Mitochondrial Support is Cognitive Support

List compiled in an older series of posts, with taurine and vit. K2 added to the discussion and videos about the risks of commonly prescribed medications.

Take home points: Cognitive health depends on mitochondrial coherence. Key supports: taurine, zinc, K2, B vitamins, and avoiding decoherence agents like glyphosate, excess copper, and anticholinergic medications. Your gut microbiome produces K2—feed it resistant starch. Your mitochondria need taurine for Complex I. The table below shows how each nutrient supports the quantum hydrogen lattice in your cells.

Background work for this update was a long series of posts in 2022:

I started a list, “Here are some risk factors of cognitive disorders,” and it grew to have a coordinating principle: mitochondrial dysfunction / quantum coherence failure. I have reorganized the list and added taurine and vitamin K2 to the list (not numbered in today’s post).

Going out on a limb - #25 - excess Glyphosate. #26 - Microbiome health. #27 - low Tryptophan

The list that follows has been organized into these categories and order: gene transcription → trace minerals → B vitamins → mitochondrial cofactors → protein → fatty acids → medications/trauma → specific deficiencies (B1, histamine, glyphosate, microbiome, tryptophan).

Check list of Mitochondrial support factors,

or, new name: ‘coherence-supporting micronutrient network’

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Unifying Table of Critical Nutrients and their Quantum Coherence Mechanism

Category Risk Factor H₆-FDC Mechanism

• Gene transcription: Low zinc; VDR/thyroid receptor variants. Impaired synthesis of mitochondrial proteins; reduced lattice scaffolding

• Minerals: Low zinc, selenium, magnesium; excess copper. Disrupted electron flow, charge gradients, and proton tunneling

• B vitamins: Low B5, B6, methyl/hydroxy B12, methyl-folate, niacin (B3), (all of the Bs have supporting roles in methylation and mitochondrial function), B1, B2, choline and inositol, betaine (TMG). Impaired NAD⁺ synthesis (niacin); methylation deficits (B12/folate) affect mitochondrial DNA repair.

• Mitochondrial cofactors: Low CoQ10, alpha-lipoic acid. Reduced electron transport chain efficiency; increased oxidative decoherence.

• Amino acids: Low tryptophan, tyrosine, glycine, cysteine. Reduced glutathione (oxidative protection); reduced tyrosine for dopamine/norepinephrine; tyrosine ring structures may stabilize H₆ lattice.

• Fatty acids: Low DHA/EPA; imbalanced endocannabinoidsMembrane fluidity affects dielectric resonator function; 2-AG deficiency = reduced coherence

• Toxins: Glyphosate, heavy metals, fluoride. Chelate minerals; disrupt aromatic amino acid synthesis; interfere with mitochondrial Complex I.

• Medications: Psychiatric meds (withdrawal or long-term use)May alter mitochondrial density, receptor sensitivity, or coherence.

• Trauma/ACEs: Childhood adversity, chronic stress. Chronic cortisol → mitochondrial dysfunction → reduced coherence.

• Specific conditions: Histamine intolerance, pyroluria, B1 deficiency. Histamine: excitotoxicity; Pyroluria: B6/zinc wasting; B1: ATP synthesis.

List with Reference links from older posts on this topic.

Gene transcription factors

Zinc is critical for gene transcription along with the Vit D and Retinoic Acid receptors and the Thyroid hormone and receptors.

• Low vitamin D: Vitamin D receptor (VDR) polymorphisms affect immune regulation and mitochondrial health. Low vit D symptoms may also involve low Magnesium or excess Glyphosate (inhibiting CYP enzyme function) or gene differences in the Vitamin D Receptor (VDR) (47) have been seen in bipolar disorder (48) or toxoplasmosis risk (76).

  • Excess Retinoic Acid might also affect Vit D Receptor & other receptor’s transcription of proteins. (114)

• Low iodine/hypothyroidism / excess fluoride, bromide and perchlorates. (55) Iodine is essential for thyroid hormones, which regulate basal metabolic rate and mitochondrial density.

