Why muscle and mitochondria are so important for longevity

In our most recent IG Live session, Dr. Mark Hyman interviews Dr. Gabrielle Lyon to discuss the importance of muscle for longevity and health for function. It turns out, the more muscle we have, the more resilience we have stored up to deal with life’s twists and turns so we can thrive as we get older.

Dr. Hyman and Dr. Lyon begin with the importance of strength training and protein consumption as the foundations of building and maintaining muscle function. The doctors share exciting new science on muscle health and its role in longevity. They link how exercise and training go well beyond building strong muscle to influencing muscle health at a cellular level – improving the energy generators at the heart of each cell, the mitochondria.

The critical role of the mitochondria in supporting healthy longevity in cells throughout the body is also discussed. Drs. Hyman and Lyon share simple steps we all can take to support our mitochondria, including calorie restriction and utilizing nutrients such as Urolithin A. Difficult to reliably get from diet alone, Urolithin A is easily added through supplementation and is a valuable tool for those looking to optimize mitochondrial and muscle health. Watch their interview to find out all this and more.

Topics also covered:

• Why is muscle the most important organ in the body?
• Mitochondria, metabolism, and the energy process.
• Why we should think about muscle when it comes to overall health and aging?
• The importance of optimal protein and muscle mass for aging.
• Bioenergetics is emerging as a new paradigm in muscle health; what is it, and why does it matter?

About Dr. Gabrielle Lyon

Dr. Gabrielle Lyon is an integrative physician who completed her fellowship in Nutritional Sciences and Geriatrics at Washington University, St. Louis. She is board-certified in Family Medicine and completed her undergraduate work in Human Nutrition Vitamin and Mineral Metabolism. Dr. Lyon works closely with current and retired Special Operations military operators as a part of the Task Force Dagger Foundation.