Posted on 03/25/2023 7:59:48 AM PDT by ConservativeMind
MitoQ, a mitochondrial antioxidant that is available to the public as a diet supplement, was found in a mouse study to reverse the detrimental effects that HIV and antiretroviral therapy (ART) have on mitochondria in the brain, heart, aorta, lungs, kidney and liver.
Compared to uninfected mice, HIV infected mice treated with ART had mitochondrial dysfunction in the human immune cells in the brain, heart, liver, lungs, and gut. ART itself also affected mitochondrial function in mouse heart cells. When treated with MitoQ for 90 days, HIV infected mice had reduced mitochondrial dysfunction in organs compared to HIV infected mice on ART.
Mitochondria are the key cell structures that are important for the smooth function of organs. HIV causes a chronic state of inflammation and immune dysfunction. The reasons for this are unclear, but it is known that mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to organ damage and is present in chronic HIV. There are no therapies for HIV associated diseases that affect organs.
The researchers used humanized mice, which have human immune cells that can be infected with HIV. They infected them with the virus, treated them with ART consisting of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, emtricitabine, and raltegravir, then fed them MitoQ through drinking water for three months. The control mice were not given MitoQ.
These preclinical findings could serve as the foundation for clinical trials in humans with HIV.
"MitoQ is a diet supplement that is known to be safe in humans and is readily available for use," said Dr. Theodoros Kelesidis.
"Our findings support clinical trials of MitoQ in people with HIV who take antiretrovirals to determine whether it can be a potential treatment for comorbidities associated with chronic HIV infection. Until then people with HIV should not take this diet supplement for treatment of any conditions associated with HIV infection."
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
On a positive note, MitoQ just appears to function in a similar way to ergothioneine, which is readily available from mushrooms (especially oyster and bolete mushrooms). Virtually all of our cells have a conserved ion channel for ergothioneine, which really only mushrooms provide, in any quantity. Ergothioneine is automatically placed into every mitochondria and the mitochondria have a mechanism to keep it regenerated up to three weeks, or so. It sits there quenching free radicals created by the mitochondrial energy generation process, similar to MitoQ, however, MitoQ only lasts a day.
Ergothioneine serves as a backup to the body’s loss of glutathione and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in bodily processes. We make plenty of glutathione and SOD when we are young, but make less than optimal amounts, as we age. Glutathione generation can be brought back in older people through adding glycine and cysteine (GlyNAC). Superoxide dismutase (SOD) can be brought back through taurine administration. I’ve previously posted GlyNAC, taurine, and ergothioneine study write ups on Free Republic.
You can now get 5 mg capsules of ergothioneine, if you don’t eat mushrooms.
“Researchers” haven’t said to not eat mushrooms, if being treated for a health condition—yet.
Beware MitoQ. It can cause swelling and damage to kidney cells. My phone wont let me copy paste but it’s the first thing to come up on a duckduckgo search.
Can you FReepmail, or post, links to your write ups please? Thanks!
The kidney effect doesn’t seem universal, but it is something people should keep in mind.
I took it for a half year with no negative fallout, but found ergothioneine was what was most needed, and we now eat mushrooms, a lot.
However, a large number of people take MitoQ and hundreds of studies have been done on it.
I believe I’ve posted threads on MitoQ in the past, too.
So anything that helps is poopoo’ed by Big Pharma — if they can’t make a buck, it can’t be any good.
The study was done on mice genetically engineered to be closer to humans.
They pop right up when you put the term in the Free Republic search box for title and/or keywords.
I was researching it as a supplement for my daughter and didn’t want to risk it since I have two family members die of kidney failure. My uncle suffered a lot before he died.
Do the mushrooms, but drink the water they are cooked in.
Ergothioneine leaches quickly into the water, but it isn’t destroyed by the heat.
Do you happen to know offhand if ergothioneine capsules are safe for people who are allergic to mushrooms?
They are derived from mushrooms, from what I’ve seen.
I would not take the capsules, if allergic to mushrooms.
What sort of allergy are you aware of? Shiitake mushrooms can cause a temporary reaction that other mushrooms don’t, and cooking mushrooms can help.
CoQ10 is MitoQ. Available at stores and of course on AMZ.
Detect This!
CoQ10 is not MitoQ.
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