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From our family to yours...
We are a 100%-owned family farm, so you can rest assured that everything that bears our name is produced on our farm with the greatest attention to every detail.
You see, we truly care about the health of our family, and we care about yours too.
Our mission is to provide families with truly healthy meat.
Farm Blog
Posted by: Trevor
June 7, 2025
Mitochondria are the engines which provide energy to our cells. They are tiny machines which generate ATP, a chemical which our cells need in order to function.
Each of our cells could have dozens or even thousands of mitochondria at work within them, depending on the amount of work the individual cell does1.
In this sense, our mitochondria affect every metabolic process in our bodies2. This means every organ, and every muscle, needs the mitochondria to be functioning properly. If there is dysfunction or disease within the mitochondria, it can negatively affect every metabolic process --- including our ability to move, think, sleep, react, repair tissues, and digest food.
Chronic fatigue, muscle weakness, gastrointestinal dysfunction, impaired neurological function, poor sleep quality, brain fog --- these are only a few of the dozens of potential symptoms3.
Research has demonstrated that environmental toxins, incuding chemical toxins within food, can damage mitochondria4.
Modern food production can involve the use of chemicals which are toxic. Glyphosate is one of the most studied toxins5, but other synthetic herbicides and pesticides can be equally dangerous.
Going beyond agricultural chemicals, there are substances used in industrial food production which can also damage mitochondria6 either directly, or indirectly by degrading thiamine and other nutrients.
When toxins in the environment and food supply are combined with diets which are high in sugar and starch, our mitochondria can suffer under such a heavy toxic load that dysfunction and disease result7. This can be amplified when foods themselves are deficient in the nutrients which our mitochondria need to function properly8.
Therefore one of the ways we can nourish our mitochondria is by reducing the quantity of toxins in our diets, and replacing nutrient deficient foods with healthy whole foods. Eating nutrient-dense certified organic foods, especially those which are not heavily processed, is an easily implemented solution.
But going further than that, we can ensure that our supplements are (as much as possible) derived from whole organic foods, rather than industrially produced pills and powders.
Beyond these two things, there are two more proactive measures which can be taken to enhance the function and number of our mitochondria: exercise, and the application of heat.
The type of exercise does not have to be unpleasant. Walking, for those who are able, can work wonders. Especially when pulsed in intervals --- walking at very fast speed for 30 seconds, followed by slow walking for 90 seconds --- this technique can result in benefits normally associated with High Intensity Interval Training9. This method of exercise has been shown to increase the number of mitochondria10.
For those who are not able to perform physical exercise, heat can also significantly increase the function and number of mitochondria11. This can be achieved through saunas, heating pads, or even hot baths. Another benefit of heat is that it helps us perspire, helping our bodies to get rid of toxic material12.
Natural dietary factors can also play a powerful role in supporting mitochondrial health13. A few of the most important nutrients are:
Vitamin B3 (niacin) --- this one is at the top of the list. It helps transport electrons, which in turn drive the action of mitochondrial production of ATP14. Liver (from beef, pork, or chicken) is the highest natural source of niacin by weight.
Coenzyme Q10 is next. This nutrient has been shown to reduce and even reverse mitochondrial oxidative stress15. Heart, especially from beef and chicken, is the highest natural source of CoQ10 by weight.
Alpha Lipoic Acid is also important. It supports our mitochondria’s ability to produce ATP16. Red meat, whether muscle or organ tissue, is (by weight) the highest natural source.
Carnitine also plays a leading role, transporting food to the mitochondria, supporting them to produce more energy17. Again, red meat is the best (by weight) source.
Thiamine (vitamin B1) is also vitally important for the process of glycolysis18. Pork is the richest natural source of thiamine19. More on how to increase thiamine here.
The entire B vitamin complex has been shown to support mitochondrial function20. The richest natural source of B vitamins is lamb or beef liver.
All of the above nutrients have been shown to support healthy mitochondrial function --- and the best part is they are found abundantly in delicious, healthy, whole foods --- with the richest sources being meat products.
Supporting heathy mitochondrial function through diet can be easy...
But a word of caution: only ingest meat products which are pure, clean, and free of toxins. Make sure they are certified organic, and from a trusted source.
