In today's longevity-gripped era, conversations keep circling back to the same thing: mitochondria, the currency of our energy.
“Mitochondria is how we run,” Professor Caitriona Ryan, consultant dermatologist, says. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, in the simplest explanation, they are organelles – small structures within our cells that produce almost all the energy our bodies need to survive. “Beyond influencing how energetic we feel, it determines the functioning of our tissues – especially those that are metabolically demanding: your brain, your heart, your muscle, your skin.”
Given this, mitochondrial dysfunction is a core hallmark of aging. “As we get older, they become fewer, slower, and leakier, creating more cellular waste as they go,” explains functional medicine practitioner Rose Ferguson. Less energy, slower recovery, foggier thinking, and skin that’s lost its bounce? “Lots of it traces back to mitochondria not pulling their weight.”
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While age brings a steady decline in NAD+ – a coenzyme mitochondria rely on to keep energy production running smoothly – lifestyle can accelerate that depletion. “Some key culprits chip away at mitochondrial function over time,” says cosmetic dermatologist Dr Sam Bunting: “UV exposure generates free radicals that damage mitochondrial DNA directly. Pollution and everyday oxidative stress add to that load, and poor sleep and chronic inflammation play their part too, draining cellular reserves.”
None of this is new biology. So why has mitochondria suddenly entered the cultural vernacular? The inside-out rebranding of anti-aging is a major driver. On the one hand, capitalism is steering the car, seen via viral supplement trends, Professor Ryan notes: “NAD+, Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), creatine – all of them are important for mitochondrial function”. Underpinning it, though, are pockets of new research, Ferguson says. “This is the exciting part”.
Take Urolithin A, shown in a growing series of clinical trials to directly benefit mitochondrial function. Using the compound herself and with clients in clinic, Ferguson cites evidence that “it helps the body clear worn out mitochondria and regenerate healthier ones.” Urolithin A features in Professor Ryan’s new “healthspan complex” ID Formulas – an advanced longevity supplement – and is also harnessed in Lancôme’s Absolue Longevity MD skincare range. Powered by Mitopure (a pure form of Urolithin A), the elixirs aim to re-energize mitochondria through cellular renewal.
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For Dr Bunting, mitochondrial health has been the missing link in optimum skincare. It represents, she says, “a new frontier in skin longevity.” Many of the products in her own skincare range contain niacinamide – a precursor to NAD+ – but she also discovered that sunflower shoot extract, central to her Flawless Moisturiser Intense, “reduces DNA damage and protects skin cells’ energy output under UV stress.” Other dermatologists have recently published research showing that daily use of a combined SPF 50 with stacked antioxidant technology can do the same. In the study, The Dayscript by Klira delivered one and a half times greater mitochondrial protection versus SPF alone. So not only can skincare defend the mitochondria you have, it can support how efficiently they make energy.
Ferguson also points to hormesis – “the useful kind of stress” – as a way to train healthier mitochondria. “Sauna and cold exposure both put the system under a bit of pressure that makes mitochondria more resilient, and it’s a big part of why heat and cold therapy get so much airtime.” In addition, red light therapy is “great for supporting mitochondrial function right at the cellular level,” she says.
Still, the basics matter most, and exercise, sleep, and nutrition (in that order) sit at the center of mitochondrial health. “Exercise is by far the most robust intervention that there is,” says Professor Ryan, given that it activates PGC-1α, leading to better functioning mitochondria. “A mix of zone two cardio, like swimming or cycling, and resistance training is the combo that you want,” Ferguson adds.
“Sleep supports overnight repair of mitochondria and the clearance processes of all the debris,” Professor Ryan continues. And, when it comes to diet, before diving into supplements, “eating antioxidant-rich [foods] could really help.” How you eat matters too, Ferguson notes. “Leaving proper gaps between meals rather than grazing all day gives the body a chance to clear out its damaged mitochondria instead of just handling the next snack.”
And if you do want to supplement your diet, look beyond NAD+, which is a large molecule and harder for the body to absorb. Instead nicotinamide (the same vitamin B3 labeled as niacinamide in skincare) along with CoQ10, creatine, and astaxanthin are good options. But, as Professor Ryan stresses, “more important than that, always, is your own diet.” Mediterranean style it is.
