Joe Rogan Experience #2420 - Chris Masterjohn
Joe Rogan sits down with nutritional biochemist Chris Masterjohn to discuss mitochondrial function as the root cause of aging and disease. The episode covers evidence-based strategies for optimizing energy production at the cellular level, from supplementation and light therapy to exercise and nutrition, with Masterjohn challenging common wellness myths and emphasizing personalized approaches over blanket recommendations.
Key takeaways
- • Mitochondrial function declines roughly 1% per year from age 18-70, but 75% of this decline is controllable through lifestyle, meaning individuals can significantly outperform or underperform the average aging trajectory.
- • Creatine monohydrate distributes mitochondrial energy throughout cells and shows promise for cognitive function, sleep deprivation recovery, and traumatic brain injury healing—most people eating less than 1-2 pounds of meat daily should consider supplementing.
- • Red light and near-infrared light directly improve mitochondrial energy production and may reverse macular degeneration; morning sunlight exposure is critical for signaling mitochondria to wake up and optimize daily energy metabolism.
- • The energy-to-anxiety ratio and libido are better markers of true health than absence of disease; losing control over energy distribution (manifesting as anxiety) indicates declining mitochondrial function even without feeling tired. []
- • CoQ10 shows a narrow therapeutic window (100-200mg optimal for most people) and can cause adverse effects at higher doses; eating heart from nose-to-tail animal consumption is a superior food-first approach to supplementation.
- • Mega-dosing supplements without understanding mitochondrial blockages can worsen function; testing glucose, ketones, and lactate at home provides real-time feedback on whether interventions help or harm mitochondrial function.
- • Gymnasts and pole vaulters live 6-8 years longer than cyclists despite similar fitness, suggesting that functional movement diversity, inverted positions, and full-body coordination may confer longevity benefits beyond cardiorespiratory fitness alone. []
Recommendations (10)
"I started doing red light about a year and a half, two years ago. Got a red light bed and completely stopped whatever macular degeneration I was going through"
Joe Rogan · ▶ 7:47
"everyone who's not eating one or two pounds of meat per day should probably be taking creatine"
Chris Masterjohn · ▶ 28:36
"you can get like a lux meter app and just some people think that it's there's no sun outside but actually it's like a hundred times brighter than indoors"
Chris Masterjohn · ▶ 15:21
"if you use a lux meter and it's like under 10,000, you could get a light therapy light at home to use"
Chris Masterjohn · ▶ 15:43
"So you should try adding some nutritional yeast to the dishes that you want to impart a cheesy flavor to which is what nutritional yeast tastes like because nutritional yeast is really high in thia..."
Chris Masterjohn · ▶ 1:18:41
"I personally add in a quarter teaspoon of kelp powder to my food prepped meals per day. It's just always in there. I fortify my own food myself instead of letting the government do it."
Chris Masterjohn · ▶ 2:01:02
"I take a supplement from Pure Encapsulations. No affiliations with them. I just buy it. It's called macular support"
Joe Rogan · ▶ 8:11
"Nattokinase is an enzyme that helps break down blood clots. If you're one of the people who are a candidate for getting a heart attack or stroke, having taken 20,000 IU of nattokinase that day may ..."
Chris Masterjohn · ▶ 2:17:06
Mentioned (7)
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