When stress turns into burnout
A scientific service of mse Pharmazeutika GmbH
Stress? Why healthy mitochondria are so important.
Stress is part of life, and stress has many facets. There is positive and negative stress. If the demands can be handled well and the stress is perceived as positive, it is referred to as eustress, described in mitochondrial terms as mitohormesis. This includes, for example, the excited tension of an athlete before a competition, the familiar stage fright before a performance or the feelings of happiness before a major event such as a wedding or a birth.
Distress, on the other hand, covers all demands and situations that are experienced as negative or cannot be managed to one's own satisfaction. Typical factors that create distress in today's society are, for example, constant availability as a consequence of digitalisation, the double burden of family and work, or fears about the future, for instance due to insecure employment. The following is about this kind of stress, which makes people ill in the long run.
What is stress and what does it do in our body?
The causes of stress can be:
1. mental strain
2. physical overexertion
3. illness
4. medicines
5. toxins, for example industrial toxins
6. radiation
Every form of stress puts the body into a kind of state of alarm, which evolution produced as a counter-strategy. Stress causes the release of various hormones (adrenaline, dopamine, cortisol and others) which, among other things, lead to a rise in blood sugar and thus supply our body with the necessary energy within a very short time, originally in order either to take up a fight or to flee successfully. So we face a danger, in earlier times for example wild animals, and our body reacts unconsciously with the release of hormones so that our mitochondria, the “power plants of the cells”, can release sufficient energy in the short term. Even today our body reacts to situations that frighten us with the release of hormones. Whether everyday worries, fear of failure, relationship stress, bullying, illness or extreme temperatures, the cause of the stress is not always consciously recognised. But if a latent stress becomes a permanent state, we become more and more easily irritable over time, until we finally become physically ill.
How does our body react to stress – learning to understand stress
The body reacts to stress by sending out various messenger substances: dopamine, noradrenaline, adrenaline, cortisol, serotonin, DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone, a steroid hormone), glutamate and GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid, which functions as the body's own sedative). These messengers control important functions such as attention, alertness, concentration, motivation and above all the heartbeat and the breathing volume. Under stress, energy production and muscle strength increase so that the body can respond quickly to the (supposed) dangerous situation. At the same time other functions that play no part in the immediate defence against danger are down-regulated: digestion, immune responses, but also differentiated perception and the weighing up of decisions. So what happens when we are constantly “on edge” and do not come to rest even in the evening? Some people consume more stimulants or medicines as a distraction, which ultimately places an additional burden on the regenerative capacity of the cells, and our mitochondria become exhausted even faster and finally permanently damaged. In our abdomen there is a complex nervous system that is built like the brain in our head. Doctors call it the enteric nervous system or simply the gut brain. The gut brain consists of about 100 to 200 million nerve cells between the muscle layers of the intestinal wall.
Stress hits the stomach
Stress, for example having to make unpleasant decisions, causes abdominal pain, as popular wisdom already knows. In the gastrointestinal tract, stress can in extreme cases even be felt quite directly, when the stomach cramps. More often, however, we encounter the latent, persistent stress that gradually leads to changes in the digestive system, more precisely in the cells of the intestinal mucosa and in the microbiome of the intestinal flora, which is in lively exchange with the intestinal cells.
Problems in the gastrointestinal tract such as diarrhoea or constipation can therefore quite possibly be a natural response of the body to stress, which the doctor should definitely take into account. Diarrhoea in turn increases the loss of important minerals and trace elements.
Constant stress makes people ill – mentally and physically
Mental strain through stress occupies a special position among mitochondrial diseases (multisystem diseases), because it can bring about organic illnesses without physical causes. Even a five-minute stress situation is detectable in the blood just 30 minutes later.
Constant stress damages above all the mitochondria in our body's own cells. The requirement for micronutrients such as vitamin C, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, magnesium and potassium rises sharply under stress. If further damaging factors are added, silent inflammatory reactions can arise permanently in the body, what is known as silent inflammation, that is a silent chronic inflammation which, unlike acute inflammation, occurs without visible symptoms. It can occur in various organs in the body, lead to serious organ damage and manifest itself as chronic disease.
Stress leads to:
• an opening of the blood-brain barrier
• an increased release of hormones (affecting almost all organs
• an increased energy turnover
• increased formation of free radicals (oxidative stress in the cells)
• inflammatory processes (nitrosative stress)
• a burden on the immune system
• rising susceptibility to infection
Stress weakens the immune system
Constant stress changes hormonal control
In the long run, stress leads to unwanted adaptations of the hormonal signalling system. Among other things, hormone release can lead to an increased release of a specific transcription factor, NF-κB (nuclear factor 'kappa-light-chain-enhancer' of activated B-cells). This fast-reacting and versatile factor of the immune system not only regulates the immune response in inflammation but also controls the formation of the body's own proteins at several points. Constant strain can not only trigger depression but also give rise to neurodegenerative diseases. If the immune system is permanently “primed” by the increased release of NF-κB, substances from food that are actually harmless can lead to intolerances or even trigger autoimmune reactions, that is, the body's own immune system attacking the body's own substances. Such constant strain therefore often leads to a multisystem disease.
