Dr. Chris Palmer Talks Mitopure on Huberman Lab

Disclaimer: Mitopure (Urolithin A) has not been clinically studied to treat mood disorders. The content of this blog represents the independent opinion of Dr. Chris Palmer.

Dr. Chris Palmer was recently interviewed on the Andrew Huberman podcast, where they dive deep into how mitochondrial dysfunction can drive everything from mood disorders to hormone imbalance and aging.

Dr. Palmer is a renowned psychiatrist and a leading expert in the intersection of metabolic health and mental illness. As a faculty member at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Palmer has spent years researching how mitochondrial efficiency affects mental health.

During their in-depth conversation about mental health, Dr. Palmer and Huberman dive into mitophagy, the cellular process of recycling damaged mitochondria. Both experts agree that optimizing mitophagy is essential for maintaining cognitive function and well-being.

At Timeline, we’re especially excited about this conversation. Our proprietary bioactive Mitopure® is clinically proven to promote mitophagy^[1] and is the cornerstone of our oral and topical products!

For those who missed it, here are some highlights from the conversation.

Mitochondria: More Than a Powerhouse

Dr. Palmer: "20 years ago or so, I think the majority of research scientists thought of mitochondria as nothing more than little batteries... But actually, their real function is the motherboard of that computer."

This analogy reframes the foundational role of mitochondria in biology. Far from being passive power providers, mitochondria are the decision-makers inside our cells. They influence everything from resource allocation to complex behaviors in neurons.

Dr. Palmer: "Mitochondria are actually the primary regulator of epigenetics… they’re responsible for the expression of about 60% of the genes in a cell."

The influence of mitochondria goes all the way to epigenetic expression, another ^[2]hallmark of aging. By modulating oxidative stress and intracellular signaling, mitochondria impact how our genes are expressed, shaping everything from development to aging to disease.

The Connection Between Mitochondria and Mental Health

In his book, Brain Energy, Dr. Palmer explores groundbreaking insights into how our brain’s energy systems impact psychiatric disorders. With an academic background in both psychiatry and neuroscience, Dr. Palmer has become a trailblazer in understanding how mitochondrial dysfunction is closely linked to conditions such as depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder.

Throughout the podcast, the discussion emphasized the link between mitochondrial health and mental function. Clearly, both Dr. Palmer and Huberman believe that mitochondrial health is critical to cognitive health, mental wellbeing, and longevity.

Dr. Palmer: “Mitochondria play a direct role in the production, release, and regulation of some really key neurotransmitters, including serotonin, dopamine, glutamate, acetylcholine. Those are pretty powerful neurotransmitters.”

Huberman: “Yeah, I would call those… the sort of primary colors of neurotransmission. Any one of those in excess or deficiency is going to have profound negative effects on a nervous system... Or it's going to alter the way that people and animals feel, think, move, remember, et cetera."

Chemical imbalances associated with mental illness may originate from an energetic imbalance. Dr. Palmer discusses how optimizing mitochondrial health could stabilize neurotransmission more effectively than traditional pharmacology.

Dr. Palmer: “I believe once you understand the science of mitochondria, you can actually connect all of the dots of the mental illness puzzle.”

How Mitochondria Influence Hormone Health

This influence doesn’t stop at brain chemistry. Mitochondria also regulate hormone production, with widespread effects across physical and emotional health.^[3]

Dr. Palmer: “Mitochondria actually have the enzyme required for the synthesis of steroid hormones. So that includes cortisol, estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone… if mitochondria are in short supply or dysfunctional, the production of those hormones may become dysregulated.”

Mitochondrial Dysfunction, Inflammation, and Aging

Dr. Palmer: “Mitochondria play a direct role in inflammation. And they turn the inflammatory system both on… and off.”

Dr. Palmer: “When you inhibit mitochondrial function, those [inflammatory] cells don't turn off, that mitochondrial levels of reactive oxygen species are a key signaling process to turn the inflammatory cell process off.”

This quote links mitochondrial dysfunction to systemic inflammation, a significant driver of aging and chronic disease.^[4]

Dr. Palmer: “David Sinclair published a paper… defective mitochondria or defective mitochondrial function, mitochondrial dysfunction, is possibly the unifying cause of aging and all of the aging-related disorders.”

Huberman: “You've got me sold on mitochondria, not that I needed to be sold. But that's an easy yes, absolutely, yes.”

The Importance of Mitophagy for Physical and Mental Health

Once the importance of mitochondrial health was established, the conversion shifted to mitophagy.

Dr. Palmer: “So mitophagy is trying to address all that… We don't want defective mitochondria and how can we get rid of old ones or defective ones and replace them with new ones?”

Dr. Palmer: “Mitophagy we know plays a really important role because… mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with everything that ails us, essentially.”

Huberman: "I actually wasn’t aware that mitophagy could be such an important lever."

Mitophagy is the body’s built-in mitochondrial quality control, and it becomes even more critical as we age. However, as we age, this process starts to slow down.

Urolithin A: A Clinically Validated Supplement for Mitochondrial Health

As the conversation between Dr. Palmer and Huberman unfolded, one specific compound came up: Urolithin A.

Huberman: “There is a supplement called Urolithin A that people seem really excited about for improving mitochondrial function...”

Dr. Palmer: “There is a company Timeline that puts out this product, and to their credit, they have actually done some pretty well-designed, robust randomized controlled trials on Urolithin A… so Urolithin A is definitely a supplement among all of the supplements that should be considered.”

Both experts emphasized that no supplement replaces lifestyle fundamentals. Diet, sleep, and movement are non-negotiable pillars of health. Supplements, however, can meaningfully augment those pillars, especially in individuals with significant health challenges.

Dr. Palmer: My sense is just a clean diet and good sleep and good exercise is not going to be sufficient. And then we do need to start thinking about this supplement, or methylene blue infusion, or even neurostimulation.”

Huberman: "The old advice, as we exit this conversation about supplements, that if you just eat a balanced diet, you're good, doesn't work anymore."

At Timeline, we’ve spent over 15 years studying Urolithin A, ensuring purity, bioavailability, and efficacy. That work led to the development of Mitopure, our proprietary form of Urolithin A, the first bioactive clinically proven to enhance cellular energy via mitophagy.^[5] Our mission is simple: to improve health by targeting mitochondrial decline and mitophagy, one of the root causes of aging.

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Conclusion

Dr. Chris Palmer and Dr. Andrew Huberman make one thing clear: mitochondria are far more than cellular powerhouses. They are intelligent regulators of everything from neurotransmitter production and hormone synthesis to epigenetic expression, inflammation, and the cellular stress response.

Through highlighting mitophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis as key outcomes of specific nutritional interventions like ketogenic diets, fasting-mimicking protocols, and quality supplments, Dr. Palmer reveals a hopeful path forward for addressing chronic mental illness. His view is bold and data-driven: mental health may ultimately hinge on the health and turnover of our mitochondria.

At Timeline, we’re proud to be at the forefront of this shift with clinically validated interventions that support mitophagy and mitochondrial health at the cellular level. Healthier mitochondria mean healthier everything, from energy to mood to longevity.

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