Episode Details

In this Energy Code Deep Dive, Dr. Mike Belkowski and Don Bailey challenge one of the biggest assumptions in reproductive health: that age-related infertility is only about “running out of time.” Instead, they explore a bold idea from a 2024 case series—what if the deeper issue is running out of cellular energy?

This episode unpacks a study on multi-wavelength red and near-infrared photobiomodulation (PBM) used in women ages 40–43 with difficult fertility histories, including failed IVF cycles and miscarriages. The hosts explain why the egg cell is the most mitochondria-dense cell in the body, how mitochondrial decline affects egg quality and chromosomal accuracy, and how PBM may help by boosting ATP production, improving blood flow, reducing inflammation, and supporting the reproductive environment.

They also break down the surprisingly systemic treatment protocol (abdomen, lower back, neck, lymph, gut), why multi-wavelength light matters for tissue depth, and the three case outcomes that make this paper so compelling: 3 women treated, 3 live births.

The big takeaway: fertility may not just be a hormonal “software” issue, it may be a mitochondrial hardware and energy issue.

(Educational content only, not medical advice.)

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Article Discussed in Episode:

The Efficacy of Multiwavelength Red and Near-Infrared Transdermal Photobiomodulation Light Therapy in Enhancing Female Fertility Outcomes and Improving Reproductive Health: A Prospective Case Series with 9-Month Follow-Up

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Key Quotes From Dr. Mike:

“What if the problem isn’t that women are running out of time? What if the problem is simply that they’re running out of energy?”

“If you could fix that energy problem, you might just be able to rewrite the entire code on fertility.”

“The human oocyte contains more mitochondria than any other cell in the body.”

“You are literally recharging the biological battery of the egg.”

“If you only used red light, you’d be treating the skin, but totally missing the engine room.”

“Perhaps the future of fertility… is simply about turning on the light.”

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Key points

1. The episode reframes age-related infertility as an energy problem
   • Instead of only “biological clock” decline, the hosts argue fertility may be limited by mitochondrial energy capacity.
2. The paper focuses on a high-risk fertility demographic
   • Women ages 40–43, often labeled “poor prognosis,” with failed IVF and miscarriage histories.
3. The headline result is striking
   • In a small case series, the study reports 3 women treated, 3 live births (100%).
   • The hosts correctly note this is a very small sample size—but still a strong signal.
4. Egg cells are mitochondria-heavy
   • Oocytes contain far more mitochondria than most other cell types because they require enormous energy for meiosis and chromosomal segregation.
5. Mitochondrial decline may drive poor egg quality with age
   • As mitochondrial function declines, ATP output drops and chromosomal errors increase.
   • This contributes to aneuploidy, failed IVF, and miscarriage risk.
6. PBM is presented as a mitochondrial “fuel injection”
   • Red and near-infrared light stimulate cytochrome c oxidase, supporting ATP production and cellular energy.
7. The treatment target is not just the ovaries
   • The protocol treated:
     • Lower abdomen (ovaries/uterus)
     • Lower back/sacrum (nerve roots)
     • Neck/cervica