The Hidden Steroid That Rebuilds Your Mitochondria

<p><strong>Mind Thrive Course:</strong> Learn more about Amino Acid Therapy <a href="https://www.lauriehammer.com/mindthrive-amino-acid-therapy">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a>.</p><p><em>Special Offer:</em> Use code <strong>MINDTHRIVE</strong> at checkout to get <strong>$1,000 off</strong> the course!</p><p>- - - - - </p><p>In this episode of Take Back My Brain, Laurie Hammer talks with Sundeep Dugar, co-founder of Blue Oak NX and a 38-year veteran of small molecule drug discovery, about why mitochondria may be the single most overlooked factor in physical and mental health.</p><p>Sundeep walks through how mitochondrial decline begins in our early twenties, why exercise and nutrition are the two proven levers for mitochondrial function, and how sleep — especially REM sleep — acts as a form of &quot;brain exercise.&quot; The conversation moves into mental health, exploring how depression, anxiety, PTSD, and autism may relate to bioenergetic deficits in the brain. Sundeep also shares the origin story of MitoCatalyst: a supplement built around a newly identified steroid the body produces during exercise, designed to signal mitochondrial biogenesis even without physical activity. He&#39;s candid about the challenges of measuring mitochondrial function directly and encourages listeners to track their own energy, sleep, and physical capacity over time rather than chasing a single lab number.</p><p>- - - - -</p><p><strong>About the Guest:</strong></p><p><strong>Sundeep Dugar</strong> is the co-founder of Blue Oak NX and has over 38 years of experience in small molecule drug discovery and development across oncology, inflammation, central nervous system, cardiovascular, and metabolic disorders. He is the inventor of several best-selling drugs and has spent the last 16 years researching mitochondrial biogenesis, culminating in the discovery of an exercise-induced steroid signal and the development of MitoCatalyst.</p><p>- - - - -</p><p><strong>Connect with Sundeep Dugar:</strong></p><p><strong>LinkedIn:</strong> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sundeepdugar/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/sundeepdugar/</a></p><p><strong>Website:</strong> <a href="https://www.blueoaknx.com">https://www.blueoaknx.com</a></p><p>- - - - - </p><p><strong>Connect with Laurie Hammer:</strong></p><p><strong>Facebook:</strong> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/laurie.hammer.7/">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/takebackmybra