That nerves trigger physical changes directly at the cellular level has been known for some time. This applies not only to stress, because fortunately it also works the other way round: a hug experienced as pleasant releases oxytocin, the hormone known as the “cuddle hormone”, which further reinforces positive emotions and at the same time helps to reduce stress. As stress also weakens the immune defences, harmful viruses can enter our body more easily. Often the deeper causes, such as constant stress, a lack of micronutrients and exhausted mitochondria, remain unrecognised and therefore untreated. Once our mitochondria have been damaged, both the threshold at which stress is triggered in us and our ability to deal with the stress decline.
Under stress the requirement for micronutrients is considerably increased. The “typical stress diet”, such as fast food and sweets, also lacks sufficient quantities of the necessary micronutrients. Over the longer term this calorie-rich but nutrient-poor diet leads to further burdens on cell health.
MitoMedicine under stress
Symptoms that point to excessive stress:
• fatigue, CCRF
• sleep disturbances
• loss of appetite
• gastrointestinal complaints
• sexual disorders
• migraine
• tinnitus
• eye disorders
• increased irritability/reduced tolerance of frustration
• cardiovascular complaints
• increased susceptibility to infectious diseases
Under stress the micronutrients in the cells are metabolised particularly quickly. Even a slight lack of vitamins, minerals or trace elements that are vital for cell metabolism can, in combination with chronic stress, set off a cascade of organic damage. Over time this damage can lead to serious physical illness. Maintaining the functional capacity of the mitochondria and thus healthy body cells is therefore the goal of MitoMedicine.
We cannot always avoid stress. We can and should, however, protect ourselves from its effects. Even a few regular walks in the fresh air (what is known as forest bathing; breathing in isoprene) can bring body and mind back into balance. It is also very important to supply our body with all the necessary micronutrients, in order to minimise stress-related cell damage and to support the body's own regeneration. Stress should be prevented in good time and consistently. This includes:
• a healthy diet
• optimising the energy and micronutrient balance
• sufficient sleep
• learning relaxation techniques and stress management
• maintaining contacts and hobbies
• alcohol and coffee in moderation, avoiding nicotine
• regular physical activity (at least 20 min. daily; for example a walk).
Omega-3 fatty acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are building blocks of the membranes (cells, mitochondria, red blood cells and others) and starting substances for the formation of tissue hormones, which play an important role as local messengers in signal transmission. They have an important function with regard to the correct composition of the blood lipids and thus the flow properties of the blood as well as the blood circulation (through the formation of vasodilating tissue hormones). Omega-3 fatty acids are also needed for blood pressure, the flexibility of the cell membranes, the immune system, our skin metabolism, the cardiovascular system and brain and memory performance.
The mse product EnzOmega® contains 750 mg of omega-3 fatty acids per capsule, of which 500 mg eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 250 mg docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in the physiological ratio of 2:1.
Ubiquinol / ubiquinone Q10
Q10 occurs in all cells of our organism. It is a key substance for energy production in the mitochondria and is vital for the entire organism. Coenzyme Q10 is the only lipophilic (fat-soluble) antioxidant produced by the body itself and plays an essential part in protecting the cells from free radicals. As free radicals are formed in particular during energy production in the mitochondria, the Q10 within them contributes not only significantly to the energy supply but also to the protection of the mitochondria. Coenzyme Q10 also fulfils further important functions. It keeps the cell membranes fluid and functional and is involved in the exchange of substances and information between the cells. Q10 is barely metabolised in the body and is excreted intact in the stool. An external supply therefore places no additional burden on the liver or kidneys. The product range of mse Pharmazeutika GmbH includes numerous Q10 products with individual advantages. We will gladly advise you on which product is the right one for you.
Vitamin B3 – niacinamide
Niacinamide, like Q10, occurs in all cells of our organism. As a coenzyme building block of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP) it is involved in numerous enzymatic reactions of the metabolism and plays a significant part in energy production in the mitochondria. Its function is, among other things, closely linked to ubiquinol/ubiquinone Q10. It also plays a role in the defence against reactive free radicals and takes part in the regeneration of Q10 into its active form.
The mse product TriaMit-B® contains vitamin B3 as niacinamide and can be used to compensate for a bioenergetic deficit in the body. In addition to vitamin B3, RiboMit® also contains vitamin B2 and ubiquinol Q10.
Vitamin C - ascorbic acid
The importance of vitamin C for our defence system is widely known. However, the substance performs numerous further functions in the body. Among other things it is indispensable for the formation and function of collagen (an essential component of the connective tissue), and it is involved as a cofactor in the formation of hypothalamic hormones, messenger substances and detoxification processes. Beyond this, vitamin C is regarded as one of the most important antioxidants and as a very effective radical scavenger in our organism. It should be emphasised that vitamin C protects against reperfusion injury (reduced blood flow) during operations. It also regenerates vitamin E.
As excessive doses (more than 50 to 80 mg) are excreted via the kidneys, it is important to use a product that releases vitamin C evenly over a long period (6 to 8 hours) without burdening the kidneys. Vitamin C mse matrix 500 mg meets these requirements.
