You’re Treating the Wrong Problem
In a Nutshell
Serotonin is misrepresented as a brain mood booster by SSRI marketing; it primarily drives mitochondrial adaptations to oxygen deficits, while SSRIs and benzodiazepines act as misunderstood mitochondrial drugs, forcing constant stimulation without rest cycles, leading to long-term dysfunction and protracted withdrawal mimicking Parkinson's (parkinsonism) from energy deficits. Host's family chronic illnesses—inflammation, mental health crashes post-Enbrel/SSRIs, supplement intolerance, sulfur toxicity on meat diets—stem from mitochondrial dysfunction causing toxic metabolite buildup, fixable via carnitine-rich red meat (e.g., lion diet), low-dose folinic acid, and avoiding methylation excess. Chris Masterjohn's Mitoome tests pinpoint unique nutritional needs (e.g., CoQ10, B vitamins via organ meats); top mitochondrial supports: nutrition, sunlight, exercise, sleep cycles, fasting-feeding; binders like cholestyramine aid toxin clearance and boost mito components.
These notes were generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies.
The idea that serotonin primarily acts in the brain on neurons to boost mood and make you happy is nonsense, stemming from a marketing campaign due to SSRIs in the 80s. Chris Masterjohn has a PhD in nutritional sciences and uses it to help people harness nutrition for vibrant health. Mitochondrial function declines 1% per year with age, the major driver of aging.
SSRIs are mitochondrial drugs in ways prescribers don't understand. Benzodiazepines are too. They force constant stimulation without cycling between stimulation, rest, and recovery. Host recalls first SSRI experience: "I can breathe."
Host's dad has been very ill; SSRIs and withdrawal treated with clonazepam caused neurological injury mimicking Parkinson's but not Parkinson's. Family has chronic health issues back to great-grandparents. Host clued into mitochondrial dysfunction recently due to dad's multifaceted illness. Discovered Chris via Mad in America podcast transcript.
Chris Masterjohn, PhD in nutritional sciences, has spent decades helping people use nutrition for health. Realized driving force behind all health and disease is mitochondria's ability to convert food energy into ATP for body maintenance, repair, distribution. Runs Mitoome mitochondrial testing company. Time split between new research, reanalyzing centuries-old research, developing strategies with/without testing.
Tests focus on actionable, unique insights, not just good/bad. Aims for one-in-a-hundred advice per person. Mitochondria convert food to energy using oxygen via specific engines with nutritional requirements (e.g., vitamins). Measures performance around CoQ10 to assess unique needs.
Transformative all-meat diet improved host, parents' health. Research links benefits to ketosis or other factors. Got sick again in Miami from black mold, symptoms recurred despite unchanged diet, similar to prior food reactions—both impact mitochondria. Many factors negatively affect mitochondria, causing varied symptoms.
Key points: inflammatory disease in youth, Enbrel at 8 years old caused mental problems next year, SSRIs, diet fixed it, SSRI withdrawal catastrophe, red meat, low-carb, mold toxins. Common thread: mitochondrial dysfunction leads to toxic metabolite buildup from incomplete food processing.
Carnitine fixes mitochondrial toxin buildup; many have genetic blocks in making/transporting it. Red meat supplies it. TNF-alpha signals carnitine import; biologics like Enbrel block TNF-alpha, worsening mitochondria. TNF-alpha drives inflammation (e.g., arthritis, psoriasis, Crohn's) but signals underlying carnitine deficiency. Blocking it stops inflammation but impairs brain energy, leading to mental health issues.
Persistent cough led to research on T cells failing to resolve inflammation. Active T cells fuel on carbohydrate and glutamine. Lion diet (all red meat) removes carbs, supplies carnitine, reduces inflammatory demand—solves childhood issues.
Over 10 years off SSRIs, still feels best on meat; reactions lessened but present. Dad neurologically injured by SSRIs and clonazepam. Family hard time with supplements (B vitamins, CoQ10)—cause excess energy, agitation. Symptom of mitochondrial dysfunction: inability to tolerate helpful things. Tolerates folinic acid, not other B forms.
