Mitochondria and the Future of Medicine: The Key to Understanding Disease, Chronic Illness, Aging, and Life Itself

by Lee Know

Overview

"From infertility to aging to cancer and neurological disease, Dr. Lee Know will teach you that mitochondria play a central role in much that we care about in health and disease."—Stephanie Seneff, senior research scientist, MIT and author of Toxic Legacy 

With information for patients and practitioners on optimizing mitochondrial function for greater health and longevity

Why do we age? Why does cancer develop? What's the connection between heart failure and Alzheimer's disease, or infertility and hearing loss? Can we extend lifespan, and if so, how? What is the Exercise Paradox? Why do antioxidant supplements sometimes do more harm than good? Many will be amazed to learn that all these questions, and many more, can be answered by a single point of discussion: mitochondria and bioenergetics.

In Mitochondria and the Future of Medicine, Naturopathic Doctor Lee Know tells the epic story of mitochondria, the widely misunderstood and often-overlooked powerhouses of our cells. The legendary saga began over two billion years ago, when one bacterium entered another without being digested, which would evolve to create the first mitochondrion. Since then, for life to exist beyond single-celled bacteria, it's the mitochondria that have been responsible for this life-giving energy. By understanding how our mitochondria work, in fact, it is possible to add years to our lives, and life to our years.

Current research, however, has revealed a dark side: many seemingly disconnected degenerative diseases have tangled roots in dysfunctional mitochondria. However, modern research has also endowed us with the knowledge on how to optimize its function, which is of critical importance to our health and longevity.

Dr. Know offers cutting-edge information on supplementation and lifestyle changes for mitochondrial optimization and how to implement their use successfully, including:

• CoQ10
• D-Ribose
• Cannabinoids
• Ketogenic dietary therapy
• and more! 

Mitochondria and the Future of Medicine is an invaluable resource for practitioners interested in mitochondrial medicine and the true roots of chronic illness and disease, as well as anyone interested in optimizing their health.

"Dr. Lee Know does a brilliant job shedding light on this once ignored organelle and shows us how to care for our most important metabolic system."—Dr. Nasha Winters, co-author of The Metabolic Approach to Cancer

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781603587679
Publisher:	Chelsea Green Publishing
Publication date:	02/28/2018
Pages:	272
Sales rank:	325,016
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Lee Know, ND, is a licensed naturopathic doctor based out of Canada, and the recipient of several awards. Known by his peers to be a strategic and forward-thinking entrepreneur and researcher, he has held positions as medical advisor, scientific evaluator, and director of research and development for major organizations. Besides managing Scientific Affairs for his own company, he also currently serves as a consultant to the natural-health-products and dietary-supplements industries, and serves on the editorial advisory board for Canada's most-read natural health magazine. He calls the Greater Toronto Area home, where he lives with his common-law partner and their two sons, and has a particular interest in promoting natural health and environmental stewardship.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 The Force: The Origins and Evolution of Mitochondria in Human Physiology 1

Let's Review Some Cell Biology 6

The Evolution of the Eukaryotic Cell 9

Mitochondria: They Are the Force 12

The Basics of Mitochondria 15

The Basics of Cellular Respiration and Oxidative Phosphorylation 17

A Game of Hot Potato: The Electron Transport Chain (ETC) 19

ATP Synthase: Coupling the ETC with Oxidative Phosphorylation 26

Mitochondrial DNA: A Curious Relic of Ancient History 28

A Radical Signal: The Positive Side of Free Radicals 34

Mitochondrial Mutations: The Beginning of the End 37

Discarded Theories of Aging 43

The Mitochondrial Theory of Aging 47

Extending Maximum Life Span in Mammals 53

Degenerative Diseases and the Eventual End 54

It's Getting Hot in Here: Uncoupling the Proton Gradient 57

Chapter 2 The Dark Side of the Force: Health Conditions Linked to Mitochondrial Dysfunction 63

A Review of Bioenergetics 64

Food and Oxygen: The Ingredients for Producing Energy 66

ATP Production and Turnover 68

The Role of Mitochondria in Cardiovascular Disease 71

The Role of Mitochondria in the Nervous System, Brain, and Cognitive Health 75

Mitochondrial Involvement in Neurodegeneration 78

Depression 85

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Pay Attention to the Mitochondria 86

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, and Fibromyalgia 89

Type 2 Diabetes 90

Mitochondrial Diabetes 94

Medication-Induced Mitochondrial Damage and Disease 94

Mitochondrial Disease 98

When Mitochondrial Disease Is the Primary Disease 105

Treating Mitochondrial Disease 107

Age-Related Hearing Loss 110

Mitochondria, Aging Skin, and Wrinkles 111

Infertility and Mitochondria 113

Eye-Related Diseases 117

Stem Cells Require Healthy Mitochondria 119

Cancers: Understanding the Causes Brings Us One Step Closer to Cures 120

Aging as a Disease 123

Chapter 3 Nurturing the Force: Nutritional and Lifestyle Factors to Improve Mitochondrial Health 127

How Do the Birds Do It? 127

D-Ribose 132

Pyrroloquinoline Quinone (PQQ) 139

Coenzyme Q10 144

L-Carnitine 153

Magnesium 157

Alpha-Lipoic Acid 159

Creatine 161

B Vitamins 163

Iron 167

Resveratrol and Pterostilbene 168

Ketogenic Diets and Calorie Restriction 170

Massage and Hydrotherapy 177

Cannabis and Phytocannabinoids 178

Exercise and Physical Activity 180

Pulling It All Together 185

Acknowledgments 187

Glossary 189

Bibliography 193

Figure Credits 244

Index 245

Editorial Reviews

The topic of mitochondria may seem dry and uninteresting to the uninitiated, but this book makes mitochondria come to life with vivid descriptions accessible even to those with no training in biology. From infertility to aging to cancer and neurological disease, Dr. Lee Know will teach you that mitochondria play a central role in much that we care about in health and disease.”—Stephanie Seneff, PhD, senior research scientist, MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory

“In 1991, when faced with my own health challenges, mitochondria became front and center in my quest for health. Over the last two and a half decades, more and more researchers and clinicians are finding themselves interested in these little powerhouses and proclaiming themselves ‘mitochondriacs.’ Dr. Lee Know does a brilliant job shedding light on this once ignored organelle and shows us how to care for our most important metabolic system.”—Dr. Nasha Winters, co-author of The Metabolic Approach to Cancer

“Mitochondria and the Future of Medicine is a tour de force of mitochondria and human health. When it comes to curing chronic disease and extending longevity, it’s not an understatement to say that the content of this book will be shaping the future of medicine.”—Ari Whitten, best-selling author and creator of The Energy Blueprint

“In Mitochondria and the Future of Medicine, Dr. Lee Know takes the mystery out of the evolving science surrounding mitochondria. Here, he clearly and concisely describes mitochondrial structure and function while presenting us with multiple examples of why healthy mitochondria are so crucial to our overall health. Without conjecture or overreach, Dr. Know also provides the rationale behind nutritional strategies that have great potential to improve the status of our mitochondria, a central tenet of healthy aging.”—Miriam Kalamian, author of Keto for Cancer

From the Publisher