How to support damaged cells naturally

What you’ll learn: 

• The main everyday stressors that can damage cells and disrupt their function
• How the body repairs and regenerates damaged cells and tissues
• The nutrients, dietary patterns and compounds that help support healthy cellular aging and recovery 

What causes cell damage?

Day in and day out, your cells are exposed to various sources of stress. Just like a house is held together by concrete, wood, screws, pipes, jib and so on...your body is held together by individual cells, all integral for life. When cells are damaged (or the materials in your house), some fixes are straightforward, whilst others can be catastrophic. That’s why supporting cell health is so important, and why we care about safeguarding cells from damage as much as possible.

Oxygen deprivation is a big problem that can occur due to things like a low concentration of oxygen in the air, or impaired blood flow.

A lack of key nutrients like glucose, deficiencies in important vitamins and minerals, or general nutritional imbalances can starve the cell of materials it needs to survive. Humans can adapt to short term imbalances, but in the longer term, nutrient deficiencies or excess can lead to long term issues for cell health.

Physical agents like heat, physical injury, extreme cold, electric shocks, intense air pressure (like being underwater, or in a space vacuum), or radiation can damage cells.

Chemical agents can be problematic for a cell too, including things like harmful heavy metals and poisons, or infectious agents such as viruses or bacterial toxins.

Oxidative stress caused by free radicals is another huge stressor that can impact energy production by mitochondria, impacting the functioning of the cell. Oxidative stress can naturally increase with age, and additional oxidative stress can be caused by things like radiation, drug metabolism, poor diet and so forth. .

If the cell damage is severe, cells may end up dying. The body can detect any faulty cells and instigate a targeted removal of the cell known as apoptosis, i.e., “programmed cell death”.

How do cells recover from damage?

Some cells can easily return to their normal state once the cell adjusts, or once the stressor has been removed. Some cells might fully recover their capacity, whilst others remain altered for good.

The body will try to restore the affected tissues and regenerate the same cell types that were damaged, but if that isn’t possible, plan B is to fill in the space with stromal connective tissue.

Epithelial or ‘lining’ cells (which includes cells lining the mouth or the intestine) are pretty good at regeneration. Other cells are thought to be irreparable, such as neurons in the brain. But the good news is that organs generally have a functional reserve capacity, meaning the organ will still function even if it’s damaged. Hence why damaged livers can regenerate.

What nutrients support body cells and tissues?

Your body needs a wide range of foods and nutrients to function at its best. The building blocks of a good diet include carbohydrates, fats, proteins, plus essential vitamins and minerals and essential fatty acids such a omega 3’s derived from fish and nuts. All of these components are needed to provide the energy and nutrition you require to build and sustain cell health.

In particular, dietary protein provides amino acids that help support your cells and general immune system health. Carbohydrates are broken down into the main energy currency of the cell, fats cushion the protective structures surrounding cells, and vitamins and minerals play key roles in cell energy metabolism, growth, and development.