It makes little sense to consume grocery-store conventional meat products from animals raised in industrial CAFO operations. Aside from the comparatively low nutritional content and negative ecological impact, their meat tissue can contain residues from pesticides and herbicides21, hormones22, soy, and antibiotics23. Some would argue that these residues, if below government-mandated limits, do not pose a health risk. But many of us would prefer to avoid toxic residues completely.
If our bodies are struggling to eliminate toxic material, then it makes sense to only eat clean, high-nutrient foods which are free of chemical residues. And it follows that, instead of relying on industrially produced pills and powders --- which our bodies may not even recognize as food --- we should look to natural whole food supplements which nourish and heal. When we combine healthy, nutrient-dense foods, with a lifestyle that includes modest physical activity, and soothing traditions like saunas, we are giving our precious mitochondria the tools they need to provide us with radiant energy and abundant health.
1 Mitochondria: Dynamic Organelles in Disease, Aging, and Development. Chan. Cell. June 2006.
2 The Multifaceted Contributions of Mitochondria to Cellular Metabolism. Spinelli and Haigis. Nature Cell Biology. May 2019.
3 Research progress on pathogenesis of chronic fatigue syndrome... Liu and Sun. Autonomic Neuroscience. October 2024.
4 Environmental Chemical Exposures and Mitochondrial Dysfunction: a Review of Recent Literature. Reddam, McLarnan, and Kupsco. Current Environmental Health Reports. July 2022.
5 Overview of human health effects related to glyphosate exposure. Galli, Mollari, et al. Frontiers in Toxicology. September 2024.
6 Increased dietary intake of ultraprocessed foods and mitochondrial metabolism alterations in pediatric obesity. Coppola, Paparo, et al. Scientific Reports. August 2023.
7 The Bitter Side of Sugar Consumption: A Mitochondrial Perspective on Diabetes Development. Diniz, Tocantins, et al. Diabetology. 2022.
8 Mineral and vitamin deficiencies can accelerate the mitochondrial decay of aging. Ames, Atamna, and Killilea. Molecular Aspects of Medicine. 2005.
9 Effects of High-Intensity Interval Walking Training on Physical Fitness and Blood Pressure in Middle-Aged and Older People. Nemoto and Gen-no. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. July 2007.
10 Enhanced Protein Translation Underlies Improved Metabolic and Physical Adaptations to Different Exercise Training Modes in Young and Old Humans. Robinson, Dasari, et al. Cell Metabolism. March 2017.
11 Sauna use as a lifestyle practice to extend healthspan. Patrick and Johnson. Experimental Gerontology. October 2021.
12 Excretion of Ni, Pb, Cu, As, and Hg in Sweat under Two Sweating Conditions. Kuan, Chen, and Liu. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. April 2022.
13 Feeding mitochondria: Potential role of nutritional components to improve critical illness convalescence. Wesselink, Koekkoek, et al. Clinical Nutrition. June 2019.
14 Niacin Cures Systemic NAD Deficiency and Improves Muscle Performance in Adult-Onset Mitochondrial Myopathy. Pirinen, Auranen, et al. Cell Metabolism. June 2020.
15 Coenzyme Q10 supplementation in Aging and Disease. Hernandez-Camacho, Bernier, et al. Frontiers in Physiology. February 2018.
16 Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Alpha-Lipoic Acid… Santos, Romeiro, et al. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity. November 2019.
17 Carnitine Homeostasis, Mitochondrial Function, and Cardiovascular Disease. Sharma and Black. Drug Discovery Today Disease Models. 2009.
18 The importance of thiamine (vitamin B1) in humans. Mrowicka, Mrowicki, et al. Bioscience Reports.
19 Thiamin Content of Pork. Nutrition Reviews. 1944.
20 Mitochondrial function and toxicity: role of the B vitamin family on mitochondrial energy metabolism. Depeint, Bruce. Chemico Biological Interactions. October 2006.
21 Problems associated with drug residues in beef from feeds and therapy. Kaneene and Miller. 1997. Revue Scientifique et Technique.
22 Hormonal residues in chicken and cattle meat: A risk threat the present and future consumer health. Kamaly, Sharkawy. Food and Chemical Toxicology. December 2023.
23 Antimicrobial Residues in Meat and Meat Products. Almashhadany, Mohammed, et al. Health Risks of Food Additives - Recent Developments and Trends in Food Sector. May 2022.
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