The egg and sperm as epigenetic time capsules

Preconception health is one of the most powerful—yet overlooked—windows for influencing a child’s lifelong wellness. While fertility is often discussed in the context of age or medical intervention, emerging research suggests that the months leading up to conception are a critical "time capsule" for epigenetic health.

In this episode of A Whole New Level, Levels Founder and CEO Josh Clemente sits down with Dr. Anne Shippy, a board-certified internal medicine physician and author of The Preconception Revolution. Dr. Shippy brings a unique, systems-based approach to fertility, moving beyond basic labs to uncover the root causes of infertility and chronic disease.

Dr. Shippy explains why the "check engine light" of infertility is often a signal of deeper metabolic or environmental imbalances—and why age isn't always the primary driver of reproductive success. Drawing on her engineering background and years of clinical practice, she walks through how toxins, mitochondrial function, and the microbiome interact to shape the health of both parents and their future children.

Along the way, the conversation explores the practical "mini-experiments" couples can run to optimize their biology—from tightening blood sugar control with CGMs to auditing the "chemical soup" of modern life. The result is an empowering framework for generational health: shifting the focus from reactive treatments to proactive, data-driven preparation.

Sign Up to Get Your Free Ultimate Guide to Glucose: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠⁠⁠

In this episode, we cover

• The Preconception Window: Why the 3–12 months before pregnancy are a critical window for epigenetic influence

• The Engineering Approach: Applying systems-based, data-driven models to the biochemistry of the body

• Environmental Toxins: How PFAS, phthalates, and microplastics in packaging disrupt hormone health

• Sperm Health Trends: Understanding the 50% decline in sperm counts and the role of lifestyle in reversing damage

• Mitochondrial Function: Why cellular energy production is the foundation of egg and sperm quality

• IVF as a Last Resort: Why tuning up the body’s "hospitable environment" should come before invasive procedures

• The Role of Glucose: How stable blood sugar improves fertility and passes on better epigenetics to the baby

🎙 What Dr. Anne Shippy & Josh discuss

[03:35] — Making the career shift from IBM chemical engineer to functional medicine

[05:54] — Using CGMs as a series of experiments to optimize preconception health

[10:04] — Success stories: Reversing "failed" IVF and infertility in the early 40s

[14:48] — Why the children’s health crisis and the fertility crisis share the same root causes

[17:22] — The "Time Capsule": How the egg and sperm pass on epigenetic snapshots

[20:02] — The minimum timeline: Why three months is the baseline for biological change

[22:22] — The impact of processed food packaging on hormone and sperm health in just 21 days

[24:50] — Advanced testing: Moving beyond Quest labs to microbiome and toxin panels

[29:57] — The "Big Three" environmental shifts: Clean air, clean water, and clean food

[42:22] — The "Lightning Round": Prioritizing changes from synthetic fragrances to alcohol and exercise

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🔗 Helpful links

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/QG4Jxxu_gyE

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠⁠⁠

📲 Connect

Connect with Dr. Ann Shippy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annshippymd/

https://annshippymd.com/