Infants, children, and adults may develop mitochondrialRelated to the mitochondria. disorders. Experts in mitochondrial medicine describe a spectrum of disease, ranging from mild to severe. 1 in 4,000 people are estimated to have a genetically confirmed primary mitochondrial disease, yet many remain undiagnosed.
In adults, many diseases of aging have been found to have defects of mitochondrial function, including, but not limited to: diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, atherosclerotic heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosisA progressive nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing loss of muscle control. (ALS), autoimmune disorders, environmental toxicities, and cancer.
