Mitochondria are often called the "powerhouses of the cell."

They are really important for our health because they make energy.

Mitochondria create a special type of energy called adenosine triphosphate, or ATP for short. This process is known as cellular respiration.

To give you an idea of how powerful they are, one mitochondrion can make about 10 million ATP molecules in just one day!

This shows how important mitochondria are for energy in our cells.

Here are some key things mitochondria do:

1. ATP Production:

   • Mitochondria make about 90% of the ATP we need to keep our bodies running.
   • A healthy adult needs roughly 2 million ATP molecules every second to stay active and healthy.

2. Regulation of Metabolism:

   • Mitochondria help control our metabolism, which is how our bodies use energy from the food we eat.
   • If mitochondria are not healthy, it can lead to problems like obesity and type 2 diabetes.

3. Role in Cell Death:

   • Mitochondria help manage a process called programmed cell death, or apoptosis.
   • This is really important because it gets rid of damaged cells.
   • Around 50 billion cells in our body go through this process every day when we are healthy.

4. Oxidative Stress:

   • Mitochondria also produce something called reactive oxygen species (ROS).
   • In small amounts, these ROS can help send signals in our cells.
   • However, too much ROS can cause oxidative stress, which can lead to aging and illnesses like cancer.

In conclusion, keeping our mitochondria healthy is very important.

They help us make energy, manage metabolism, and keep our cells healthy, which all affects how we feel and function.