Folinic acid tolerance due to sulfur toxicity. Red meat low-carb diet high in sulfur amino acids; body makes carbs from them, increasing breakdown. Sulfur interwoven with methylation (e.g., methylfolate vs. folinic). Excess methylation breaks down sulfur amino acids, causing mitochondrial and neurotoxicity, agitation, restlessness, insomnia, restless legs. Methylfolate worsens on this diet.
Mom on same diet fine; host and dad share issues, both on SSRIs for decade for severe mental illness. Pre-SSRI, dad intolerant to B vitamins. Explanation: sulfur metabolism and methylation issues cause insomnia, anxiety, restlessness; diet predisposes.
For supplement-intolerant: analyze diet micronutrients, gently increase via food (not mega-doses). 200 mg reaction doesn't mean no need for 2 mg from diet.
Trends like high-dose thiamine (2,000 mg/day vs. 1.3 mg diet) help some but harm others. Example: woman with 10/10 fatigue improved on 1,000 mg thiamine but developed neuromuscular issues (couldn't walk straight, balance). Test showed pathway block; dumping thiamine stressed mitochondria. Stopped thiamine, slowly raised other B vitamins via food, added physical therapy. Nutrition powers exercise response; exercises restore neuromuscular function.
Organ meats (e.g., liver—high in nearly all B vitamins) and unfortified nutritional yeast. Avoid fortified foods for true food nutrients.
Host couldn't handle liver early in meat journey. Likely B vitamins (given supplement patterns), or vitamin A, copper. Specific tolerances (folinic yes, methyl no) support B vitamin issue. Start low (e.g., one liver capsule).
They ran genetic screening using sequencing.com and third-party sites for the dad, suspecting a B vitamin problem. He can't take B vitamins without skyrocketing symptoms, making him look like he needs hospitalization. Sequencing revealed methylation problems and COMT issues, but they haven't done a specific test yet. The expert agrees to arrange the mito test, which could provide more insight alongside genome sequencing. Whole genome reports are overwhelming even for experts without structured analysis; AI helps but data volume is huge.
Many of dad's symptoms resemble previous neurological damage that flared up without a medication trigger. He's careful with health except for heavy work. People on SSRIs or benzodiazepines report protracted withdrawal where original injuries resurface, lasting years for some. Average doctors rely on RCTs showing withdrawal rare, benign, and quick, but trials are 12 weeks max, while average use is 5 years. Only one placebo-controlled trial is a year long; none for 5+ years. Observational data shows worse outcomes: at 1 year, harder than 12 weeks; 2 years on, much harder; 5-12 years, catastrophically harder. Among those on SSRIs ≥1 year, 38% tried to stop but restarted because they couldn't. Many suffer protracted issues but aren't taken seriously; comments describe destroyed lives with no belief from others.
12-week trials can't generalize to 5-year use, like high-dose fish oil looking great short-term but not long-term. Many never stop SSRIs; those who do suffer unrecognized. Pharma knows trials are short but designs them that way. Human metabolism complexity means drugs have unintended effects, often primary mechanisms mislabeled as off-target. Pharma isn't fully at fault for unknowns but is for not testing long-term.
SSRI science ruined serotonin science; marketing portrayed it as brain neuron mood booster, but it's primarily for mitochondrial adaptations to oxygen deficits. Serotonin directs blood from poorly oxygenated lung areas to oxygenated ones. Hypoxia includes exercise or morning wake-up needing more oxygen. Morning sunlight raises brain serotonin for mito adaptations. Serotonin controls breathing rate via brainstem release during low oxygen. 95% of serotonin is in gut to regulate motility: food digestion uses oxygen, serotonin pushes it along to prevent hypoxia. Two weeks of SSRI causes nausea/vomiting from gut serotonin overdose. Serotonin syndrome from MAOI + SSRI causes hyperventilation. Serotonin coordinates breathing, mito energy production, proteins.
