becomes starved of its major fuel source, fats.

3. Alpha Lipoic Acid is a potent antioxidant. Studies found that using LA will dramatically lower oxidative stress, decreasing damage to the mitochondria.

The combination of LA and Alcar can help improve memory and cognitive (thinking) performance in older adults. Again it involves the mitochondria. There is evidence that the mitochondria in the brain are very important in memory and cognitive functions.

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