Are you often feeling tired, foggy, inflamed, or like you’re just not bouncing back the way you used to? You might be surprised to learn that the answer could lie deep inside your cells — in your mitochondria, those tiny powerhouses responsible for generating your body’s energy. Healthy mitochondria mean a healthier, more energetic you. But unfortunately, there are common habits and exposures in our daily lives that quietly damage these critical cell engines.
In this article, we’ll break down 13 things that can knock out your mitochondria, leaving you fatigued and unwell. If you recognize yourself in any of these, don’t worry — most are reversible, and knowing is the first step to getting your energy back! (Based on the insights of Dr. Ashley Froese)
Key Takeaways
- Mitochondria are essential for energy, focus, and overall well-being.
- Lifestyle, diet, medication, and environment can silently impair mitochondrial health.
- Many causes of mitochondrial damage are within your control — and reversing them can boost your vitality.
1. Poor Sleep
When you skimp on good, deep sleep, you short-circuit your mitochondria’s nightly repair. During deep sleep, your cells detox and damaged mitochondria fuse with healthy ones to restore their function. If you miss out on quality rest, you rob your body of this critical repair time, which over time leaves you feeling drained.
2. Chronic Stress
Ongoing stress signals your body to pump out cortisol, which tells mitochondria to produce more energy. While this works short-term, constant stress forces your mitochondria to burn out — like keeping the pedal to the metal in a car that never gets a break. The result? More toxic byproducts, less time to repair, and worsening mitochondrial function.
3. Sedentary Lifestyle
Not moving enough tells your body energy isn’t in demand — so it makes fewer mitochondria. The pathways to build new mitochondria only fire up when you move. Sitting all day makes your cells “lazy” and literally reduces your body’s energy capacity, much like shutting down half the generators in a power plant.
4. Overtraining
On the flip side, pounding out high-intensity workouts day after day without rest also harms your mitochondria. Constant intense exercise generates more reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can damage cells and prevent recovery. Remember: Growth happens during periods of rest, not just work!
5. Sugar Spikes
Eating sugary foods sends blood sugar skyrocketing, overwhelming your mitochondria with more fuel than they can handle. Think of it as tossing too much wood on a fire until it smothers itself with smoke. This leads to increased inflammation, insulin resistance, and, over time, damaged mitochondria and weight gain.
6. Excess Unstable Fats (Seed Oils)
Modern seed oils are packed with reactive omega-6 fatty acids. When combined with high blood sugar, these fats create cellular “rust” (lipid peroxidation) that damages mitochondrial membranes — the very place where your energy is made.
7. Low Protein Diets
Mitochondria need specific amino acids, such as glycine, cysteine, and carnitine, to repair and keep energy flowing. If you don’t eat enough protein, your body steals from your own muscle to get what it needs, putting both your muscle mass and mitochondria at risk.
8. Micronutrient Deficiencies
Your mitochondrial machinery runs on micronutrients like B vitamins, magnesium, and coenzyme Q10. When you’re low on these, energy production stalls and your cells leak energy as heat rather than creating ATP (usable energy). Think of micronutrients as the spark plugs for your cell engines.
9. Statin Medications
Statins help lower cholesterol but also block your body’s ability to make coenzyme Q10, which mitochondria require to generate energy. No wonder muscle weakness and fatigue are common statin side effects — your cells are running on half-power!
10. Metformin
This commonly prescribed diabetes medication mildly blocks the start of your mitochondria’s ATP assembly line. It slows down energy production at the cellular level. While sometimes this can stimulate new mitochondria to form (which is controversial), for many people it simply means less energy.
11. Certain Antibiotics
Not all, but some antibiotics — especially fluoroquinolones like levofloxacin or ciprofloxacin — can damage mitochondrial DNA. While they fight infections by targeting bacteria, they sometimes make their way into your cells and harm your own mitochondria, leading to prolonged fatigue after treatment.
12. SSRI Antidepressants
Some SSRIs (a class of antidepressants) can disrupt mitochondrial energy production by jamming up their internal machinery. For certain users, this results in brain fog or mental fatigue. If this is you, talk to your doctor before making any medication changes.
13. Environmental Toxins
Modern life exposes us to pesticides, plastics, and heavy metals. Chemicals like glyphosate (in herbicides), BPA (in plastics), and mercury block crucial mitochondrial enzymes and drain your cell’s main antioxidant, glutathione. The combo leaves your mitochondria blunted and defenseless.
Although these 13 factors can chip away at your energy from the inside out, the good news is that most are within your control. Small changes in your sleep, stress management, movement, diet, and awareness of medications or toxins can make a huge difference. Take care of your mitochondria — and they’ll take care of you. If you found this helpful, be sure to tune in for a deeper dive on how to repair and optimize your cell powerhouses. Here’s to a more vibrant, energetic you!
Source: Dr. Ashley Froese