Functional Medicine and Nutrition Virtual Classroom 306 - Mitochondrial Health and Energy Metabolism

Course overview

1. Describe the endosymbiotic origin of mitochondria and interpret urinary organic acid patterns to identify B vitamin, lipoic acid, or CoQ10 needs supporting the Krebs cycle. 2. Explain how declining NAD+ drives the Warburg effect in aging and cancer and describe brown adipose tissue thermogenesis via uncoupling proteins. 3. Identify environmental toxins and dietary compounds that damage or activate mitochondria, including atrazine, berberine, resveratrol, and capsaicinoids. 4. Apply mitochondrial nutrient cocktails, interval training, and lithium-based neuroprotection strategies to counter metabolic overload and brain oxidative stress. 5. Analyze glutathione status using markers such as alpha-hydroxybutyrate and pyroglutamate and recognize maternal bottleneck inheritance of mitochondrial mutations. 6. Evaluate the role of N-acetylcysteine, folate, B12, ketogenic diets, and mitohormesis in autism and longevity through AMP kinase, sirtuin, and Nrf2 pathways. 7. Describe how PQQ, phytochemical hormesis, melatonin, and molecular hydrogen support mitochondrial biogenesis and selectively manage oxidative stress.