  • Excess Retinoic Acid might affect Thyroid Receptor function. (114)

• Either deficiency of retinoids (Vitamin A and beta and some other carotenoids) or excess Retinoic acid can be a causal factor in symptoms of schizophrenia. (114, 116) See post #20. Chronic fatigue syndrome type symptoms may follow a history of viral infection with mononucleosis/EBV or possibly SARS-Co-V 2 due to an ongoing over-activation of vitamin A to active gene transcription affecting Retinoic Acid or other retinoids. Excess active retinoids may be caused by medications (example: Accutane) or skin treating cosmetic products, or with high-dose supplemental vitamin A or occasionally, from eating generous servings of liver routinely.

  • Lack of taurine (amino acid) may reduce absorption of vitamin A and transport/binding protein capacity; see protein section and continued discussion after the list.

Trace Minerals

• Zinc deficiency prenatally or later in life. (69, 70, 71, 72, 73)(114) Zinc is a cofactor for hundreds of enzymes and transcription factors, including those involved in DNA repair and mitochondrial function

  • Excess copper in relation to a low zinc level - may be dietary or genetic - the copper/zinc transport protein dysbindin would be needed as a treatment if that was an underlying factor. Dysbindin (DTNBP1) is a schizophrenia risk gene that affects copper/zinc transport, the body has copper but the transport into the brain isn’t working. (Dysbindin: 56, 57, 58, 81),

  • Low manganese and iron were found along with elevated copper. (80, 57)

  • (low selenium and zinc, probably elevated copper, marginal to okay iron) - Low trace minerals or excess, or imbalance - minerals share transport proteins - (83)

  • Low Cesium is also seen in Alzheimer’s. The research team speculate that it may chelate misfolded proteins. (83)

Water Soluble B vitamins and antioxidant vit. C.

• Low B vitamins or inactive – gene methylation difference and/or pyroluria (82) (low vit B6 and zinc) may be factors in chronic deficiency of certain B vitamins. Lack of B6 affects transulfuration (a detoxification pathway).

• Low methyl folate and methyl B12; may be methylation gene differences. (55) Extra Riboflavin, vit B2, can improve certain MTHFR alleles (and that would improve impaired methyl folate production).

  • Low B6, folate and methyl B12 can lead to increased C-reactive protein levels which is associated with schizophrenia. (46, 55)

  • Low B6, B8 (Inositol), and B12, methyl or hydroxy version supplementation may help. (85)

  • Low niacin – or need for more than average for an unknown reason. (45) Low niacin (pellagra) causes dermatitis (lower legs is common), dementia, diarrhea. The fact that some people need more than average may reflect genetic variation in NAD+ synthesis.

  • Choline, considered nonessential for the average person, so it lost its initial name of ‘vit. B4’, but anticholinergic medications being prescribed for dementia or other conditions have been linked to increased risk for dementia rather than improvement. Video:

• Vitamin C supplementation may help, (88) bruising easily can be a symptom of vit C deficiency.

Mitochondrial Cofactors

• Cofactors: Alpha lipoic acid: “(100 mg/d) for 4 months”(86)

  • CoQ10 may be helpful but “CoQ10 supplementation found no difference” – adherence may have dropped off. (87) "No difference" might reflect poor absorption or short trial duration. Ubiquinol form is better absorbed.

  • Taurine, an amino acid, has a mitochondrial cofactor role, see next section.

Protein & Amino Acid Adequacy

• Adequate protein diet will provide enough cysteine for most people - N-acetylcysteine – an amino acid, used to form glutathione, along with glycine and glutamate. Doses of 600-1000 mg once or twice a day were used. (91) Also see NAC – N-acetylcysteine. Glutathione levels were found to vary, (88) In addition to being a precursor for glutathione, NAC also affects glutamate transmission.

• Taurine: Conditionally essential amino acid. Directly modifies mitochondrial tRNA to regulate Complex I (ND6 subunit) translation. Taurine may be added to energy drinks for mitochondrial support, but it also stabilizes membranes, and buffers calcium and conjugates with bile acids for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K). Dietary sources: animal tissues, red meats particularly. Gut microbes can produce taurine from cysteine, but dysbiosis or low protein intake may impair production. Deficiency → impaired Complex I → electron leak → oxidative stress → decoherence. Taurine is not produced by gut microbes in significant amounts for human use (they produce it, but mostly for themselves).

