Sam the Succinate Sheepdog: The Great Energy Switcheroo

By Paul Leonard, Dr. Mikhail Kozhurin

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Chapter 1: Sam Spots Trouble Down the Road

Sam the Succinate Sheepdog was busy as always, keeping an eye on the body’s energy needs. He knew that energy was the fuel that kept everything running smoothly, from jumping over fences to thinking and problem-solving. But what most people didn’t know was that the body had many ways of getting that energy—and Sam, as the trusty signaling molecule, was the one who helped keep the balance.

One day, Sam was called to action by his good friend, Holly the Hypothalamus. Holly was also in charge of monitoring the body’s energy balance. She was looking worried, though, her glow was a little dimmer than usual.

"Sam, I need your help!" Holly called. "The energy systems seem to be out of sync. The body isn’t switching between energy sources the way it should!"

"What’s going on, Holly?" Sam asked, trotting over.

"The body has several ways of getting energy, but it’s not switching between them efficiently. Some areas are getting too much of one type of fuel, while others are starving! We need to restore balance and flexibility to the energy systems."

Sam tilted his head. "You mean like how we switch from eating food to using stored fat and even ketones when we fast or exercise?"

"Exactly!" Holly replied. "But when that flexibility is lost, it causes problems. You see, the body needs to switch between glucose, fat, and ketones to get the right energy to the right place. But if the body can’t make the switch, it leads to tiredness, poor brain function, and even stress."

Glossary of Sam’s Key Terms:

• Metabolic Flexibility: The ability of the body to switch between different energy sources (glucose, fat, ketones) depending on the situation (e.g., eating, fasting, or exercising).
• Cori Cycle: The process by which the liver converts lactate into glucose or ketones for energy, especially when the body is under anaerobic conditions, such as during intense exercise.
• Excitons: High-energy particles that are emitted when molecules (like cytochrome enzymes) absorb energy and enter an excited state. These emissions can help signal energy flow in the body.
• Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB): A selective barrier that allows only certain molecules, like glucose and ketones, to pass from the bloodstream into the brain.
• Succinate: A key metabolite in the mitochondria and cytosol, involved in energy production and signaling, including regulating oxygen levels and restoring sensitivity to the hypothalamus.

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Chapter 2: The Energy Storage Systems

Sam set off to investigate the body’s energy systems. First, he visited the liver, where the body stored a powerful energy source: fat. Fat, like a root cellar, was a long-term storage option for when the body needed energy, and it could last for days or even weeks.

"Hello, Sam!" called out the friendly cytochrome enzymes in the liver. Their colors were shifting from bright green to a dull shade of yellow. "We’ve been storing energy for the body, but something’s wrong. We’re not able to activate the energy as well as we used to!"

Sam noticed something unusual. When the cytochrome enzymes worked, they changed colors. Sam knew that this color shift was important because it was related to the exciton process. "When we get excited," explained the cytochromes, "we absorb energy and glow, giving off tiny flashes of light—those are called excitons! But lately, it seems we can’t generate as many excitons. That’s a sign that our energy system isn’t working at full capacity."

"Let me help!" Sam said. He knew that the Cori cycle—a special process in the liver—was responsible for releasing ketones, another powerful energy source. When the body needed energy, the liver would break down fat and convert it into ketones, but only if the system was properly activated.

The Cori cycle worked best with anaerobic activity, like intense exercise, when muscles were working hard and required quick bursts of energy. As Sam helped the cytochromes generate more excitons and reactivated the Cori cycle, ketones began to be released from the liver to fuel the body’s energy needs.

After a little guidance and some succinate assistance, the cytochromes began to shine again. With each exciton release, the liver cells started to work more efficiently, releasing ketones to fuel the body’s energy needs.

Chapter 3: The Brain’s Energy Needs

Next, Sam rushed to the brain—the energy-hungry organ that used both glucose and ketones for fuel. He had to make sure that the brain wasn’t running low on its energy sources, especially since glucose and ketones were the only two types of energy that could pass through the blood-brain barrier (BBB).

Sam had a hunch that Holly was right—the body wasn’t using its energy sources as effectively as it could. But why? As he checked in with the brain cells, they looked a little sluggish.

"We need glucose!" called one of the neurons. "Our brain is running low on fuel!"

"And we need ketones too!" added another. "We’re not able to access the backup energy stores when we need them most."

Sam knew that the brain required constant fuel to function properly. When glucose was available, the brain would use it quickly. But when the body was fasting or during intense exercise, ketones would kick in as the backup energy source. Both were essential for smooth brain function and mental clarity.

Sam began delivering signals that would help the brain access the ketones in the liver. As he did, he noticed the neurons were starting to brighten, their signaling more precise. With the right energy sources in place, the brain began to function better—faster thinking, clearer ideas, and a lot less stress.

Chapter 4: The Importance of Flexibility

As Sam continued his journey through the body, he realized something profound: the key to optimal health and energy throughout life was metabolic flexibility—the ability of the body to switch between different energy sources (glucose, fat, and ketones). This flexibility was especially important as the body aged or faced stress.

