
Mitochondria: The Key to Mental Health | Dr Ana Andreazza
From Degrees of Health by Benjamin Hopkins
May 5, 2026 · 58 min · Episode 107
About this episode
Dr. Ana Andreazza discusses the role of mitochondria in mental health and mood disorders.
What if the root of mental illness isn’t all in your head but in your cells? Dr. Ana Andreazza is leading one of the most exciting shifts in psychiatric science: away from neurotransmitters and towards the mighty mitochondria. In this episode, she and Ben explore the metabolic foundations of mood disorders, how lactate and ketones impact the brain and why most psychiatric medications only form part of the picture. From bipolar disorder and inflammation to mitochondrial transplants and brain organoids, Ana is at the forefront of rethinking how we treat, prevent and understand mental illness. We cover: 🧬 Why mitochondria might be the missing link in mental illness 🔥 How lactate and inflammation can trigger mania and mood swings 🥦 Why nutrition is still missing from most psychiatric care ⚡ The link between energy metabolism and neurotransmitters 🥼 What mitochondrial transplants could mean for brain health 🥑 The promise of ketones in bipolar and mood regulation 💊 Why we need both meds and metabolic interventions Find Ana: More about Ana's work - https://mito2i.ca Papers & Research: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ana-Andreazza…
People in this episode
Host: Benjamin Hopkins
Guest: Dr Ana Andreazza
Topics covered
- mental health
- mitochondria
- mood disorders
- psychiatric science
- nutrition
- energy metabolism
Keywords
- mitochondria
- mental illness
- bipolar disorder
- lactate
- ketones
- psychiatric medications
- nutrition
- energy metabolism
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: mito2i.ca, ResearchGate
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