The Spark in the Cell: Mitochondria, Energy, and the Veteran’s Flame

9-25-2025

By Dr. Howard Friedman MD | Veteran | U.S. Army Medical Corps | Internal Medicine | HHOM LLC

Inside every veteran’s cell, a silent battle rages. The mitochondria — tiny power plants of life — hold the spark that fuels strength, memory, and resilience. When tested by toxins, sleepless nights, and stress, that spark can dim. Yet with care and healing, the flame endures — the veteran’s fire never goes out.

A mission runs beneath my skin,

a fire that flickers, fights, and thins.

Not only memory slows my pace,

but cells that dim in their hidden space.

Yet deep within, the spark is mine,

a soldier’s flame, by design.

---Dr. Howard Friedman M.D.

Thesis

Every veteran knows the fatigue that lingers long after the mission ends. Sometimes it isn’t just the weight of memory or stress — it is cellular. The spark that powers every cell, housed in the mitochondria, can falter under toxic exposures, sleep loss, and relentless stress. Understanding and supporting this spark is the new frontier of healing.

Introduction – The Veteran’s Flame

The body is an engine, and every engine requires a spark. For veterans, that spark has been tested by deployments, sleepless nights, and exposures no civilian would ever face. At the microscopic level, mitochondria carry that fire. When they weaken, the veteran may feel it as exhaustion, brain fog, or the slow grind of chronic illness. Yet when they are restored, energy — and purpose — return.

Mitochondria: The Power Plants of the Cell

Mitochondria are often called the “power plants” of the cell, but their role goes well beyond energy. They generate ATP, the molecule that drives every heartbeat and every thought. They also regulate inflammation, govern cell survival, and even influence mood. In short, they hold sway over both body and mind. When mitochondria falter, the decline is not abstract. It is felt in the slowed recovery after exertion, in the fog that clouds memory, and in the persistent fatigue that sleep never seems to cure.

The Veteran’s Burden – Stress, Sleep, and Toxins

Military service pushes these cellular engines to their limits. Exposure to burn pits, solvents, and chemical agents can scar mitochondrial DNA and impair its ability to replicate. Nights of broken or absent sleep interrupt the very cycles that mitochondria rely on to repair themselves. The constant flood of stress hormones, elevated during deployments or sustained under trauma, fragments these delicate structures, leaving cells struggling to produce energy. This combination — toxins, sleeplessness, and unrelenting stress — is unique to the veteran experience. It leaves behind a metabolic footprint that continues long after discharge, shaping health in ways the VA is only beginning to acknowledge.

Sidebar: Mitochondria and Heredity

Mitochondria are unusual because they carry their own DNA, inherited almost entirely from the mother. That means every person’s cellular “batteries” are influenced by maternal lineage. Some inherit mitochondria that are naturally more efficient, while others may carry subtle mutations that leave them vulnerable to fatigue or disease. For veterans, heredity sets the baseline — but it is the service environment, with its toxins, sleep loss, and stress, that often determines whether the flame burns steady or begins to flicker.

When Mitochondria Fail – The Silent Crash

When mitochondria weaken, the symptoms can be subtle at first but profound over time. Fatigue deepens, memory grows unreliable, and mood shifts toward irritability or despair. Muscles that once carried heavy packs without question now falter, and shortness of breath may creep into daily life. These patterns echo through many veteran claims: chronic fatigue, PTSD, neurodegeneration, and cardiovascular disease all share mitochondrial dysfunction as a hidden thread. Yet too often, this cellular collapse is overlooked, dismissed as aging or stress, when in truth it represents an invisible wound of service.

Rebuilding the Flame – The New Frontier

The story does not end in decline. Mitochondria are remarkably responsive when given support. Nutrients such as CoQ10, magnesium, and B vitamins can help fuel energy pathways. Restorative sleep allows mitochondria the nightly window they require for repair. Moderate, consistent exercise signals cells to build new mitochondria, literally increasing the number of sparks in the system. Stress reduction — through mindfulness, breathing practices, or time outdoors — spares mitochondria the constant assault of cortisol. Even newer therapies, like targeted antioxidants or red-light treatments, are beginning to show promise in clinical research. For veterans, these strategies are not theoretical; they are a path back to vitality after years of cellular wear.

Sidebar: Ways to Support Your Mitochondria Today

Protecting and rebuilding mitochondria does not always require a prescription. It begins with habits practiced daily: prioritizing sleep, moving the body in ways that build rather than break it down, eating to nourish energy pathways, and reducing the burden of stress where possible. Small, steady changes compound over time, allowing cells to burn cleaner and brighter.

Closing Reflection – The Flame That Endures

A veteran’s spark may dim, but it does not die. Even after years of exhaustion, exposure, and stress, the flame can be coaxed back to life. Healing begins not only in the clinic or in the claim, but in the cell itself — in the mitochondria that whisper the oldest truth: energy is life.

A cell, a spark, a fire inside,

Though shadows fall, the flame won’t hide.

In every breath, in every frame,

The veteran carries the living flame.

---Dr. Howard Friedman M.D.

—Dr. Howard Friedman MD

Board-Certified | Internal Medicine | Veteran | U.S. Army Medical Corps

Founder of Howard’s House of Medicine (HHOM LLC)

https://www.hhomllc.com

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: : Why are mitochondria so important for veterans’ health?

A: Mitochondria are the “power plants” of the cell. They produce energy but also regulate inflammation, influence mood, and support recovery. For veterans exposed to toxins, chronic stress, or disrupted sleep during service, mitochondria are especially vulnerable — making them a hidden factor in fatigue, brain fog, and long-term illness.

Q: Can damaged mitochondria be restored?

A: Yes. While mitochondrial damage can’t always be reversed, function often improves with the right support. Restorative sleep, balanced nutrition, regular movement, stress reduction, and key nutrients like CoQ10 or magnesium can help cells repair and even create new mitochondria. Healing begins at the cellular level.

Q: How does military service uniquely impact mitochondria?

A: Military service exposes veterans to a triad of stressors rarely seen together in civilian life: environmental toxins (burn pits, solvents, chemicals), disrupted or absent sleep, and sustained stress hormones. This combination can scar mitochondrial DNA, weaken energy production, and leave lasting health effects that show up years after service.