System Biology

The goal for men with Energy PFPs is to increase their energy reserves to improve their fertility health. We all experience fluctuations in energy levels, but Energy PFP men consistently feel less energetic than most of their friends and colleagues. All body processes rely on energy, and being tired or exhausted affects fertility levels, sperm health and libido.

Sometimes Energy PFPs have only been feeling tired relatively recently, but it can be something they’ve had since childhood. We all know that muscle power relies on energy, and it’s just as crucial for sperm production and hormone balance. The more energy we have, the better we are at coping and adapting to change and challenges, including dealing with the challenges of getting someone pregnant! Sperm are essentially a DNA package attached to a power unit and tail, and the health of the mitochondria that power the sperm depends on the energy levels of the man when he made them.

The constitution we inherit from our parents forms the basis for our energy levels, but as we age, this energy reserve is affected by our diet, lifestyle and life events, which combine to determine how much energy is currently available for fertility. There are two variations to the Energy PFP, which relate to how and when energy reserves become low, and we’re calling these “Constitutional” and “Gut” Energy.

“Constitutional Energy”

Our constitutional health is primarily the genetic packages we inherited from our parents, with the genes on our chromosomes determining much about us, and we all have genetic traits that affect our metabolism, blood function and energy levels. However, genes aren’t 100% stable, and their behaviour (and structure) changes in response to age, diet and the environment:

• Genetic robustness determines our health at birth, how quickly we age, and how our fertility levels change.
• Genetic variations affect our blood, including how efficiently it carries oxygen and responds to immune threats and clots.
• Our genetics aren’t “set” or constant, and different genes are “expressed” throughout our lives; for instance, the genes for puberty aren’t expressed until teens.
• Triggers of gene expression include hormones, weight, diet, exercise and chemicals and sleep.
• Some babies get extra or fewer chromosomes than they should, which causes major genetic problems like Down’s or Turner’s syndromes.
• DNA fragmentation is less extreme and a routine occurrence in eggs and sperm when bits of DNA are broken off chromosomes. This is partly because genes in eggs and sperm are vulnerable on their single rather than a double helix. The chromosomes join at fertilisation to make normal cells, and a baby’s health relies on how well they join and repair the DNA damage they share
• DNA fragmentation rates and the ability to repair it are strongly affected by the health and age of parents at conception
• Modern living is full of new chemicals, and many are “endocrine-disrupting chemicals” (EDC) that alter hormones, disrupt egg production and increase miscarriage rates, further complicating matters.

“Gut Energy”

“Gut Energy” covers most of the non-genetic ways we become tired, and poor diet and weak digestion is the usual cause, although overwork, trauma and stress are other possibilities. One of the classic signs of Gut Energy is cravings for sweet or stodgy food and energy dips around mealtimes.

Blood sugar levels (BSL) are a central issue in this, and this is controlled by the release of insulin and glucagon from the pancreas. The pancreas is also responsible for releasing many enzymes that digest our food, which makes the pancreas crucial for digestion and blood sugar control. Poor pancreatic function can cause hyperinsulinaemia and Type II diabetes, which increase the chances of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and other fertility conditions for women and reduce sperm health and erectile function for men.

Gut Energy isn’t the same as diabetes, but we’ll use diabetes to illustrate the point. Diabetes has become so widespread (and generally well controlled) that we’ve almost forgotten how serious it is and that without medication, the symptoms are:

The number of people with diabetes in the USA in 2018 was 34.2 million (10.4% of the population), and 90% of the cases were diet-related (Type II). A total of $327 billion was spent on diabetes care that year, but despite this, 50% of people with diabetes die prematurely.

The gut is crucial for:

1. Obtaining energy from the diet
2. Immune balance
3. Hormone levels
4. Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) balance
5. Inflammation levels
6. Brain health and mood

Energy PFP and Male Fertility

Energy is crucial for the healthy balance of the immune and nervous systems. Without a reliable energy supply, cells and organs can’t function fully, which affects general health and fertility. Fluctuating or low energy supply creates hormonal imbalances and inflammation that disrupt hormone balance and reduce sperm quality. A quick look at male fertility conditions shows how important Energy PFPs are to sperm health and sexual function.

All men with Energy PFP should focus on supporting their digestive and constitutional health as this will improve the genetic health of their children and the chances of healthy pregnancies. Focused lifestyle changes and adding herbal combinations can make huge differences to male fertility and is 3x more successful for unexplained infertility than IVF.