![mitochondria function](https://images.medicinenet.com/images/article/main_image/what-is-the-main-function-of-mitochondria.jpg?output-quality=75)
The main function of mitochondria, which are organelles also known as the powerhouse of the cell, is to produce energy. While they’re present in the thousands in each cell of the body, the exact number varies in different cell types. They are responsible for generating 90 percent of the energy that we need for all other functions of the body. They use the oxygen that we inhale and convert the nutrients of food into energy.
The other functions of mitochondria include:
- Apoptosis (programmed cell death): Apoptosis is a natural process in which the cells die. Mitochondria help decide which cells should die.
- Storing calcium: Mitochondria hold the calcium ions and release them when needed.
What are mitochondrial diseases?
Mitochondrial diseases include the conditions in which the mitochondria cannot perform their primary function of producing energy properly. They are primarily genetic conditions, which means there is some problem in the genetic makeup of the person that makes these conditions run in families. Therefore, you may get the gene for mitochondrial dysfunction from one of your parents.
One in 5,000 people have genetic mitochondrial diseases. Nearly 1,000 to 4,000 children in the United States every year are born with dysfunctional mitochondrial DNA passed from mother to offspring.
When mitochondria do not function properly, the cells do not get their energy. Hence, the cells do not function the way they should.
Depending on the organ affected by the mitochondrial disease, symptoms of the disease vary greatly, which may include:
- Loss of muscle coordination
- Muscle weakness
- Muscle pain
- Exercise intolerance
- Problems with vision
- Hearing issues
- Learning disabilities
- Heart disease
- Liver disease
- Kidney disease
- Gastrointestinal problems
- Swallowing difficulties
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Unexplained vomiting
- Abdominal cramps
- Neurological problems
- Poor growth
- Delays in development
- Increased risk of infection
- Movement disorders
- Thyroid problems
- Difficulty breathing
- Memory issues
Other conditions in which mitochondrial functioning may be affected include:
- Parkinson’s disease
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Bipolar disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Huntington’s disease
- Autism
- Diabetes
How are mitochondrial diseases diagnosed?
Mitochondrial diseases are difficult to diagnose, largely because there is no single laboratory test or imaging test to diagnose them.
The doctor will examine the person’s complete medical and family history. They will perform complete physical and neurological examinations and order a few of the tests that include:
- Blood tests
- Urine tests
- Cerebrospinal fluid tests or spinal tap (removal of fluid present around the spinal cord from your back)
- Magnetic resonance imaging or spectroscopy
- Retinal exam or electroretinogram
- Electrocardiogram or echocardiogram
- Audiogram or auditory brainstem-evoked responses
- Genetic analysis
- Skin biopsy
- Muscle biopsy
How are mitochondrial diseases treated?
Currently, there is no cure for mitochondrial diseases. However, treatment can help alleviate symptoms or improve quality of life.
Treatment of mitochondrial diseases varies among people and may include:
- Vitamins and supplements
- Coenzyme Q10
- B complex vitamins, especially thiamine (B1) and riboflavin (B2)
- Alpha-lipoic acid
- L-carnitine (Carnitor)
- Creatine
- L-Arginine
- Exercises
- Walking
- Running
- Stretching
- Dancing
- Cycling
- Swimming
- Sit-ups
- Arm curls
- Weight lifting
- Supportive therapies
- Speech therapy
- Physical therapy
- Respiratory therapy
- Occupational therapy
![](https://images.medicinenet.com/images/quiz/human-body/human-body-s1.jpg)
QUESTION
What percentage of the human body is water? See AnswerHealth Solutions From Our Sponsors
Mitochondrial Diseases. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15612-mitochondrial-diseases
Top What Is the Main Function of Mitochondria Related Articles
Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's disease is a common cause of dementia. Symptoms and warning signs of Alzheimer's disease include memory loss, difficulty performing familiar tasks, disorientation to time and place, misplacing things, and more. The biggest risk factor for Alzheimer's disease is increased age. Treatment for Alzheimer's is often targeted toward decreasing the symptoms and progression of the disease.Alzheimer's Disease Picture
In the early stages of Alzheimer's disease, patients may experience memory impairment, lapses of judgment, and subtle changes in personality. See a picture of Alzheimer's Disease and learn more about the health topic.Common Medical Abbreviations & Terms
Doctors, pharmacists, and other health-care professionals use abbreviations, acronyms, and other terminology for instructions and information in regard to a patient's health condition, prescription drugs they are to take, or medical procedures that have been ordered. There is no approved this list of common medical abbreviations, acronyms, and terminology used by doctors and other health- care professionals. You can use this list of medical abbreviations and acronyms written by our doctors the next time you can't understand what is on your prescription package, blood test results, or medical procedure orders. Examples include:
- ANED: Alive no evidence of disease. The patient arrived in the ER alive with no evidence of disease.
- ARF: Acute renal (kidney) failure
- cap: Capsule.
- CPAP: Continuous positive airway pressure. A treatment for sleep apnea.
- DJD: Degenerative joint disease. Another term for osteoarthritis.
