Mitochondrial Dysfunction: A Functional Medicine Approach to Aging and Diseases

Book excerpt: Mitochondria are double-membrane-bound organelles found in eukaryotic cells. They build cable-like structures and deliver energy to cells with the help of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) process. Aging causes a wide range of interrelated conditions and is also a leading cause of various human diseases. The age-associated changes in mitochondria are linked with deterioration in mitochondrial function. The accumulation of oxidative damage and mutations caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial functionality, and DNA volume and integrity decline with age. Mitochondrial dysfunction includes an increase in oxidative damage and a reduction in oxidative capacity, and plays a significant role in biological aging. The accumulation of dysfunctional mitochondria occurs in all the tissues with aging, including brain, liver and skeletal muscle. These dysfunctional mitochondria are marked and removed through an autophagic process named mitophagy. Mitochondrial dysfunction occurs in many neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington's disease (HD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson's disease (PD), Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). This book explores all the important aspects of mitochondrial dysfunction and its impact on aging and diseases. Experts and students actively engaged in researches on mitochondrial dysfunction will find it full of crucial and unexplored concepts.