What New Science Reveals About Mitochondria & How We Age

In this episode of New Frontiers in Functional Medicine, Dr. Kara Fitzgerald sits down with neuroscientist and mitochondrial health researcher Dr. Siobhan Mitchell to explore emerging research on mitochondrial dysfunction, aging, and longevity. They discuss how mitochondria change as we age, how mitochondrial dysfunction may contribute to chronic inflammation and age-related disease, and why supporting mitochondrial health could be an important strategy for extending healthspan.

The conversation explores the relationship between mitochondrial dysfunction and biological aging, inflammation, cardiovascular and metabolic health, cognitive decline, and chronic disease. Dr. Mitchell also discusses emerging biomarkers of mitochondrial stress, including GDF-15, and what they may reveal about mitochondrial health and aging trajectories.

Dr. Fitzgerald and Dr. Mitchell also examine practical and emerging approaches to supporting mitochondrial function, including creatine, NAD+ precursors, S-equol, exercise, and targeted mitochondrial support, along with research on vascular function, cellular energy production, and mitochondrial DNA damage.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

How mitochondrial dysfunction may contribute to inflammation and accelerated aging

Why mitochondrial DNA damage could play a role in chronic disease

What GDF-15 may reveal about mitochondrial stress and aging

How creatine supports cellular and brain energy

The connection between estrogen, S-equol, and mitochondrial health

What emerging research says about NAD+ precursors and aging

How targeted mitochondrial support may influence vascular health, exercise recovery, and cellular function

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