Dad took SSRIs for crippling familial depression (grandpa, great-grandpa disabled by it, bedbound). Initially helped; first effect for both dad and speaker (age 10-11) was "I can breathe," then slept a week. Symptom of depression was inability to inhale fully. Conventional view pins it on anxiety, ignoring physiological breathing control by serotonin.
Serotonin enters cells, acts on mito receptors, converts to melatonin inside mito for benefits. SSRIs block neuronal reuptake but actually block serotonin transport into cells body-wide (brain, tissues, placenta, gut), facilitating some mito adaptations but preventing others. SSRIs enter cells, act on non-serotonin receptors for cyclical stress responses, causing constant mitochondrial stimulation without rest/recovery cycles. Withdrawal leads to new-onset mito dysfunction from addiction to this signaling.
Benzo withdrawal overactivates GABA neurons, causing mito toxicity from excessive demand. Clonazepam enters mito and switches it on.
Speaker improved diet (paleo heavy meat), depression lifted, quit SSRIs quickly with withdrawal. Dad similar but worse. Post-SSRI, dad drank apple cider vinegar with sodium metabisulfite preservative, causing catastrophic reaction: no sleep 2-3 weeks, couldn't walk, green, hunched, pale, "can't breathe." Family doctor prescribed low-dose clonazepam; slept through night, normalized, returned to work.
Both have sulfur problems. Energetic crisis breaks down sulfur amino acids, producing sulfite if pathway incomplete, activating glutamate receptors. Apple cider sulfite stimulated glutamate; clonazepam activated GABA—opposing levers. SSRIs and benzos are mito drugs in misunderstood ways; toxicity possible during use, but new dysfunction more common post-withdrawal. Triggers idiosyncratic.
One case: post-withdrawal neuromuscular/urinary/electrolyte issues, lost 17 lbs muscle, couldn't travel. Mito test + genome showed blocked methyl group transport into mito due to mutation. Protocol: microdosed creatine (100mg increments to 1-5g), methylation-centric. By 6 weeks better than years; 6-8.5 months full life back; 1 year regained all muscle. Stable results over year.
Speaker tried creatine scoop, feels off but not agitated like B vitamins; microdosing interesting.
Isotope-labeled serotonin tracks entry. Isolated mito incubated with/without serotonin shows melatonin surge only with serotonin. Receptor blockers confirm actions. Multiple angles confirm picture.
Medical diagnoses are models for treatment prediction; all models false, some useful—distort reality. Many things mimic Parkinson's.
now they've come up with the term
They've come up with the term parkinsonism because other diseases cause parkinsonism but not Parkinson's. The primary animal model for Parkinson's uses the fish poison rotenone, a specific inhibitor of one mitochondrial enzyme tested on their test. Are they producing Parkinson's or just parkinsonism? It doesn't matter because neuromuscular dysfunction results from mitochondrial dysfunction—you cannot produce enough energy to control where the rest of your energy goes.
Everyone knows being energetic or active requires energy, but resting and sleeping also require energy to control energy direction. It's like ensuring Tesla batteries and gasoline get to the right places with trucks burning gas.
Characteristics of parkinsonism:
- Tremor: Cannot control if hand is relaxed or active—stuck in between.
- Rigidity: Cannot control when muscle is flexed or relaxed—stuck in between.
- Parkinson patients often cannot complete strong movements; they contract constantly unnecessarily but can't follow through with controlled contraction.
You need the top 20% of energy to control the bottom 80%. Losing it, especially in brain areas controlling movement, causes these symptoms.
Categorizing has value, but medical diagnosis misses that a copy-paste of half of two diseases creates a rare undiagnosable disease. View as continuum: what's the underlying biochemistry and how to fix it? Cannot diagnose anyone that way. With Maidome, they operate outside medical diagnosis to help people understand biochemistry and help themselves. Specialists and diagnoses have their place, but for those who don't feel great, doctor has nothing—learn about yourself to do better. Test when you've hit the wall of your knowledge, doing everything right but need missing pieces.
