Depression = Low-Functioning Mitochondria

Bulletproof Radio Podcast

Understanding the Behaviour of Mitochondria — Martin Picard #565


Mitochondria are the energy producers of your body.  If your mitochondria are working properly, you have more energy to devote to creativity and engage in the activities you love.


Mitochondria Enemies:

  1. antiobiotics
  2. antidepressants
  3. being inactive
  4. sugar
  5. certain foods
  6. overeating
    • saturates mitochondria
    • causes mitochondria to fragment and not talk to each other
  7. feeling depressed
    • people who experience depression aren’t able to efficiently use lipids and have lower mitochondrial function
    • Acetyl-L-Carnitine increases the cells’ ability to burn fat
    • Acetyl-L-Carnitine is low in people with depression
    • Acetyl-L-Carnitine supplementation helps with depression


Mitochondria Helpers:

  1. eating lipids like avocados and olive oil
    • lipids are the cleanest things that mitochondria can burn
    • mitochondria are great at eating and burning lipids
  2. consuming antioxidants like coffee and tea
  3. intermittent fasting
  4. taking walks/moving
  5. getting out in the sunshine
  6. hanging out with people who stimulate you
  7. focusing on a stimulating project that keeps you motivated and inspired
  8. good moods
    • the day after your good mood, mitochondria have a greater ability to make energy
    • mood and psychological states affect mitochondria
    • to perform at your best, find a way to be happy because having highly functioning mitochondria means that you’ll have more energy
  9. feeling gratitude
  10. 30 seconds of cold water against the face and chest at the end of a shower




    1. You’re welcome! 😊 It’s amazing how science takes the stigma out of these issues. Our bodies are functioning at the highest level that they can. Sometimes we’re just missing a key component that could change everything.

      Liked by 1 person

Leave a Reply to healthhotspot9 Cancel reply


You are commenting using your account. Log Out /  Change )

Google photo


Twitter picture


Facebook photo


Connecting to %s