What Are Mitochondria?

Mitochondria are tiny structures located within nearly all cells of the body. They are the parts of the cell that are primarily responsible for creating energy. They do this by generating adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is the essential “fuel” that drives all of the body’s functions. For this reason, mitochondria are often described as the “powerhouse” of the cell.

Symptoms of Mitochondrial Dysfunction
Cells of the brain and muscle are among those that require a lot of energy, so they have a particularly high density of mitochondria to support their energy needs. When mitochondria aren’t working well, these are often the parts of the body to show signs of poor function.

When mitochondria are not functioning well, a wide variety of symptoms can emerge, including:

• Developmental delay or regression
  Language impairment
  Social impairment
  Intellectual disability
  Neuropsychiatric symptoms (ADHD, anxiety, OCD, depression)
  Seizures
  Headaches
  Hearing impairment
  Weakness
  Small stature
  Fatigue
  Gastrointestinal symptoms
  Endocrine disturbance