Dr. Scott Sherr on Mitochondria, Stress, and Midlife Fatigue

What early signs could indicate your metabolism is breaking down? I sat down with Dr. Scott Sherr, a physician focused on health optimization and mitochondrial function, to unpack why so many women feel exhausted despite doing everything “right.” We explored how chronic stress and declining energy production create a hidden cycle that leaves you burned out, especially in midlife. I wanted to help you understand what’s really going on beneath the surface so you can start rebuilding your energy and resilience. Today’s topics: (00:00) What the “sympathetic spiral of doom” is and how constant stress keeps your body stuck in overdrive. (00:44) How mitochondria produce energy and why your body struggles when demand exceeds capacity. (01:19) Why hustle culture and chronic stress deplete your energy reserves over time. (02:12) How midlife hormonal changes amplify fatigue, weight gain, and poor recovery. (03:27) Why this issue is more widespread than most people realize and often goes undetected. (06:17) How your body compensates for dysfunction until it suddenly crashes. (07:14) The difference between top-down stressors and bottom-up biological dysfunction. (10:48) Why supporting mitochondrial health first is key before addressing stress directly. Listen to the full episode: Full show notes (including all links mentioned): Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Dr. Scott Sherr on Mitochondria, Stress, and Midlife Fatigue is an episode from Ask The Health Expert by JJ Virgin.

This episode is 13:57 long.

This episode was published on Apr 17, 2026.

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