The Morning Dose #19: Cell Phones, Fertility, and Debris in the Brain

In this week’s edition of The Morning Dose:

The Latest on Cell Phones and Fertility

 FDA Approves Tirzepatide for Weight Loss

 High Sugar Intake May Increase Neurodegeneration Risk

Peptide Spotlight: Melanotan

Let’s inject this.

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The Latest on Cell Phones and Fertility

For decades, male sperm counts have been declining at an alarming rate.

Experts have been searching for a cause, believing that things like environmental pollution, plastics in our food, stress, obesity, alcohol, and more are impacting fertility.

All of these may play a role and impact the hormones circulating in our body, but a new 13-year study suggests that smartphone use may be associated with lower sperm count and sperm quality in young males.

The study looked at over 2,700 men between the ages of 18-22, an age when hormones are surging, and fertility levels should be at their highest.

As phone use frequency increased, sperm quality decreased – not a great sign for anyone who’s constantly checking their cell phone.

And if this is impacting young men, who naturally have the highest sperm counts, we can assume this impacts older men to an even greater extent.

Researchers also looked at whether keeping your phone in your pocket made an impact on sperm quality, and they found it didn’t make a difference.

That doesn’t mean there’s no impact, and Dr. Andrew Huberman, host of The Huberman Lab podcast, claims in this video that you probably shouldn’t keep your cell phone in your front pocket to protect your hormones and fertility.

Obviously, cell phones aren’t going anywhere, and further research is needed.

But to be safe, it’s probably a good idea to take your phone out of your pocket whenever possible, and keep it far away from your reproductive organs.

 FDA Approves Tirzepatide for Weight Loss

In some major good news from the FDA, they’ve just approved Tirzepatide for weight loss, sold under the name Zepbound.

Here’s a link to the official press release, which says:

“Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Zepbound (tirzepatide) injection for chronic weight management in adults with obesity (body mass index of 30 kilograms per square meter (kg/ m2) or greater) or overweight (body mass index of 27 kg/m2 or greater) with at least one weight-related condition (such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes or high cholesterol) for use, in addition to a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity.

Tirzepatide, the active ingredient in Zepbound, is already approved under the trade name Mounjaro to be used along with diet and exercise to help improve blood sugar (glucose) in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.”

If tirzepatide sounds familiar, that’s because it’s already approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, under the brand name Mounjaro.

Zepbound, from the manufacturer Lilly, is the first time it’s been approved to treat chronic weight loss.

Tirzepatide results in even greater weight loss than semaglutide, so this is a BIG deal for weight loss treatments.

This comes as no surprise, but financial analysts are already predicting this to become the best-selling weight loss drug of all time, and it’s expected to become an immediate competitor to Wegovy.

Now, if your insurance doesn’t cover it already, the prices could be quite expensive, easily clearing $1,000/month.

But if you do have a good plan that will cover your prescription, Zepbound is the most powerful weight-loss peptide we have, and it’s well worth asking your physician about.

 High Sugar Intake May Increase Neurodegeneration Risk

Time for another health warning, though one we all know about already…

As it turns out, sugar may not be very good for your brain.

Sure, you may have heard that the brain requires glucose to properly function. But a diet that’s high in sugar can backfire and lead to an increased risk, according to new research published in PLOS Biology.

We know that regularly consuming high-sugar foods can spike insulin levels, eventually leading to insulin resistance throughout the body. As it turns out, this also happens within your brain.

When insulin resistance develops in the brain, your brain can’t properly eliminate neuronal debris and neuron-secreted toxic proteins, a critical step in maintaining healthy neurons.

As this junk builds up in your brain, it can significantly increase your risk of developing a neurodegenerative disease like Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s Disease.

Now eliminating sugar isn’t a guaranteed way to prevent these diseases, which have a large genetic component.

But still, if you’re looking for longevity strategies, avoiding sugary foods to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce whole-body inflammation is a great place to start.

Eat more veggies, fiber, and whole-grain foods, and you’ll be on your way to improving insulin sensitivity.

Peptide Spotlight: Melanotan

We’ve got another peptide breakdown for you, and this time, we’re looking at melanotan, the tanning peptide.

Melanotan is most known for stimulating melanin production, which is what gives you a tan. Only, this works from within, so you don’t need to roast your own skin and expose yourself to UV damage just to get a tan.

Many who report a difficult time getting a tan without burning find that Melanotan makes a big difference, finally allowing them to maintain a healthy-looking tan for extended periods of time.

People who use Melanotan report a much easier time tanning, and the tan lasts longer. You’ll still need to get some sun exposure, but it’ll require significantly less to get great results.

Most people know about the tanning effects, but Melanotan may also have other benefits.

As for the peptide, here are actually two types, Melanotan I and II.

Here’s the breakdown from our full article:

Melanotan I, also known as Afamelanotide, is a peptide comprising 13 amino acids. It is sold under the brand name Scenesse. It is a synthetic peptide analogous to the endogenous hormone called alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (a-MSH) (1).

Although initially developed as a tanning agent, the clinical trials suggest other effects on the body, such as preventing phototoxicity and influencing the central nervous system activity.

Melanotan II, on the other hand, is a synthetic peptide constituting 7 amino acids. It has a widespread effect on the body but primarily targets melanocortin receptors (2).

Melanotan II not only causes tanning of the skin but also enhances overall energy and the sexual performance of individuals.

So if you’re using Melanotan I, you may benefit from some phototoxicity prevention, while Melanotan II can increase your libido.

As we head into the winter months, Melanotan is a great way to tan easier, and make that tan last longer, eliminating the need for hopping in the tanning bed multiple times per week.

Of course, any kind of sun exposure can be harmful, so be sure to speak with your physician before using Melanotan, or any other peptides.

For more, check out our complete guide to Melanotan I and II.