Autophagy & Mitophagy

Autophagy literally means "self eating." It is a process which goes on in the cell when an individuals goes without food for a period of time. The cells produce enzymes and useless material within the cell is directed into sacks of enzymes to be digested and broken down into new building materials which can then be used to rejuvenate and repair cellular damage. The discovery of how autophagy works was awarded a Nobel prize.

Recent research has shown that the phytonutrients in pomegranate promote autophagy in the mitochondria where energy is produced in the cell. This slows the aging process and reduced the risk of diseases associated with poorly functioning mitochondria.

The article below states, "Mitochondrial dysfunction underscores aging and diseases. Mitophagy (mitochondria + autophagy) is a quality control pathway that preserves mitochondrial health by targeting damaged mitochondria for autophagic degradation. Hence, molecules or compounds that can augment mitophagy are therapeutic candidates to mitigate mitochondrial-related diseases.... In this study, pomegranate extract (PE) supplementation is shown to stimulate mitophagy."

Article on Pomegranate and Autophagy