I just had surgery (just a couple hours ago as I write this), so this post is going to be short and sparse. BUT, I wanted to let you all know that there is a summit about Mitochondria that is happening THIS WEEK (December 9-15). You can access it through clicking on the image above, or through THIS LINK.

Fluoroquinolones damage mitochondria, and have been shown to deplete mitochondrial DNA. More information about the damage done to mitochondria (the energy-producing organelles of our cells) can be found in these posts:

Study Finds that Ciprofloxacin Depletes Mitochondrial DNA

New Study Finds that Ciprofloxacin Depletes Mitochondrial DNA

More posts about how fluoroquinolones damage mitochondria can be found through doing a search for mitochondria on floxiehope.com, and through searching for “mitochondria” on the links & resources page where you can find media and journal articles about the effects of fluoroquinolones on mitochondria.

In their April 27, 2013 Pharmacovigilance Review, “Disabling Peripheral Neuropathy Associated with Systemic Fluoroquinolone Exposure,” the FDA describes the damage done to mitochondria by fluoroquinolones:

Ciprofloxacin has been found to affect mammalian topoisomerase II, especially in mitochondria. In vitro studies in drug-treated mammalian cells found that nalidixic acid and ciprofloxacin cause a loss of motichondrial DNA (mtDNA), resulting in a decrease of mitochondrial respiration and an arrest in cell growth. Further analysis found protein-linked double-stranded DNA breaks in the mtDNA from ciprofloxacin-treated cells, suggesting that ciprofloxacin was targeting topoisomerase II activity in the mitochondria.

The FDA Pharmacovigilance Report also notes that mitochondrial damage (and the ensuing oxidative stress that occurs when mitochondria are damaged) is related to multi-symptom, chronic diseases like optic neuropathy, neuropathic pain, hearing loss, muscle weakness, cardiomyopathy, lactic acidosis, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

I am excited to hear what the mitochondria experts featured in the Summit have to say about healing mitochondria, possibly un-doing the damage done by fluoroquinolones, and maybe even how to prevent the diseases associated with damaged and depleted mitochondria.

One of the featured speakers is Dr. Terry Wahls, author of The Wahls Protocol, that has helped many floxies including Renee and Jamieson. You can read Renee’s story HERE and you can listen to her podcast HERE and you can read Jamieson’s story HERE. Dr. Wahls was also featured on The Floxie Hope Podcast and you can listen to her interview HERE.

I’m also excited to hear Bridgit Danner, LAc, FDNP discuss the effects of toxic mold on mitochondria, and to hear Michelle Sands, ND discuss the hormone-mitochondria connection, and to hear Jason Prall discuss microbiota-mitochondria communication, and to hear what many more wonderful speakers have to say about mitochondria.

I look forward to spending the next couple days relaxing, recuperating, and recovering from my surgery while learning lots about mitochondria.

I think it will be helpful for floxies, and give insight into healing our mitochondria. It’s THIS WEEK – please let me know your thoughts in the comments below. We can all learn together. 🙂