By Dr. Matsen

The most commonly heard complaint in any doctors’ office is, “Doctor, I’m so tired.” After ruling out the most obvious problems, such as low thyroid hormone levels and low iron levels, many doctors are stumped as to the cause of fatigue. However, one way or another, this unexplained fatigue can be traced back to the body’s improper handling of food.

All living species need to convert some type of energy into a form that they can use; we use food to produce our energy. After all, you eat to live. The purpose of your digestive system is to convert foods into very small pieces that your cells can handle. The final stage of conversion of your food into energy takes place deep inside your cells, in your mitochondria. These magnificent mitochondria convert tiny bits of food, in the form of glucose and fatty acids, into your version of rocket fuel called ATP (adenosine triphosphate). Each ATP contains three precariously balanced phosphorus molecules. (Remember, it’s the phosphorus in a match head that causes it to explode into flame when a little friction is applied.)

Mitochondria use an electron transport chain to convert the energy stored in food into the more useable ATP. Your cells’ mitochondria can convert several pounds of food a day into several pounds of ATP, which is used throughout your body to provide heat and energy for 65,000 different jobs. Properly functioning mitochondria can make you feel miraculously strong, active, and creative, with seemingly endless stamina. However, even super heroes have their weaknesses and the mitochondria’s weak spot is Coenzyme Q₁₀ (also known as CoQ₁₀). The function of CoQ₁₀ is to juggle two “hot” electrons at one time before handing them off to be neutralized.

Even at the best of times, CoQ10 fumbles a few hundred electrons a day. These wild electrons—known as free radicals—can be neutralized by the ever-present antioxidants your diet has provided you. The harder you push CoQ₁₀, however, the more electrons will be fumbled and the more free radicals will be produced, and as a result, the more your antioxidant levels will be challenged.

Viral infections and overeating are things that especially push CoQ₁₀ to work harder. To fight viruses, your immune system uses interferon; this is one of the most expensive products your body makes in terms of ATP and can therefore cause CoQ₁₀ to spill tremendous quantities of electrons. These electrons then generate free radicals that use up large quantities of antioxidants. This is all the more reason to increase antioxidant protection during viral infections.

Overeating pushes a large volume of food through your mitochondria so CoQ₁₀ and your antioxidant levels will also be sorely tested. When the antioxidants are depleted, the mitochondria themselves can be damaged. Malfunctioning mitochondria means lower ATP production, and therefore, less energy.

All of this trouble increases with age, as your liver’s ability to produce CoQ₁₀ declines as you get older. So, as we age, food becomes less a supply of boundless energy and more a source of deadly free radicals. Numerous studies on many species, from bacteria to mammals, have shown that as age increases, decreasing overall food intake and improving antioxidant levels help to maintain health and extend longevity. Supplementation with CoQ₁₀ is also desirable.

So fatigue, which is so prevalent lately, is directly related to your diet and digestion, and therefore can be controlled by you. Eat less by watching your portion sizes and not overeating, but also make sure that what you do eat is of the highest quality. And remember to include foods that are high in antioxidants, such as colorful fruits and vegetables.