How are Mitochondria Related to Soccer?

As a footballer, improving your mitochondrial function is one of the best ways to improve your performance on the field and recovery off it. In the world of health sciences, a new branch of science has become very popular called quantum physics and the mitochondria, which is influenced by light, water, and magnetism, is the main focus of this emerging field

Quantum physics, also referred to as quantum biology, tries to understand how quantum phenomena, which are typically associated with atoms and molecules, plays a role in biological, or living, processes and functions. Quantum physics basically tries to explain how everything around us is connected. 

The best way to test the concepts of this new science is by working with nature, which will directly improve mitochondrial function and your circadian rhythm, which are the most fundamental parts of overall performance on and off the field, health, athleticism, and recovery.

If you need help understanding what mitochondrial function is and how to optimize your mitochondria, whether you are a youth player, a professional, a parent, or a coach, then this is the perfect blog for you.

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Mitochondrial Function for Soccer Players

Have you ever thought about how the human body produces energy? The mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell responsible for creating the energy inside of your body.

Most people think the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell because it aids in ATP production and although that is true, the mitochondria gets that name mainly because of its role in redox potential.

Redox Potential

One of the most important aspects of performance is having a strong redox potential, which is determined by your mitochondrial function. Redox potential refers to the transference of electrons between two species in which one loses electrons and the other gains electrons.

Electrons are the energy currency of the body and of the entire universe and how strong your redox potential is plays a huge role in how your body creates and uses energy, more specifically electrons. Think of your cells as individual humans, each with its own set of organelles, which literally stands for “little organs.”

The mitochondria are the organelles responsible for creating energy in the cells, which is what creates energy everywhere in the body. They act very similarly to the batteries on your electronic devices and they run on electricity, in the form of flowing electrons.

As you can see in the image above, you want mitochondria that are able to properly use the energy in your body to create more energy. If they are working properly then they will be able to produce more energy, with few inflammation causing free radicals, but if they are not working properly then they will produce little energy with a lot of harmful free radicals.

All elite endurance athletes, like professional soccer players, have a high redox potential and high mitochondrial function and these are some of the reasons why they are able to achieve peak performance easily, whether they know it or not.

Analogy to Better Understand Mitochondrial Function

The best analogy to understand the mitochondria is to think of them as the engine, your body as a car, and food as gasoline. It does not matter what type of gasoline you put in your car if your engine is not working in the first place in the same way that it does not matter what type of food you eat if your mitochondria are not working properly in the first place.

If the engine of your car stopped working what would you fix first? You would fix the engine first before you worry about what type of gas you put in, right? Think about it. If the engine, or battery, of your car is not working you can put all the gas you want and it is not going to move or even start in the first place.

This is the same thing with your mitochondria. Fix your mitochondria first, your batteries, and then worry about nutrition, or the gas/fuel you consume, which is basically condensed sunlight. Most people think the most important thing for health is nutrition and although nutrition is very important, it is much more important to fix your light environment and fix your mitochondria first.

Light controls all of the processes inside of your body and the mitochondria interacts with light, which is a form of Electromagnetic Frequency (EMF). Most people don’t know that when you eat food you are really absorbing the electrons of those foods, which as mentioned previously, is the energy currency of the universe.

Eating food is one of the main ways we can gather electrons, or energy, but we can also gather electrons by getting sunlight, taking your shoes off and getting grounded, receiving red light, and exercising.

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History of the Mitochondria

Understanding the history of mitochondria can provide insight as to why they work the way they do. Mitochondria are believed to have originated from ancient bacteria that formed a symbiotic relationship with early eukaryotic cells, which means the cells have a nucleus control center.

This also means that the mitochondria used to be their own organisms until they merged with eukaryotic cells. This event, known as endosymbiosis, is thought to have occurred over a billion years ago.

When the mitochondria and eukaryotic cells merged the mitochondria provided the cell energy through respiration while the cell provided a home for the mitochondria. This allowed the eukaryotic cells to become more efficient since they were getting a lot more energy thanks to the help of the mitochondria.

In short, the mitochondria gave eukaryotic cells the energy to carry out complex tasks and through years of evolution they merged and created more complex organisms, including humans.

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The Mitochondrial Genome: The Root Cause of Diseases

The mitochondrial genome is a small but vital part of our genetic makeup. Remember that the cell has many organelles that are similar to our organs.

Two of the main organelles are the nucleus, which contains our nuclear genome and our nuclear genes, or DNA, and the mitochondria, which has its own genome and mitochondrial DNA. This means there are two genomes inside of your body, the nuclear genome and the mitochondrial genome.

Most people think we only have one, a nuclear genome, so they focus on fixing that one and forget, or don’t acknowledge, the mitochondrial genome. All, if not most, diseases are related to the mitochondrial genome, not the nuclear genome, because diseases arise when there is a lack of energy, or a lack of flow of energy, in your body.

The nuclear genome, which is what most people focus on, relates more to the chemicals that make up your body and give you your unique anatomical and physiological characteristics while the mitochondrial genome relates more to thermodynamics, how your body creates and uses energy.

It is also important to note that the mitochondria is affected by three things, which are the basis of life; light, water, and magnetism. If you really want to have your mind blown and go through a paradigm shift then these are the two videos you must watch.

• Doctor Jack Kruse- Vermont 2016 Presentation
• Doctor Jack Kruse- Vermont 2017 Presentation

How To Improve Mitochondrial Function

So now that you know why the mitochondria are important, let’s talk about how you can improve your mitochondrial function, which will lead to an improved redox potential that has tons of benefits.

• Live a natural lifestyle (light, water, magnetism)
• See the sunrise and sunset daily (light)
• Get enough sunlight daily and avoid dangerous sunscreen and sunglasses (light)
• Spend time barefoot to get the benefits of grounding (magnetism)
• Prioritize a local and in-season based diet (light)
• Learn how to hydrate properly and the importance of Exclusion Zone water (water)
• Get rid of fascia adhesions with massage tools like the spiky ball (light and water)
• Limit and avoid EMF exposure using EMF Radiation Protection (magnetism)
• Use natural recovery techniques (light, water, magnetism)
• Go on long walks in nature, spend more time outside, and surround yourself with trees, plants, mountains, lakes, oceans, etc. as much as possible (light, water, magnetism)
• Develop a winning soccer mindset (magnetism)
• Chase your dreams, be yourself, and have fun

Summary

To summarize, the mitochondria play a huge role in how your body creates and uses energy and the more healthy mitochondria you have the better. Mitochondrial function has a huge impact on every aspect of your life on and off the field and in this blog, I covered the importance of the mitochondrial function for soccer players, provided a brief history of the mitochondria, as well as provided you with important tips to help improve mitochondrial function.

So now that you are done with this blog, start applying and using the information and experience the benefits for yourself.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I begin improving my soccer skills right now?

To begin improving your soccer skills right now it is important to improve your mitochondrial function as well as to check out our post on the best soccer training drills. If you are looking to accelerate your progress, contact us or sign an interest form for our private training program.

What exercises improve mitochondrial function?

High intensity interval training, such as playing sports like soccer, is a great way to improve your mitochondrial function.

What is mitochondrial biogenesis?

Mitochondrial biogenesis refers to the process by which new mitochondria are generated within a cell. Mitochondrial biogenesis involves the synthesis of new mitochondrial components, such as proteins, into existing mitochondria or the formation of entirely new mitochondria. Exercise, including soccer, has been shown to have a significant impact on mitochondrial biogenesis