MItochondria
Mitochondria consume over 80 percent of the oxygen we breathe and make over 90 percent of the energy our cells need to function. They use the oxygen in the air we breathe to release energy from food. This process transforms food calories into chemical energy, water, and carbon dioxide. The released chemical energy is then stored in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is the universal currency of energy used by all life on earth. It is like an electrical power source that drives the engines of the cell. This process of burning food to make ATP is called oxidative phosphorylation. Only mitochondria can do it. Mitochondria are important in relation to the aging process for two reasons: their role in energy production and, the generation of free radicals. In a healthy state, about 20% of the oxygen we breathe forms free radicals. In an unhealthy state up to 80% of the oxygen we breath forms free radicals.