Sam had a great idea: regular training for the various tissues and organs to practice switching between energy sources. By practicing this switch regularly, the body could be prepared to make the shift more efficiently when it was needed for real—whether during exercise, fasting, or periods of high stress.

He gathered the liver, muscles, and brain together for a big training session. "Okay, everyone! Time to practice switching between glucose, fat, and ketones," Sam said, wagging his tail excitedly. "Let’s train our body systems to respond quickly when the need arises!"

The liver worked with muscles to switch between glucose and fat during simulated exercise. The brain practiced switching between glucose and ketones, depending on the energy needs of the moment. Each tissue began to become more responsive and flexible, adapting to different scenarios.

Sam smiled as he watched the tissues work together in perfect harmony. This kind of conditioning would help the body remain efficient, adaptable, and full of energy no matter what life threw at it.

Chapter 5: The Body’s Adaptive Secrets

After helping the liver, the brain, and the rest of the body optimize their energy sources, Sam paused for a moment. He thought about how this whole process worked: from fat storage in the liver to energy delivery in the brain, the body was like a finely tuned orchestra.

"What if we could measure these energy shifts and quantum states?" Sam thought aloud. "If we could detect the little flashes of light—the excitons—as they travel through the body, we could learn so much about the body's real-time energy needs. We could optimize health non-invasively, just by reading these signals!"

It was a thrilling thought. Sam realized that metabolic flexibility was key to maintaining energy, optimizing brain function, and adapting to whatever life threw at the body, no matter how old it got. And, who knows? Maybe one day, he thought, we could measure those tiny flashes of energy to understand even more about how the body works.

"That’s a mystery for another time," Sam mused, wagging his tail. "But for now, I’ll continue my adventures, helping the body stay balanced, flexible, and full of energy!"

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Key Takeaways:

• Metabolic Flexibility is Key to Healthy Aging: As we age, our ability to switch between energy sources (glucose, ketones, and fat) becomes crucial for maintaining energy, vitality, and resilience. Metabolic flexibility helps the body respond to different demands, such as exercise, stress, or illness, and allows it to recover more effectively.
• Training the Body for Energy Source Switching: Just like physical muscles, our body's systems can be "trained" to switch between energy sources more efficiently. Regularly engaging in activities that stimulate both aerobic and anaerobic pathways (such as exercise and fasting) helps improve metabolic flexibility.
• The Cori Cycle and Energy Storage: The Cori Cycle, which converts lactate to glucose in the liver, is vital for energy production during anaerobic activities (like intense exercise). When the body can efficiently switch between energy sources, it ensures the brain and muscles always have the fuel they need.
• The Role of Succinate in Energy Production: Succinate is an essential metabolite that plays a vital role in both energy production (via the mitochondria) and in signaling oxygen levels throughout the body. It helps regulate the hypothalamus, providing crucial feedback for maintaining balance and metabolic health.
• Conditioning Medicine: "Conditioning medicine" emphasizes the power of regular training to optimize metabolic functions and support adaptive homeostasis. This approach involves proactive efforts to "train" the body, much like training muscles, to improve its long-term health and efficiency.
• The Benefits of Early and Ongoing Training: The sooner you start incorporating practices that improve metabolic flexibility, the better your long-term health outcomes. Even if you're starting later in life, benefits can often be felt quickly, and your body can begin to respond to changes almost immediately.
• The Power of Fat as Long-Term Energy Storage: Fat acts like a "root cellar" for energy, providing a long-term store of calories that the body can tap into during times of need (such as fasting or prolonged exercise). This makes fat a key energy source that supports sustained metabolic flexibility.
• Success Through Adaptive Homeostasis: The body is capable of self-regulating and adapting to changing circumstances. By improving metabolic flexibility and supporting the adaptive homeostasis system, you can ensure that your body is always in balance, regardless of age or external stressors.
• Quantum Biology and Excited States in Energy Management: The way our body processes and manages energy is deeply tied to quantum biology. For example, molecules like succinate play a role in both energy production and signaling via quantum states, helping to regulate cellular activities at the microscopic level.
• It’s Never Too Late to Start: While starting early is ideal, it's never too late to begin optimizing your health. Even small changes in diet, exercise, and lifestyle can have an immediate, positive impact on your metabolic flexibility and overall well-being.

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Paul Leonard is the president and CEO of Activate Biophysics Corp. (Vancouver, BC). Activate Biophysics collaborates with leading medical research institutes throughout the world to develop and bring to market effective, non-toxic interventions based upon cellular signaling to induce whole-body, adaptive responses in optimizing human immunity and function. The company has collaborated with major sports leagues, extreme athletes and members of elite armed forces units in optimizing energetics and recovery.

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Dr. Mikhail Kozhurin leads research teams at the Almazov National Medical Research Centre (St. Petersburg, Russia), one of the largest and most advanced medical research centres in the world. Dr. Kozhurin is a nationally recognized proponent for and contributor to the development of a number of non-toxic treatments and interventions based on peptides and proteins.