Microbiome Health (Helpful: Zinc, Resistant Starch, and Polyphenols)

• Vitamin K2 (menaquinone) is produced by gut bacteria species like Bacteroides fragilis, Bacillus subtilis, E. coli, and Lactococcus lactis. Humans may have historically relied on gut production of vitamin K2 because dietary sources (natto, cheese, egg yolks, liver) provide minimal amounts and are limited in many traditional diets. Vit K2 is a cofactor for calcium-binding proteins and helps reverse or prevent soft tissue calcification.

Essential Fatty Acids and Phospholipids/Endocannabinoids

• Low DHA/EPA, omega 3 fatty acid: (43)

• Cannabinoid imbalance or deficiency: high THC marijuana with no CBD for too long - too much THC alone can worsen rationality. High THC without CBD can induce psychosis in susceptible individuals.

  • Low 2-AG (CBD equivalent) in relation to anandamide (THC equiv.). (49) (50) (75) (51, 77) (52) Low 2-AG (endocannabinoid) is seen in PTSD and depression.

• Choline (vit B4) or Phosphatidylcholine, for Acetylcholine adequacy

Psychiatric Medication Use or History of Trauma or Psychosomatic symptoms

• Psych med use/withdrawal history and present use. (See post #21.)

• Psychosomatic symptom history and childhood ACEs or other trauma history. (See post #22). I discussed my history and recovery strategies in that post. This post, part 3 of a series on Moderation includes child trauma and ACEs information.

• B1 - thiamine deficiency - can cause fluttering weak heart rate and cognitive symptoms and is associated with severe malnourishment from alcoholism or anorexia nervosa.

• Histamine intolerance prenatally during fetal development, and/or currently as a child or adult. (See post #24)

#25 - excess Glyphosate. #26 - Microbiome health. #27 - low Tryptophan (see post #25) Glyphosate chelates minerals, disrupts shikimate pathway (needed to make aromatic amino acids like tryptophan), and alters gut microbiome.

Glyphosate might be reducing magnesium and other minerals, as a mineral chelator, and interfere or reduce glycine availability. Glycine is needed for glutathione production. Glyphosate can interfere with aromatic amino acid production leading to less available tryptophan and tyrosine potentially in a food crop. Glyphosate negatively affects beneficial gut microbiome species and might interfere with our mitochondria.

Tryptophan is needed for production of serotonin and adequacy can spare niacin reserves. Tyrosine may be involved in quantum coherence.

Another medication video, theme is drug research trials are often only for a short time, weeks, but patients are left on the medication for months or years. A previous post on this Substack looked at Colace or Miralax, approved for a week or two to manage constipation but the polyethylene glycol based drugs may cause rapid cognitive when used for longer periods of time. Research suggests that the more medications a patient takes routinely, the greater their overall health risks. Medication use can deplete levels of critical nutrients.

» Proton-Pump Inhibitors, “antacids” deplete magnesium and tend to worsen health and gut problems. Stopping PPI use (to protect magnesium) was one of my very first blog posts circa 2011/2012.

Time flies … as the medical industry fails to inform the public of medication risks that have been observed clinically but studies to “prove” causal risk have not been funded or may be skewed to suggest safety. Statin medications have had lots of studies geared at claiming protective of cognition rather than potentially increasing risks.

Stomach acid is critically important for absorbing magnesium and B12 and other B vitamins. Older adults tend to make too little stomach acid rather than too much. Having a little apple cider vinegar with meals can help digestion or HCl chelated amino acids, 250 mg to 500 mg, can help digestion. IBetaine HCl is commonly sold for the purpose but my own genetic alleles make DMG HCl a better choice for my methylation needs. I also use small amounts of Lysine HCl and Glucosamine HCl with meals (~ 750 mg combined).

» Sedating drugs used as sleep aids should not be used indefinitely as they interfere with normal sleep patterns and become habitually needed. The medication Ambian has also been linked to risky ‘sleep walking’, ‘sleep cooking,’ and even ‘sleep driving’.

