In this episode of Longevity Roadmap, host Buck Joffrey interviews Dr. Mark Tarnopolsky, a clinician-scientist and world-leading expert in mitochondrial medicine. Tarnopolsky, who holds both an MD and PhD, discusses how maintaining mitochondrial function is crucial to healthy ageing—and reveals the science behind his own multi-ingredient "mitochondrial cocktail."

Key Points:

Dr. Mark Tarnopolsky makes a compelling case that healthy mitochondria are key to slowing ageing—and that exercise remains the gold standard intervention. While targeted supplements may help, they must be backed by rigorous science, not hype.

• Mitochondria as the Heart of Ageing: Mitochondria, the cell’s powerhouses, degrade over time—losing the ability to produce energy efficiently. This dysfunction contributes to ageing symptoms such as fatigue, muscle loss, inflammation, and even neurodegenerative diseases.
• Oxidative Stress: Friend and Foe: While mitochondria produce harmful reactive oxygen species (ROS), small bursts—such as from exercise—can actually stimulate repair and improve mitochondrial health. Overuse of antioxidants may block these beneficial effects.
• Exercise: The Best Mitochondrial Medicine: Regular endurance and resistance exercise is proven to improve mitochondrial function, even reversing some age-related decline. Tarnopolsky emphasizes that it’s the most reliable method to enhance healthspan and lifespan.
• The Mitochondrial Cocktail: Tarnopolsky developed a multi-ingredient supplement (including CoQ10, alpha-lipoic acid, and vitamin E) that showed significant benefits in patients with mitochondrial diseases—lowering oxidative stress and improving metabolic markers.
• Caution Against Oversimplified Supplements: He warns that many trendy products (like mitoQ, NAC, and urolithin A) lack strong human trial data. Tarnopolsky stresses that only well-designed, multi-compound strategies tested in humans are likely to offer real mitochondrial benefits.