Longevity & AgingWhy Mitochondrial Resilience — Not Just Function — Determines How You Age
Mitochondria, the power plants of our cells, are often blamed for aging, but 'mitochondrial dysfunction' is a vague label. This review argues that what matters is resilience: can mitochondria keep themselves intact, adjust to changing demands, and bounce back after stress? The author calls this 'homeodynamics' and shows that aging erodes these abilities differently in muscle, brain, immune cells, and stem cells. Damaged mitochondria can also leak DNA and RNA that trigger chronic inflammation. Of the interventions reviewed, exercise has the strongest human evidence. Calorie restriction, NAD+ boosters, mitophagy-supporting compounds, and mitochondria-targeted drugs show mixed, outcome-specific results. No mitochondrial intervention has been shown to slow aging or extend lifespan in healthy people. The review calls for tests that measure recovery after a challenge, not just resting levels.
