Lairon's Take Down with Special Energy attached

[Crome Steelix]

I have a problem with figuring out this card. My brother is attacking with a Lairon from the Triumphant series with an attack that reads...

TAKE DOWN 80
Lairon does 20 damage to itself.

But he has two Special energy and one normal attached to him.
My brother says the special energy will protect him from doing 20 damage to itself.

Is this true?

[PokePop]

Yes it will.
Each one says that it reduces damage from Attacks by 10. Note that it doesn't limit that to attacks from the Opponent.
And they add up.