- DM: Diabetes mellitus. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes
- HA: Headache
- IBD: Inflammatory bowel disease. A name for two disorders of the gastrointestinal (BI) tract, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis
- JT: Joint
- N/V: Nausea or vomiting.
- p.o.: By mouth. From the Latin terminology per os.
- q.i.d.: Four times daily. As in taking a medicine four times daily.
- RA: Rheumatoid arthritis
- SOB: Shortness of breath.
- T: Temperature. Temperature is recorded as part of the physical examination. It is one of the "vital signs."
Family Health History: Genetics, DNA Testing and Your Health
WebMD explains why your doctor asks about your relatives' health conditions and how you can get the information if you don’t know.Genetic Diseases
The definition of a genetic disease is a disorder or condition caused by abnormalities in a person's genome. Some types of genetic inheritance include single inheritance, including cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia, Marfan syndrome, and hemochromatosis. Other types of genetic diseases include multifactorial inheritance. Still other types of genetic diseases include chromosome abnormalities (for example, Turner syndrome, and Klinefelter syndrome), and mitochondrial inheritance (for example, epilepsy and dementia).Heart Disease: Warning Signs of Cardiovascular Disease
Heart disease (coronary artery disease) occurs when plaque builds up in the coronary arteries, the vessels that supply blood to the heart. Heart disease can lead to heart attack. Risk factors for heart disease include:
- Smoking
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Family history
- Obesity
Angina, shortness of breath, and sweating are just a few symptoms that may indicate a heart attack. Treatment of heart disease involves control of heart disease risk factors through lifestyle changes, medications, and/or stenting or bypass surgery. Heart disease can be prevented by controlling heart disease risk factors.
CAD Slideshow
What is heart disease (coronary artery disease)? Learn about the causes of heart disease, arrhythmias and myopathy. Symptoms of heart disease include chest pain and shortness of breath. Explore heart disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.Heart Disease Quiz
Take our Heart Disease Quiz to get answers and facts about high cholesterol, atherosclerosis prevention, and the causes, symptoms, treatments, testing, and procedures for medically broken hearts.How Do You Get Rid of a Migraine Fast?
Migraine is a neurological condition that is characterized by recurrent episodes of intense headaches. It may be associated with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and other clinical features.Kidney Disease Quiz
Kidney disease is common. Take this kidney disease quiz to test your knowledge and learn the symptoms, causes and types of kidney disease and what foods to eat and avoid!Liver Disease
Liver disease can be cause by a variety of things including infection (hepatitis), diseases, for example, gallstones, high cholesterol or triglycerides, blood flow obstruction to the liver, and toxins (medications and chemicals). Symptoms of liver disease depends upon the cause and may include nausea, vomiting, upper right abdominal pain, and jaundice. Treatment depends upon the cause of the liver disease.Migraine Headache
Migraine headache is a type of headache associated with a sensitivity to light, smells, or sounds, eye pain, severe pounding on one side of the head, and sometimes nausea and vomiting. The exact cause of migraine headaches is not known. Triggers for migraine headaches include certain foods, stress, hormonal changes, strong stimuli (loud noises), and oversleeping. Treatment guidelines for migraines include medicine, pain management, diet changes, avoiding foods that trigger migraines, staying hydrated, getting adequate sleep, and exercising regularly. Prevention of migraine triggers include getting regular exercise, drinking water daily, reducing stress, and avoiding trigger foods.Parkinson's Disease
Parkinson's disease is a slowly progressive neurological disease characterized by a fixed inexpressive face, a tremor at rest, slowing of voluntary movements, a gait with short accelerating steps, peculiar posture and muscle weakness, caused by degeneration of an area of the brain called the basal ganglia, and by low production of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Most patients are over 50, but at least 10 percent are under 40.Parkinson's Slideshow
Discover the symptoms, causes, stages, and treatment options for Parkinson's disease. Learn more about the stages of Parkinson's disease such as tremors and loss of muscle control.Seizures: Symptoms and Types
Seizures occur when there is an abnormal burst of electrical activity in the brain and are divided into two categories: generalized and partial. Learn about the symptoms of different types of seizures, and check out the center below for more medical references on seizures, including multimedia (slideshows, images, and quizzes), related diseases, treatment, diagnosis, medications, and prevention or wellness.What Happens After a Stroke? Signs, Symptoms, Types
What is a stroke? Learn about the different types of stroke, as well as many symptoms like sudden numbness or weakness, confusion, vision problems, or problems with coordination. Discover causes and recovery of a stroke.Stroke Quiz
Take the Stroke Quiz to learn about stroke risks, causes, treatment, and most importantly, prevention.Stroke
A stroke is an interruption of the blood supply to part of the brain caused by either a blood clot (ischemic) or bleeding (hemorrhagic). Symptoms of a stroke may include weakness, numbness, double vision or vision loss, confusion, vertigo, difficulty speaking, or understanding speech. A physical exam, imaging tests, neurological exam, and blood tests may be used to diagnose a stroke. Treatment may include administration of clot-busting drugs, supportive care, and in some instances, neurosurgery. The risk of stroke can be reduced by controlling high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and stopping smoking.