New research has uncovered that cardiovascular conditions are now associated with 437 million years of healthy lives (healthspan) lost, underscoring their growing impact on healthcare systems and longevity and prompting renewed focus on mitochondrial health.
The Global Burden of Cardiovascular Diseases Report, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, reinforces the concept that mitochondrial health is a key frontier in wellbeing and cardiovascular health.
According to the report, the new worldwide statistic represents a rise from 320 million years in 1990, a 1.4-fold increase in total burden.
Australia’s leading integrative cardiologist, Dr Ross Walker, said the data calls for a broader, more modern view of heart health that incorporates a scientific understanding of mitochondrial health.
"Mitochondria are central to how the heart generates the energy required to sustain its constant workload," he said.
"As science advances, we are recognising that supporting healthy mitochondrial function is an increasingly important component of cardiovascular wellbeing."
The heart, being the most energy-demanding organ in the body, relies on mitochondria to generate the energy required for optimal function.
Mitochondrial health is supported by endogenous ubiquinol, a bioactive dual-power antioxidant present in all the cells in the body that plays a key role in energy production and overall cellular health.
However, our natural ubiquinol levels start to decline after the age of 20 due to factors including oxidative stress.
Scientific interest has been growing around how ubiquinol levels may help to sustain mitochondrial function as part of a broader wellbeing approach.
This includes a recently published study examining Ubiquinol, which observed favourable cardiovascular responses following intense physical exercise, adding to the growing evidence linking endogenous Ubiquinol and mitochondrial health to cardiovascular wellbeing.
A second major study, recently published in JACC: Basic to Translational Science, highlighted that changes in how heart cells produce energy and manage oxidative stress are closely linked with the progression of cardiac insufficiency, further grounding mitochondrial pathways as an important area of scientific focus.
According to Dr Walker, the growing body of cardiac science focused on mitochondrial health is prompting health experts to view heart health through a more integrated, cellular-function lens.
"When we combine lifestyle practices with what we now understand about mitochondrial function and endogenous antioxidants such as ubiquinol, we gain a more complete picture of cardiovascular wellbeing — one that is increasingly starting to shift contemporary healthcare approaches."
Dr Walker’s key message for Australians this Heart Health Awareness Month is clear: prioritising lifestyle foundations, alongside evidence-aligned insights into emerging areas such as mitochondrial health, is key to supporting cardiovascular wellbeing across the lifespan.
"As we deepen our understanding of mitochondrial health and endogenous Ubiquinol, we gain an important new dimension in how we think about supporting healthier hearts and ageing well," Dr Walker added.