The mitochondrial myopathy is affecting mitochondria which are tiny energy factories found inside almost all our cells. The mitochondrial myopathy is causing prominent muscular problems. There are some studies in which are said that the mitochondrial myopathy is affecting about one in 4,000 people [1]. This disease is considered as progressive in nature and it does not have a cure. The most common symptoms of mitochondrial myopathy are learning deficits, seizures, trouble with balance and coordination, hearing loss, exercise intolerance and muscle weakness.
Also, there can be other causes of mitochondrial myopathy, such as stunted growth, diabetes, heart defects and impaired vision. Mutations or changes in the genes are the causes for mitochondrial myopathy. The mitochondrial myopathy is inherited condition and in many cases can happen in people who do not have family history of this disease and this disease often affects members of the same family in different ways.
The age of onset and progression of this disease varies from type to type. You should know that there is no a cure for mitochondrial myopathy but the goal of home remedies is to control the symptoms and stop the progression as much as possible through a healthy lifestyle. If you suffer from mitochondrial myopathy, then you should talk with your doctor before you start using some of the below mentioned home remedies so in this way you will avoid side effects.
Home remedies for mitochondrial myopathy
Build immunity to prevent infections: It is known fact that those people who suffer from mitochondrial myopathy are more susceptible to infections and other illnesses so it is very important for them to keep their immunity with a healthy lifestyle. There are many different natural antiviral herbs which can help to prevent the frequent infections.
Here are some tips which can help you to improve your immunity
You should take high – quality supplements, like antioxidants (such as Vitamin C or Vitamin E), multivitamin or Vitamin B complex and Omega – 3 fatty acids. Also, there are some studies that CoQ10 which is a fat – soluble antioxidant used for energy production can help in the natural treatment of mitochondrial myopathy and it is one of the safest home remedies for these people [2].
It is very important to stay hydrated and to eat a nutrient – dense diet.
You should avoid exposure to lots of germs, bacteria and viruses which trigger an illness (such as certain work environments, schools or childcare settings).
It is very important to go outdoors and to maintain a comfortable environment/temperature as much as possible.
You should conserve energy and pace out activities which can help you to avoid fatigue.
Avoid high amounts of stress: It is known fact that the stress can worsen the fatigue and inflammation while at the same time it will hinder the immune function. You should avoid stressful situations. There are many people who suffer from mitochondrial myopathy who have said that incorporating stress relievers, like relaxing outdoors, journaling, meditation, etc. have helped them to feel better and get a relief from the symptoms associated with mitochondrial myopathy. Also, the thermal regulation is very important for people who suffer from mitochondrial myopathy which means that you should avoid stressing situations, like very hot temperature or very cold temperature. [3]
Eat an anti – inflammatory diet: One of the hardest processes that our body goes through is digestening the food and this is using a high percentage of our daily energy to metabolize nutrients and it sends them to our cells and discard the waste afterwards. There are a lot of people with mitochondrial myopathy which experience problems with appetite and eating regularly, gut problems and uncomfortable symptoms caused during digestion of foods, which is why a nutrient – dense diet that is low – processed is the most beneficial for people suffering from mitochondrial myopathy. [4]
We know that more processed is our diet (this means that the diet is high in things like hydrogenated fats, refined carbohydrates, artificial ingredients and sugar) the harder our organs have to work to extract nutrients and to rid of the toxic waste which is left over.
Also, it is very important to consume a lot of nutrients which can help to prevent even more fatigue from developing, such as trace minerals, electrolytes, iron and B vitamins. In the most cases, people who have mild form of mitochondrial myopathy, can help to manage their symptoms and improve the quality of their life by getting enough rest and eating a healthy diet filled with anti – inflammatory foods. Here are some helpful tips which can help you to improve the symptoms of mitochondrial myopathy
Iron – rich foods: You should limit the levels of the consumption of foods that are rich in iron because iron can be harmful if it is over-accumulated. You should avoid taking iron supplement unless your doctor has recommended you and you should try to limit the Vitamin C foods around a meal rich in iron because this can boost the absorption even more.
Healthy fats: There are some cases in which are said that the healthy fats can help to people who have mitochondrial myopathy, so in some cases, the extra fat which can be taken as a form of MCT oil. Every person who suffers from mitochondrial myopathy should test his or her reaction to fats because some people do better with a lower fat diet while other people should be careful about low – fat diet risks. There are some studies in which are said that some people need to reduce almost all fats and consume more carbohydrates to avoid excess free fatty acids and low energy ADP production. [5]
Healthy snack: You should have a healthy snack before you go to bed, especially the one with a form of complex carbohydrates) and also, eat a healthy snack when you wake up.
What you should do: It is very important to avoid fasting or going too long without eating because it is known that both factors can worsen the fatigue that you have. Also, you should avoid losing too much weight because it can worsen the fatigue. It is very important to eat small and frequent meals because they will help you with the digestion.
Get plenty of rest: Those people who have mitochondrial myopathy can often experience chronic fatigue which is making hard for them to have a normal life like in their past. Some activities, like working, walking, bathing and digestion can be hard for these people so they should get a plenty of rest and not overexerting themselves.
There are many people who are not able to exercise, at least not vigorously, due to their low energy and trouble breathing so they need a more sleep than a healthy person needs and this can help them to manage their symptoms and to stay healthy. Also, it is very helpful to prevent fatigue by eating on regular basis and avoid fasting. Also, you should stay on a normal sleep and wake up cycle so in this way you will have more energy to doing daily activities.
Protein: It is known that protein is stored in our muscles and it is needed for strength. Also, protein can moderate your blood sugar in concert with carbohydrates. You should consume foods that have proteins, such as fish, meat, eggs, yogurt, milk, soy, cheese, nuts/peanut butter and beans/legumes. Every single person who suffers from mitochondrial myopathy should include a meal that has a protein and a complex carbohydrate. This is a small step but it is very important for allowing the carbohydrates to be properly and adequately metabolized into energy. [2]
Calcium and Vitamin D: The calcium and Vitamin D are often found in dairy – based protein products, such as cheese, yogurt and milk, but also, they can be found in almonds and broccoli. One of the best ways to ensure that you or your children are getting Vitamin D and calcium in the daily diet is to eat 3 – 4 servings of dairy based protein throughout a day. We know that milk has the highest amounts of calcium but the recommended amount of calcium that we need varies from person’s age.
This is a reason why you should add tuna fish and cheese in your diet due to their high calcium content that will add the needed amount of this mineral to your body. You can get the Vitamin D from the sun so you should stay at sun at least ten minutes every day. Also, you can take Vitamin D and calcium supplements but you need to talk with your doctor about the recommended intake amount.
References:
[1] Ahuja AS. Understanding mitochondrial myopathies: a review. PeerJ. 2018;6:e4790.
[2] Parikh S, Saneto R, Falk MJ, et al. A modern approach to the treatment of mitochondrial disease. Current Treatment Options in Neurology. 2009;11(6):414–30.
[3] Segerstrom SC, Miller GE. Psychological stress and the human immune system: A meta-analytic study of 30 years of inquiry. Psychological Bulletin. 2004;130(4):601–30.
[4] Ahola-Erkkilä S, Carroll CJ, Peltola-Mjösund K, et al. Ketogenic diet slows down mitochondrial myopathy progression in mice. Human Molecular Genetics. 2010;19(10):1974-84.
[5] Salk Institute for Biological Studies. High-fat diet may alleviate mitochondrial disease. Science Daily. 2015.
