Without energy, we cannot survive. It is as simple – and complex – as that.

The human body is fuelled by trillions of microscopic powerhouses called mitochondria. Present in almost every cell in our bodies, these tiny but mighty, energy-producing structures generate the energy we need to survive.

When mitochondria are dysfunctional, the impact on the body can be devastating. Those affected can suffer a myriad of symptoms that cause health and quality of life to decline and, for too many, result in death.

Mitochondrial disease can affect anyone at any age. There is no cure.

Mitochondria are like tiny factories in our cells.

They turn the food we eat and the oxygen we breathe into a special type of energy called ATP (adenosine triphosphate). Mitochondria create more than 90% of the energy needed to sustain life and support organ function. We cannot survive without them.

Each person has trillions of mitochondria. Some cells have a single mitochondrion while others contain hundreds of them.

  • mitochondria are responsible for creating more than 90% of the energy we need to survive
  • adult humans have about 100,000 trillion mitochondria
  • we make about 2 billion mitochondria every second throughout our lives
  • the lifespan of a mitochondrion is about 100 days