Bioenergetics of the aging heart and skeletal muscles: Modern concepts and controversies

• The mitochondrial theory of aging is overestimated.
• Decline in mitochondrial function was registered mainly with isolated mitochondria.
• Alterations in muscle performance relate with changes in energy-transfer pathways.
• The regulation of energy fluxes in a cell is of a system level property.
• System bioenergetics enables to understand alterations in the energy metabolism.

Age-related alterations in the bioenergetics of the heart and oxidative skeletal muscle tissues are of crucial influence on their performance. Until now the prevailing concept of aging was the mitochondrial theory, the increased production of reactive oxygen species, mediated by deficiency in the activity of respiratory chain complexes. However, studies with mitochondria in situ have presented results which, to some extent, disagree with previous ones, indicating that the mitochondrial theory of aging may be overestimated. The studies reporting age-related decline in mitochondrial function were performed using mainly isolated mitochondria. Measurements on this level are not able to take into account the system level properties. The relevant information can be obtained only from appropriate studies using cells or tissue fibers.The functional interactions between the components of Intracellular Energetic Unit (ICEU) regulate the energy production and consumption in oxidative muscle cells. The alterations of these interactions in ICEU should be studied in order to find a more effective protocol to decelerate the age-related changes taking place in the energy metabolism.In this article, an overview is given of the present theories and controversies of causes of age-related alterations in bioenergetics. Also, branches of study, which need more emphasis, are indicated.