Any type of stress or threat, whether on a physical, emotional, or chemical level, can disrupt body function and well-being. Removal of or building tolerance to threats is a core feature of maintaining homeostasis. But what happens when we feel threatened on a cellular level? According to Robert K. Naviaux, MD, PhD, professor of medicine, pediatrics and pathology at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, cells that feel “threatened” and the metabolic changes that ensue are a core factor in the progression of chronic disease (Naviaux R. K., 2020).
In his paper in Mitochondrian, Naviaux explores healing in metabolic terms through his Cell Danger Response Theory. The Cell Danger Response (CDR) is a normal adaptive, response to cellular injury or threat during which cellular metabolism is adapted to prioritize cell preservation. This results in the mitochondria shifting energy towards mediating the threat and the cell becoming autonomous (reducing communication with other cells) to focus on healing. In a short-term scenario, these changes are intended to promote quick recovery (Naviaux, 2019).
In our current society however, patients may be subject to ongoing “threats” including toxic exposures, food sensitivities, and even emotional trauma. Likewise, stealth infections such as Lyme or certain viruses do not offer quick resolution for the immune system (Nathan, 2022). As a result, the cell becomes “stuck” in the CDR response and fails to proceed onto healing stages. These cells have impaired energy production and abnormal communication with the rest of the body. This is where Naviaux’s hypothesis that the CDR is the connection between environmental toxins, the mitochondria, and persistent disease lies. According to the CDR model, healing cannot occur until the stages of the response have been restored to normal (LaFee, 2018).
According to Dr. Neil Nathan, MD, some of the most common threats that trigger the cell danger response are Lyme and its co-infections, stress, and environmental toxins (Nathan, 2022). The priority for practitioners who are looking to restore the CDR phases through their treatment methods should include identifying and removing these triggers, promoting drainage pathways, and gentle nourishment. These patients might be nonresponsive or worsened by starting with more targeted strategies. Ongoing therapies could be directed towards the mitochondria as well as assessing different organs or hormone patterns that may need additional support. The emotional aspect of recovery should not be neglected as emotional trauma and stress can also be important triggers of the CDR (Mars, 2022).
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Works Cited
LaFee, S. (2018, September 7). Chronic Diseases Driven by Metabolic Dysfuncti. Retrieved from UC San Diego Health: https://health.ucsd.edu/news/releases/Pages/2018-09-07-chronic-diseases-driven-by-metabolic-dysfunction.aspx
Mars, A. (2022, September 15). The Chronic Fatigue and Recovery Podcast – Understanding the Cell Danger Response.
Nathan, N. (2022, January 21). Better Health Guy Podcast #121: The Cell Danger Response. (F.-P. Scott Forsgren, Interviewer)
Naviaux, R. K. (2019). Metabolic features and regulation of the healing cycle—A new model for chronic disease pathogenesis and treatment. Mitochondrion.
Naviaux, R. K. (2020). Perspective: Cell danger response Biology-The new science that connects environmental health with mitochondria and the rising tide of chronic illness. Mitochondrion.
