If I told you there was a supplement that could improve your muscle strength by about 12% would you want to hear about it? How about reducing CRP which is a biomarker of inflammation? What about improving your physical performance and muscle endurance? When I heard about this I said – yes please tell me more!!
I’ve been talking about how important the gut microbiome has been for years and years and this all points right back to the gut. Cue postbiotics. I know. You are saying you have heard of probiotics which are living microorganisms that are responsible for breaking down the food/toxins in our gut. You have heard about prebiotics which is basically the food source for the probiotics. Now, let’s learn about postbiotics. Postbiotics are basically the waste left behind as your body utilizes the pre and probiotic byproducts. Before you go EWWW and determine this is bad you need to realize that the waste byproducts include vitamins like B and K, amino acids and peptides that can slow the growth of harmful bacteria. In addition, these postbiotics have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties, improve cellular energy function, have anti-oxidant properties, decrease cholesterol LDL, decrease muscle atrophy and improve physical endurance!! All of these are an important part of an anti-aging strategy! Bet you are listening now!!
READ ON to learn more about this postbiotic that I am going to be trying myself…..
Some of the key postbiotics are in a compound called Urolithin (A, B, C) which is made by the gut microbiome after ingesting foods containing complex polyphenols, ellagitannins and ellagic acid. Examples include pomegranate (especially the peel), berries and walnuts among other foods.
Studies utilizing urolithin A have shown:
- Improved muscle endurance
- Improved strength
- Improved physical performance
- Decreased inflammation (measured by lower plasma CRP levels)
How does this work??
Turns out urolithin is used by the mitochondria. I know, I know. Just the mention of something you heard in 7th grade science class makes your head spin but this will be the fastest and easiest science lesson ever! Mitochondria are inside virtually every cell in our bodies and are the power supply for that cell resulting in energy. In addition, they are responsible for communicating with other cells and signaling to get rid of old cells to make way for newer, higher functioning cells. When the mitochondria are dysfunctional a whole host of symptoms can arise:
- Fatigue
- Muscle weakness
- Nerve problems
- Heart disease
- Kidney disease
- Alzheimers
- And much more…
You can raise urolithin naturally by choosing these foods mentioned above but you can also take a supplement with Urolithin A! This product is called MitoPure. This company has sponsored several studies which I always sift thru carefully but they did them the right way with double blind, placebo controlled studies and the results were amazing. A study over 4 months showed improvement in muscle strength by 12%, increased aerobic endurance (Vomax) and physical performance. It also showed decreased plasma acylcarnitines and c reactive proteins indicating higher mitochondrial efficiency and reduced inflammation.
I am going to be trying this product out myself and if you try it be sure and give me some feedback on your results!!
If you want to try it use this link and discount code LAURAMILES for a special discount!
To your health,
Laura