This video is an AI voiceover of a ‘doctor’ but it does go into more detail on risks linked to commonly prescribed anticholinergic and antianxiety medications. It includes stations and the fact that “polypharmacy” chronic use of three or four of these drugs is really common, not just use of one of them. The group of drugs were described as risks that target the brain in 1-3 ways:

1. blocking communication signaling (like disrupting cholinergic signaling),

2. reducing glymphatic brain cleaning during quality sleep, and/or by

3. depleting critical nutrients needed for methylation or other pathways.

Caution, don't just stop medication use as some need to be gradually tapered off, gradually reduced in dose taken over a few days or weeks (including benzodiazepine and some psychiatric drugs).

The Vitamin K2 / Zinc / Resistant Starch Axis

Component: Role Quantum Coherence link

• Vitamin K2 (menaquinone): Activates matrix Gla protein (MGP), which inhibits soft tissue calcification (arteries, kidneys). Also activates osteocalcin (bone formation). K2 is a quinone — structurally similar to CoQ10. It participates in electron transfer in the mitochondrial electron transport chain.

• Zinc: Cofactor for many enzymes, including those in gut epithelium and immune function. Supports microbial diversity. Zinc is essential for gene transcription (including mitochondrial proteins). Low zinc → decoherence.

• Resistant starch: Feeds butyrate-producing bacteria (e.g., Faecalibacterium prausnitzii). Butyrate is the preferred fuel for colonocytes. Resistant starch also supports K2-producing species. Butyrate supports gut barrier integrity. A healthy gut barrier prevents systemic inflammation, which is a decoherence agent.

Testable prediction: Adequate zinc + resistant starch intake → higher gut microbial K2 production → lower soft tissue calcification → better cardiovascular health.

The Vitamin K2 / Taurine / Calcium Axis

Component: Function Quantum Coherence link

• Vitamin K2 (menaquinone): Activates osteocalcin (bone) and matrix Gla protein (arteries). K2 is a quinone — structurally similar to CoQ10. It participates in electron transfer.

• Taurine: Supports bile flow → fat-soluble vitamin absorption; directly stabilizes mitochondria. Taurine deficiency reduces K2 absorption and directly impairs Complex I.

• Calcium-binding proteins: Osteocalcin, calmodulin, and others. Calcium signaling is frequency-encoded. Coherence requires precise calcium handling.

Testable prediction: Taurine supplementation should improve markers of mitochondrial function (e.g., NAD⁺/NADH ratio, CoQ10 status, lactate/pyruvate ratio) in individuals with gut dysbiosis or low dietary taurine.

Taurine, a deeper dive

Taurine: The Overlooked Cofactor

Function: Mechanism Why it matters for coherence

• Vitamin A transport & absorption of vit. A, D, E, & K: Taurine conjugates with bile acids (taurocholate), which are essential for fat-soluble vitamin absorption (A, D, E, K). Without taurine, vitamin A cannot be properly absorbed or transported. Vitamin A (retinoic acid) and vit. D regulate gene transcription, including mitochondrial genes.

• Vitamin K2 production: Gut microbes (Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium, E. coli) produce menaquinone (K2) from precursors. Taurine supports bile flow, which supports gut microbial health. K2 is essential for activating calcium-binding proteins (osteocalcin, matrix Gla protein). Without K2, calcium goes to soft tissues (arteries, kidneys) instead of bones and teeth.

• Calcium binding protein cofactor: Taurine directly influences calcium handling in mitochondria and sarcoplasmic reticulum (muscle). Calcium is a key signaling ion. Mitochondrial calcium overload triggers permeability transition pore opening → apoptosis. Taurine stabilizes calcium handling.

• Osmolyte and membrane stabilizer: Taurine is one of the most abundant amino acids in the heart, retina, and brain. It stabilizes membranes and buffers ion fluxes. Coherent domains (structured water, mitochondrial cristae) require stable membrane potentials. Taurine helps maintain that stability.

• Mitochondrial function: Taurine conjugates with mitochondrial tRNA (5-taurinomethyluridine) to regulate translation of mitochondrial-encoded proteins (specifically ND6, a subunit of Complex I). Direct link: taurine deficiency → impaired Complex I → electron leak → oxidative stress → decoherence.

Photo by Amber Kipp on Unsplash

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