If you’ve ever wondered why your energy fluctuates, why recovery feels harder than it used to, or why certain workouts feel effortless one day and difficult the next, the answer often lies in your mitochondria. These tiny powerhouses quietly influence almost every aspect of your health and longevity.
At Jyzen, we focus on bio-optimization, which is just a fancy way of saying we help your body perform at its best while also protecting and regenerating your health. Central to that goal is understanding your mitochondria. Think of them as the batteries in your phone: their health determines how long you can go between recovering, how efficiently you create energy, and how well you recover after exertion. In your body, that battery affects every aspect of your life—from energy levels and mental clarity to disease resistance and the quality of your later years.
Why Mitochondrial Health Matters
Most people think about metabolism as calories in, calories out, or perhaps as weight management. But metabolism is much more than that. It’s about how efficiently your cells generate energy, how they respond to stress, and how they adapt to challenges. Mitochondria are at the core of this process. They convert the food you eat, the energy you’ve stored, and the oxygen you breathe into energy your cells can use. Healthy mitochondria make you resilient; poorly functioning mitochondria leave you fatigued, mentally foggy, and more susceptible to chronic disease.
So how do you know how your mitochondria are doing? There are countless tests out there, but the single best way to understand your cellular energy system is through exercise testing—specifically, VO2 Max testing. And no, the measurement your smartwatch or fitness ring gives you isn’t enough. Those devices offer a ballpark figure based on age, sex, and occasional heart rate measurements. They can be fun and motivating, but they don’t tell the full story about your cellular energy, recovery potential, or mitochondrial efficiency.
VO2 Max: More Than Just a Number
VO2 Max is a measure of the maximum amount of oxygen your body can utilize during intense exercise. Traditionally, athletes use it to gauge cardiovascular fitness. But at Jyzen, we use VO2 Max testing as a window into your metabolism and mitochondrial function.
When you undergo the test, you wear a mask that measures every breath of oxygen and carbon dioxide you exchange. The test allows us to track exactly how efficiently your mitochondria are using fuel throughout exercise. It’s not just about the peak number; it’s about understanding the detailed story of your energy systems at work.
Consider this: two people can have almost identical VO2 Max numbers, but their metabolic profiles might look entirely different. One person might generate energy efficiently with minimal fuel and moderate heart rate, while the other might require more calories and higher heart rates to achieve the same output. That tells us so much about how their mitochondria are functioning and where optimization is needed.
The Power of Personalized Metabolic Insight
At Jyzen, we don’t just stop at VO2 Max. We dive deep into every factor that influences your mitochondrial health:
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Fuel utilization: Are you burning fat efficiently, or relying too heavily on carbohydrates?
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Lactate thresholds: How well does your body use lactate as a fuel and how quickly do you regenerate that fuel?
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Recovery potential: How fast can your energy systems reset after exertion?
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Environmental and lifestyle factors: From toxins and stress to gut health and sleep, all of these impact mitochondrial efficiency.
This data allows us to craft highly personalized plans. One individual might benefit from targeted endurance training to improve mitochondrial capacity, while another might need nutritional optimization or therapies to support recovery and cellular regeneration. It’s all about knowing your “battery specs” and designing a plan to charge it optimally.
Real-Life Examples
I recently worked with two women who had nearly identical VO2max readings. On paper, they looked similar. But when we examined their metabolic data during “Threshold” exercise—the level of exertion where you can maintain effort for a long time without exhaustion—their profiles diverged.
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Woman A generated the power to move at 5.5 miles per hour, at a heart rate of 150, utilizing 5-6 calories per minute from carbohydrates. Her battery was strong, efficient, and responsive.
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Woman B, at the same metabolic effort, moved at 4.9 miles per hour, at a significantly higher heart rate, but with lower usage of carbohydrates. Her mitochondria were less efficient in endurance conditions.
If you had looked only at their VO2 Max numbers from a smartwatch, you’d think they were identical. But this deeper analysis allowed us to tailor their training, nutrition, and recovery protocols uniquely. That’s the power of understanding your mitochondria in detail.
Beyond Exercise: The Whole-Body Approach
Optimizing your mitochondria isn’t just about working out. Your metabolism is influenced by every system in your body. At Jyzen, we take a comprehensive approach that includes:
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Nutrition and absorption: Are you getting the right substrates for energy production?
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Toxin management: Environmental toxins can impair mitochondrial function.
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Gut health: Your microbiome influences how efficiently your body uses energy.
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Stress management: Chronic stress affects cellular energy and recovery.
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Therapies to enhance recovery: This may include regenerative therapies, peptide support, or other targeted interventions.
We combine this data with wearable tracking, continuous glucose monitoring, detailed labs, and microbiome testing to create a blueprint for improvement. This isn’t a cookie-cutter plan—it’s a highly individualized approach that maximizes both longevity and quality of life.
Introducing the 90-Day Metabolic Reset Program
To help people put this understanding into action, we’ve developed our 90-Day Metabolic Reset Program. The goal is simple: give you the tools and support to optimize your metabolism, strengthen your mitochondria, and improve your energy and resilience.
Here’s how it works:
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Baseline testing: VO2max, resting metabolism, lab work, CGM, and microbiome analysis to understand your starting point.
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Personalized plan: Nutrition, exercise, recovery, and therapies tailored to your unique mitochondrial profile.
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Ongoing support: Weekly check-ins, adjustments, and coaching to ensure progress.
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Reassessment: At the end of 90 days, we repeat tests to measure improvement, recalibrate your program, and celebrate your progress.
This program isn’t just about longevity—it’s about increasing the number of quality years you have, improving disease resistance, mental clarity, and energy. Studies have consistently shown that metrics obtained from comprehensive exercise testing correlate not just with lifespan, but with healthspan—how many years you live well, free from disease, and fully engaged with life.
Why It Matters
At the end of the day, our goal is simple: we want you to feel energetic, resilient, and capable of living life to the fullest. By understanding your mitochondrial health, you gain a roadmap for optimizing your body’s most fundamental energy systems.
When your mitochondria function well, you rest better, think clearly, recover quickly, and interact more positively with those around you. You fight off illness more effectively and maintain independence and vitality for longer. That’s the real power of bio-optimization.
Partnering in Your Health
One of the most common things I hear from patients is: “I’m fascinated by all this, but I need guidance. I need a partner in my health journey.” That’s exactly what we provide at Jyzen. We’re here to be that partner—guiding you through the complexities of metabolism, mitochondrial function, and overall bio-optimization.
Whether it’s through exercise testing, personalized nutrition plans, targeted therapies, or continuous monitoring, we take the mystery out of health optimization. Our mission is to empower you with the knowledge and tools to improve not just how long you live, but how well you live.
Take the Next Step
If you’re curious about your metabolism, interested in optimizing your mitochondrial function, or want to learn how your body generates and uses energy, I encourage you to explore our VO2max testing and the 90-Day Metabolic Reset Program at Jyzen. It’s a deep dive into your body’s energy systems and a step toward living your healthiest, most energetic life.
At Jyzen, we combine advanced science with personalized care. We gather the data, interpret it, and give you actionable steps to strengthen your battery—your mitochondria—so you can live with energy, clarity, and vitality.
Your mitochondria are the engine that powers your life. Let’s make sure it’s running at its absolute best.
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Watch Dr. Harris's speak on this topic at the Ageless Evolution Summit here.