The Magical Antiaging 'Beans'... Right in Your Body

February 11, 2025

Steve Mullikin's face went numb, he had trouble staying upright, and his speech began to slur. And he wasn't alone.

In the early 1990s, Steve's coworkers also began suffering similar symptoms all over the body, along with a litany of other problems like chronic fatigue, chronic muscle pain, impaired memory, constant diarrhea, and insomnia.

Their supervisors chalked it all up to just stress.

But it took nearly two decades before the government admitted that these symptoms came from something more than just really bad stress...

That "something" became known as Gulf War Syndrome.

Steve and his "coworkers" were Gulf War veterans. And scientists now believe these soldiers' service exposed them to toxins in nerve gas, pesticides, and noxious smoke from oil-well fires, which caused a ton of inflammation.

Researchers have even found evidence of DNA damage... namely, the DNA in tiny cellular organs (or "organelles") called mitochondria.

These tiny, bean-shaped structures turn food we eat into energy. Here's what each mitochondrion looks like...

With the exception of your red blood cells, you can have thousands of these organelles in every cell in your body. Just how many depends on what kind of cell it is, and its energy requirement. (For example, the cells in our muscles and nervous system are chock-full of mitochondria.) Having healthy mitochondria is crucial for that tissue to function.

It's not just about making energy for your cells. Mitochondria also have a hand in other vital processes, such as:

Making heme (for oxygen transportation via red blood cells)

Regulating and releasing calcium ions needed for muscle contraction

Helping your blood to clot

Aiding in cell signaling (like getting cells to divide or grow and even telling old and damaged cells to self-destruct)

Adapting to stress

And get this: Mitochondrial dysfunction can lead to accelerated aging, like what's happening to Steve and other Gulf War vets.

A 2019 study revealed that these folks were aging faster than civilians, getting hit earlier and from all directions with acute health problems and chronic diseases common in old age, like high cholesterol, heart attack, diabetes, arthritis, stroke, hypertension, and chronic lung problems.

And then a University of California, San Diego study published a few months ago found more proof that points to dysfunctional mitochondria as the culprit.

Dysfunctional mitochondria can result in too many free radicals in your cells, which can cause damage. So mitochondrial dysfunction is linked to all of the devastating chronic illnesses that become more common as we age, like diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.

But there's a way to keep your mitochondria fit...

That's high-intensity interval training, or "HIIT," where you combine short bursts of "all out" intense exercise with "recovery" periods of less-intense activity.

Studies have shown that regular HIIT does wonders for rejuvenating your mitochondria. It boosts their size, number, density, and cellular-respiration function.

And it takes less huffing and puffing than you might think...

Even just doing HIIT once a week will suffice. A 2018 study of 250 overweight and obese adults showed that a single 23-minute HIIT session delivers nearly the same physiological benefits (like reducing blood pressure and body fat and improving aerobic fitness) as three moderate-intensity workouts.

Your body won't even benefit from more than two or three HIIT sessions per week. A 2021 study in Cell Metabolism found that five weekly sessions can impair mitochondrial function.

Here's what I do: I walk on a treadmill (or bike or aerobic-exercise contraption) at a slow pace to warm up. Then, I increase the pace to about 2.4 miles per hour (turtles crawl faster). Then, for 20 to 30 seconds, I crank it up to around 5 or 6 miles per hour or as fast as I can handle without falling all over myself. (Just make sure to be careful – again, the goal is not to hurt yourself.) I also do it with increased resistance by increasing the treadmill's incline to 3% or 4%.

That means I'm going at a fast pace at a hard resistance, but only for 30 seconds. Then, I slow down and do zero resistance for three or four minutes, and then repeat a couple more times. In 10 minutes, I'm done. I usually work up a nice sweat by the end.

HIIT isn't my only secret for healthy mitochondria...

For my 11 other tips, check out last month's issue of Retirement Millionaire right here. Not a subscriber? Try it out for a month.

Finally, I wanted to share some great reader feedback in response to last month's winter-safety issues (linked below). Be sure to check them out, especially you Northeasterners with snow in this week's forecast.

Here are some tips from Pennsylvanian R.K. on staying warm if you'll be outside for an extended time:

I am 58 next week and live in southwestern PA. I love to hunt, so I try to stay in shape. Regarding the cold (in addition to what you wrote), I learned it is critical to wear a good moisture-wicking layer against skin. Cotton gets wet from sweating and then it doesn't dry well, making you very cold when this happens. (I did this all the time when younger.) Another point is to walk into a hunting area slowly and make stops so that you do not overheat and sweat.

And Canadian reader O.D.P. shares a unique choice of footwear for walking on slippery surfaces:

As a Canadian resident of northern Alberta, our winters can be long and cold for sure. But when we do get a reprieve in the form of a thaw or a "chinook," the weather can warm up quickly; the wind blows the snow melts. That's the good part. The bad part is that it usually leaves the ground covered in ice which can be treacherous for driving and walking. And that presents a different challenge.

Preparation for winter weather – either walking or driving – is critical. With respect to walking, I highly recommend that anyone wanting to walk outside get a good pair of cleats for their winter footwear. They can prevent unexpected falls and injuries, especially as we get older. And having a pair inside your vehicle is a good idea too; the conditions may be slippery at your destination even though they may be fine at home. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, as the saying goes.

Hopefully this helps even one person from falling and getting injured. If anyone lives in an area that gets winter weather and icy conditions, please stay safe and enjoy the winter season.

What We're Reading...

Check out my winter-safety issues on driving, safe snow shoveling and avoiding falls, as well as protecting yourself from hypothermia.

Something different: The phenomenon of "evaporating" in Japan.

Here's to our health, wealth, and a great retirement,

Dr. David Eifrig and the Health & Wealth Bulletin Research Team
February 11, 2025