The more learned about autoimmunity and mental illness, the more it manifests differently in chronically ill people but treated the same way. Hospital had rheumatoid arthritis section (speaker had idiopathic arthritis) next to lupus section—if rash before arthritis, would be in lupus. Why split research into slightly different manifestations of autoimmunity with similar symptoms?
Maidome approach spot on. Treatment tricky: once figure out what's wrong, what to do?
Top five things for mitochondrial health:
- Good nutrition
- Sunlight
- Exercise
- Sleeping cycle
- Robust fasting-feeding cycle (no strong opinion on fasting, but important for mitochondrial regeneration)
Biohacking devices replace missing nature parts. Morning sunlight provides red and near-infrared light—hence red light saunas, near-infrared saunas. Use devices if more benefit from red light than sun without burning. Get morning sun (not all at noon/1pm for vitamin D); can be out couple hours without burning most places. If body benefits from higher dose, try it.
Traditional saunas beneficial: research shows general health benefits, sweating out toxins. Sauna lowers core body temperature effectively. Genetic mutations make body temperature too hot for enzymes—sauna cools body most of day, combating negative effects of mutations.
Believe in power of individual to judge empirically if things work. Don't use mindlessly—have strategy, evaluate with intuition or data.
SS-31: Largest study found not beneficial, doubled risk of side effects (e.g., more headaches)—not catastrophically bad but not good. Subgroup analysis suggested benefit for mitochondrial DNA mutations, but evidence-based medicine calls for RCT in those people. Iffy.
Disinclined until proven otherwise for non-nature-inspired things. SS-31 conceived by biochemist to target antioxidant to mitochondria. More effective peptides inspired by nature, e.g., mitochondrial peptides like MOTS-c and humanin produced by mitochondria in response to exercise.
Friends say beneficial for old/out-of-shape to break vicious cycle and start exercise. Not for 20s-50s capable of exercise—do exercise to make own peptides.
Better not to screw around with synthetics, especially after kid meds/SSRI damage. Food better friend. Binders helped: cholestyramine for mold illness, still takes occasionally—huge difference. Meat too.
Cholestyramine originally cholesterol-lowering drug, used in 1984 trial "proving" cholesterol causes heart disease. Binds bile acids for excretion. Liver makes bile acids from cholesterol, so takes cholesterol from blood and increases synthesis.
Unlike statins, increases liver's own cholesterol synthesis. Familiar with Shoemaker's work (had books 20 years ago, made own mold filter with 25" box fan, MERV 11 filter, packing tape).
In cholesterol synthesis pathway (30-40 steps, branches everywhere), end products include coenzyme Q10 and heme A (components of final mitochondrial ATP engine). Cholestyramine ramps pathway upstream, increasing these mitochondrial components. Helps get rid of mycotoxins, but also independent mitochondrial benefits. Mold toxins are mitochondrial toxins.
Recycling cholesterol faster via pathway impacts all products. Drop cholesterol, liver ramps pathway (takes from blood too). 1984 focused on blood cholesterol drop; Shoemaker on toxin excretion via bile; additional angle: ramps mitochondrial machinery.
Started full dose cholestyramine, hit with mold symptoms—had to go low/slow (mold theory: reexposing toxins). Could be cholesterol deficit flattening cellular function initially; liver adapts by ramping pathways. Acute drop uses liver cholesterol before adaptation—cholesterol key for cellular/membrane/mito function. Gradual dosing allows adaptation.
High performers hit by long COVID, Lyme, mold—stress-induced mitochondrial dysfunction? Burnout?
You have an energy budget to manage responsibly. Mitochondrial function declines ~1% per year with age—major aging driver. Mitochondria fuel production, maintenance, repair, distribution of everything, including their own.
Insults (COVID, Lyme, injuries, trauma) detract from budget. Need rest/recovery to balance. Normal aging: mitochondria miss 1% needed for maintenance, function down 0.01%. With all insults, vicious cycle forms.
Cannot let go when needing rest works against you—insults more likely to cause permanent deficit in mitochondrial repair, pushing into vicious cycle earlier.
Will order test: mito.me. Link below.
Chris Masterjohn: chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com (newsletter), mito.me (testing), on any platform.
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