With a keen focus on actionable biohacking and data-driven healthtech, this transcript from our Collective Insights episode with Nathalie Niddam is a treasure trove of the latest biohacking tech and tips to boost healthspan.

Selectively eliminating dysfunctional mitochondria (mitophagy) and replacing them with new mitochondria (mitochondrial biogenesis) helps us stay biologically younger. But what exactly are the functions of mitochondria and how does mitochondrial health affect aging?

In this article, we’re going to learn about mitohormesis, the activity of reactive oxygen species (ROS) as signaling molecules, and how and why ROS can be both beneficial and harmful. We will also discuss what leads to excessive ROS production and accumulation, how this associates with aging, and where antioxidants fit into the equation. Lastly, we’ll discuss nutritional strategies that can support the antioxidant defenses cells and mitochondria use to protect themselves against excessive ROS.

Similar to many other cellular processes, the creation of new mitochondria (a process called mitochondrial biogenesis), and the interacting pathways that influence it, suffers with aging. This is the bad news. The good news is that there are things we can do to better support maintaining a fitter mitochondrial network.