Autophagy: The Good Type of Self Cannibalism

Etana Dang
Nov 3 · 4 min read

I think the majority of us would agree that cannibalism is frowned upon (Well, at least I hope so👀). However, on a cellular level, it’s AMAZING! By the end of this article, you will know how cells use self cannibalism as a form of self-care and detox.

Autophagy (pronounced aa-taa-fuh-jee) is actually a complex mechanism that our cells use to get rid of harmful bacteria and damaged parts, also known as organelles.

And guess what.

It’s happening in your body right now.

Note: Autophagy shouldn’t be confused with actual cellular cannibalism, which is a similar mechanism, but is the process of consuming other cells instead of parts of itself.

How Does it Work?

DNA is more than the blueprint of life; it’s the blueprint of proteins. Your genes tell your body to make various types of amino acids that, when put together, form functional proteins. These protein molecules can bind with each other to complete tasks like, in this case, autophagy.

image source: https://www.news-medical.net/life-sciences/What-is-Autophagy.aspx

Autophagy-related proteins and genes send signals to create small, flattened membranes within the cells. These disk-like membranes cup around organelles and bacteria until they completely surround the substances. The membrane, also known as autophagosomes, contain the matter while also fusing with one of two places: the vacuole if it’s in a plant cell or the lysosome if it’s in a mammalian cell. These organelles act like a cell’s personal garbage disposal.

Once it’s fused one of those two places, it starts degrading, since both the vacuole and the lysosome have degradation enzymes.

And there you have it.

Autophagy.

Why is it Important?

Without this process, our cells would have an accumulation of toxins, which can lead to a variety of degenerative diseases as well as inflammation. You can imagine it like this:

The cell is our planet. If we were to just litter and live as if everything was okay, then Earth would inevitably become inhabitable. This is like how if a cell were to ignore all the damaged organelles, bacteria, and viruses, it wouldn’t be able to function properly.

Now, imagine if ALL your cells weren’t able to function properly.

Not good, right?

So basically, the better the autophagy, the longer you are healthy, which then leads to a longer healthspan.

However, as we age, our cells’ ability to efficiently complete the process degenerate. This leads to — you guessed it — an accumulation of toxins. As well as many other factors, this is one of the reasons for declined health as we grow older.

But is There a Way to Promote and Initiate Autophagy?

The answer is yes.

There are numerous simple ways to induce autophagy: eating a high fat/low carb diet, limiting your protein consumption, getting restorative sleep — these are some of the easier lifestyle changes you can start.

If you absolutely HATE exercising, this one may not seem as appealing (though it is still a great autophagy inducer): high-intensity interval training (aka HIIT). Stress helps promote autophagy, and HIIT results in the perfect amount of good stress.

Boom.

Increased self cannibalism.

One other method to initiate autophagy is intermittent fasting, which is where you skip breakfast and eat all your meals within an 8 hour time frame. Short fasts (16–28 hours) actually give your cells time to remove more toxins.

However, this can be really dangerous. It can increase the amount of cortisol in your body (ultimately making you more stressed) and for women, it can cause hormonal imbalance.

There are many ways to “trick” your cells into ridding its trash, but the methods listed here are just a few. A quick Google search would lead you to something that would work for you!

Key Takeaways

~ Autophagy is where cells capture, break down, and recycle their own internal components.

~ Bacteria and damaged organelles are taken to either the lysosome or the vacuole, where they are degraded.

~ Better autophagy, better and longer life.

~ Changes to your eating, sleeping, and exercising habits can encourage autophagy.

Etana Dang

Written by

Innovator at The Knowledge Society (TKS)

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade