Research

Energy balance

Maximum mitochondrial capacity is directly related to muscle contractile performance and physical function in older adults, regardless of chronological age.

Improving your mitochondrial capacity through physical activity can directly improve your muscle strength and physical function. This means that exercises that boost mitochondrial health (like aerobic exercise) are not just good for your heart, but also for your ability to perform daily tasks and maintain muscle strength.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Interestingly, maximum mitochondrial capacity was related to muscle contractile performance and physical function.
Giovanna Distéfano et al. · Journal of Cachexia Sarcopenia and Muscle · 2018

Why this rating

Strong observational data with multiple direct measures of mitochondrial function and physical performance.

Source

Physical activity unveils the relationship between mitochondrial energetics, muscle quality, and physical function in older adults

Giovanna Distéfano et al. · Journal of Cachexia Sarcopenia and Muscle · 2018

DOI 10.1002/jcsm.12272

cross_sectional · n=39Cited 169×
Read the paper
DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →