How Mitochondria Control Your Metabolism | Dr. Jared Rutter

About this video

Huberman talks with Dr. Jared Rutter, a biochemist who studies mitochondria and metabolism. Rutter explains that what people call their metabolism is the sum of the metabolisms of all their cells: food, drink and breath are processed into molecules such as amino acids and sugars, which enter individual cells and follow metabolic pathways. Huberman frames mitochondria as doing far more than powering cells, including influencing how much energy goes into making new cells, keeping cells healthy and fighting disease. Rutter discusses a widely accepted hypothesis he describes, in which mitochondria with excess energy become susceptible to generating reactive oxygen species that can damage proteins and nucleic acids. He also recounts identifying, with collaborators, two conserved mitochondrial proteins, MPC1 and MPC2, as the mitochondrial pyruvate carrier, which moves pyruvate into mitochondria, and describes work on what that allocation of pyruvate means in different cell types, including heart-muscle cells that need ATP to keep contracting.

Key takeaways

• Dr. Rutter explains overall metabolism as the sum of the metabolisms of all the body’s cells.
• Rutter describes a hypothesis linking excess mitochondrial energy to reactive oxygen species that damage proteins and DNA.
• Rutter recounts identifying MPC1 and MPC2 as the mitochondrial pyruvate carrier with collaborators.
• Rutter explains that the pyruvate carrier influences whether pyruvate is used inside mitochondria or elsewhere in the cell.
• Huberman frames mitochondria as also influencing cell creation, cell health and disease defence, beyond ATP production.

Episode details: published September 7, 2026 · 384.1K views · 2:03:47 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. The science and protocols described are Andrew Huberman’s, presented for education — not medical advice. Consult a qualified professional before changing your own health practices.

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