Mitochondria: Why They Control Everything in Human Health

Mitochondria: Why They Control Everything in Human Health

Author: Chris Masterjohn, PhD December 4, 2025 Duration: 1:42:57

Mitochondria govern everything.

Watch this with the slides here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mED1_L3wZbc

Mitochondria convert your food to usable energy in the form of ATP, which is used to produce, maintain, repair, distribute, and organize everything in your body.

Abundant health right now, and preserving your health throughout the lifespan toward your longevity, all depends on your mitochondria.

In fact the best explanation for aging is that its a vicious cycle of declining mitochondrial function.

We should always be thinking of mitochondria first. SSRIs, acne treatments, and statins are given as examples. Targeting mitochondria without proper testing has its own set of problems. 

This video covers the top things we should all be doing for our mitochondria and how to figure out our own mitochondria's unique needs.

This is not medical advice and is for educational purposes only.

1:20 Mitochondria govern everything because they convert food into usable energy

7:25 Mitochondrial dysfunction drives aging

10:43 Depression starts with your mitochondria

17:26 The problem with SSRIs

21:59 Acne should start with vitamin A, zinc, B5, and mitochondrial function

28:00 Cardiovascular disease starts with mitochondrial dysfunction

40:26 Statins are mitochondrial toxins

54:00 Targeting mitochondria without testing can be dangerous: three examples.

59:45 CoQ10: no one dose and no one supplement for everyone.

1:04:30 Methylene blue can make your mitochondria worse if you don't need it.

1:07:48 The power of mitochondrial testing: three examples

1:15:14 Mitochondrial biology

1:17:32 Your mitochondria are pointless if you don't have creatine

1:18:20 What Mitome is testing

1:20:42 What Mitome reports look like

1:21:57 Energetic bottlenecks are like traffic jams

1:25:01 Organic acid testing of mitochondrial function

1:26:53 Other mitochondrial tests

1:27:44 Five things everyone should do for their mitochondria right now.

1:40:48 We all have unique mitochondrial needs

Do You Have Hidden Mitochondrial Dysfunction?

Mitochondrial dysfunction is one of the earliest signs of aging and chronic disease—and most people don't know they have it. Mitome is the first at-home test that measures your cellular energy directly and gives you a personalized roadmap to optimize energy, slow aging, and protect against disease.

Find it at mito.me

 


Chris Masterjohn, PhD hosts Mastering Nutrition, a podcast that digs into the science of how our bodies work at a fundamental level. The focus here is on mitochondrial health-the energy powerhouses within our cells-and how optimizing them forms the cornerstone of lasting vitality. Chris brings his background as a nutrition scientist and his experience founding BioOptHealth to these conversations, which move beyond generic diet advice. Instead, the podcast explores how individual differences, informed by tools like whole genome sequencing and detailed biochemical data, can reveal personalized paths to better metabolic function. Listeners will hear deep dives into cutting-edge research, practical interpretations of complex studies, and discussions on how to apply these insights in a real-world context. This isn't about quick fixes or trending superfoods; it's about building a coherent, scientifically-grounded understanding of nutrition from the cellular level up. Each episode aims to provide the kind of nuanced, evidence-based perspective that can help you make sense of conflicting health information. Whether the topic is a specific nutrient, a metabolic pathway, or a broader principle of wellness, Chris works to translate dense science into actionable knowledge. Tune in for a thoughtful, detailed exploration of what it truly means to master your own nutritional landscape.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 712

Mastering Nutrition
Podcast Episodes
High-Fat Diets Make You Need More Riboflavin | Chris Masterjohn Lite #146 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:20
Eating keto? Low-carb? High-fat? 🙋🏽🙋🏼‍♂️🙋‍♀️🙋‍♂️🙋🏿‍♀️ You might need more riboflavin. 😬 This episode covers how much more you'd need and how to get it from food. This episode is brought to you by Vitamins and Minerals 10…
How to Know If You Need More Riboflavin | Chris Masterjohn Lite #143 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:47
Riboflavin is the ultimate fat-burning nutrient. 🔥 Could you need more of it? This episode covers the signs you could need a just a little more, and what it would look like if you started running real low. This episode i…
Ask Us Anything About Gut Health |Mastering Nutrition #71 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:03:08
Access the show notes, transcript, and comments here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/ask-us-anything-about-gut-health Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mito…
How to Take Niacin Without Flushing | Chris Masterjohn Lite #141 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:51
Ugh, the NIACIN FLUSH! 🥵🥵🥵 This episode covers what to do and what NOT to do to avoid it. It covers slow-release niacin, extended-release niacin, inositol hexanicotinate, niacinamide, aspirin, and waiting it out. This ep…
The Best Blood Test for Niacin | Chris Masterjohn Lite #138 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:09
Here's why the best test for niacin status is HDRI's NADH/NADPH, how to use it to calculate the niacin number, and what numbers you should be aiming for. This episode is brought to you by Vitamins and Minerals 101. This…