Glossary

ALAN

ALAN (Artificial Light at Night - artificial light at night) is a term referring to any artificial light during the hours of biological darkness that disrupts the circadian rhythm, suppresses melatonin, and in the long term damages…

Apoptosis

Apoptosis is cell death. When a cell is dysfunctional or severely damaged, the body breaks it down, removes it, and uses the material for other purposes. Mitochondria can also die - this is called mitoptosis. More information you can find out in our…

ATP

ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is the universal cellular energy currency that mitochondria produce continuously day and night, and without which literally no biological process in the body could occur. ATP, fully known as adenosine triphosphate, is a…

Barefoot

Barefoot (literally "bare foot") is a movement and footwear philosophy based on a simple idea: the human foot was designed by evolution for walking without shoes. Modern footwear with thick soles, narrow toe boxes, and elevated heels alters walking…

Biohacking

Biohacking

Biohacking is the intentional and conscious optimization of your own biology through changes in lifestyle, environment, diet, and technology. If you have ever changed the lighting in your home, started walking barefoot, tried red light therapy, or…

Blue light

Blue light is a short-wavelength part of the visible spectrum (380 to 500 nm) that, through specialized cells in the retina, directly suppresses the production of melatonin and disrupts the circadian rhythm - especially when the body is exposed…

Circadian rhythm

Circadian rhythm is a biological rhythm with a period of approximately 24 hours. It is a complex biological system that resembles a real clock. This  complex system relies on various environmental stimuli, the most important of…

Collagen

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body, forming the structural framework of the skin, tendons, joints, and bones - and red light therapy is among the best-documented non-pharmacological methods for stimulating its natural…

Cytochrome C oxidase

Cytochrome c oxidase (abbreviated CCO, also known as complex IV) is the final and, from the perspective of red light therapy, the most important enzyme of the electron transport chain in mitochondria. It is a transmembrane protein complex that…

Deuterium

Deuterium (chemical symbol D or ²H) is a heavy isotope of hydrogen that has one neutron in addition to one proton in its nucleus. It is therefore twice as heavy as ordinary hydrogen. Although it makes up only approximately 0.015% of all hydrogen on…

Electron transport chain

The electron transport chain (ETC, also called the respiratory chain) is a series of enzyme complexes embedded in the inner mitochondrial membrane through which electrons travel from nutrients all the way to oxygen. This process is responsible for…

Flicker

Flicker is a rapid, unintended change in light intensity caused by imperfections in power supply or light source design - both visible and invisible forms of this fluctuation place strain on the nervous system, trigger headaches and eye fatigue, and…

Free radicals

Free radicals are molecules with an unpaired electron that act as biological signals rather than pure damage. From a quantum biology perspective, they carry a magnetic moment and participate in cellular communication. They are naturally produced in…

Grounding

Grounding (also known as earthing) is the direct conductive contact of the human body with the Earth's surface. When you touch grass, soil, sand, or damp concrete with your bare foot, palm, or any exposed skin, your body electrically connects with…

hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism is a condition of reduced thyroid function in which the body cannot produce sufficient amounts of T3 and T4 hormones. In this glossary entry, you will learn what hypothyroidism is, why it develops, how it relates to mitochondria, and…

Longevity

Longevity is not just about reaching an old age. It is about living those years in good health, with energy, a clear mind, and a functional body. At Mitochondriak®, we understand longevity as the result of long-term care for mitochondria, the…

Melanopsin

Melanopsin (gene OPN4) is a light-sensitive protein (photopigment) found in specialized ganglion cells of the retina called ipRGCs (intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells). Melanopsin does not see images. Its role is to "measure" the…

Melatonin

Melatonin is most commonly known as the sleep hormone. And although the primary synthesis of melatonin occurs in our pineal gland (in the brain), especially when we are asleep and in the dark, modern studies show that our mitochondria are also…

Mitochondria

Mitochondria are key cellular organelles responsible for energy production, deuterium-free water, regulation of metabolism, and overall cell function. They work with light, water, electrons, and redox state, directly affecting health, performance,…

NIR

NIR (near-infrared light) is an invisible part of the light spectrum with wavelengths of 800 to 1,000 nm that penetrates deeply into muscles, joints, and organs and stimulates mitochondria to produce more energy.   NIR is an abbreviation of…

nitric oxide

Nitric oxide (NO) is a gaseous signaling molecule produced in the vascular endothelium and mitochondria, which dilates blood vessels, improves blood flow, and plays a key role in tissue regeneration - -and red light directly and measurably increases…

Oxidative stress

Oxidative stress is a state of the cell in which the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) exceeds the capacity of antioxidant defense systems - the result is damage to DNA, proteins, and cellular membranes, which is associated with accelerated…

Photobiomodulation

Photobiomodulation (PBM or PBMT) is a non-invasive light therapy using red and near-infrared light in the wavelength range of 600 to 1,000 nm to stimulate biological processes directly within cells. The term comes from Greek and Latin: photo (light)…

Pulsation

Pulsation is a mode of red and infrared light therapy in which the light flashes at a precisely defined frequency - unlike flicker, it is an intentional and biologically beneficial phenomenon that enhances light penetration into deep tissues and…