Autophagy has many health benefits! It is your body’s normal way of carrying out cellular renewal processes. In fact, autophagy is so beneficial for your health that it’s now being called a “key in preventing diseases such as cancer, neurodegeneration, cardiomyopathy, diabetes, liver disease, autoimmune diseases and infections.”
Autophagy has many anti-aging benefits because it helps destroy and reuse damaged components occurring in vacuoles (spaces) within cells. In other words, the autophagy process basically works by using waste produced inside cells to create new “building materials” that aid in repair and regeneration.
Recent studies demonstrate that autophagy is important for “cleaning up” the body and defending against the negative effects of stress. However, the exact way that autophagy processes work are just beginning to be understood.
There are several steps involved in autophagic processes. Lysosomes are a part or cells that can destroy large damaged structures, like mitochondria, and then help to transport these damaged parts so they are used to generate fuel. To sum up a complex process: damaged material must first be transported to a lysosome, then deconstructed, then spit back out to be repurposed.
Benefits
Research suggests that some of the most important autophagy health benefits include:
- Providing cells with molecular building blocks and energy
- Recycling damaged proteins, organelles and aggregates
- Regulating functions of cells’ mitochondria, which help produce energy but can be damaged by oxidative stress
- Clearing damaged endoplasmic reticulum and peroxisomes
- Protecting the nervous system and encouraging growth of brain and nerve cells. Autophagy seems to improve cognitive function, brain structure and neuroplasticity.
- Supporting growth of heart cells and protecting against heart disease
- Enhancing the immune systemby eliminating intracellular pathogens
- Defending against misfolded, toxic proteins that contribute to a number of amyloid diseases
- Protecting stability of DNA
- Preventing damage to healthy tissues and organs (known as necrosis)
- Potentially fighting cancer, neurodegenerative disease and other illnesses
Source: https://draxe.com/health/benefits-of-autophagy