Huberman Lab

Podcast Notes What Is Dopamine?

• Dopamine lies at the heart of all addictions
• We can increase dopamine through behaviors, with rapid and long-lasting results
• “Dopamine is a currency and it’s the way that you track pleasure, track success, track whether or not you are doing well or poorly.” – Dr. Andrew Huberman
• Experience of life and motivation or drive is relative to how much dopamine you have at any given moment
• The ability to experience motivation and pleasure next is dictated by how much motivation and pleasure you experienced in the past
• Learn to spike dopamine from effort itself: focusing only on the reward at the end of effort can undermine the process, making the process feel more painful and time feel longer
• Cold plunge (water temperature depends on cold adaptation) can increase dopamine levels 2.5x for longer periods of time, up to three hours post-exposure

Read the full notes @ podcastnotes.org

This episode serves as a sort of “Dopamine Masterclass”. I discuss the immensely powerful chemical that we all make in our brain and body: dopamine. I describe what it does and the neural circuits involved. I explain dopamine peaks and baselines, and the cell biology of dopamine depletion. I include 14 tools for how to control your dopamine release for sake of motivation, focus, avoiding and combating addiction and depression, and I explain why dopamine stacking with chemicals and behaviors inevitably leads to states of underwhelm and poor performance. I explain how to achieve sustained increases in baseline dopamine, compounds that injure and protect dopamine neurons including caffeine from specific sources. I describe non-prescription supplements for increasing dopamine—both their benefits and risks—and synergy of pro-dopamine supplements with those that increase acetylcholine. 

 

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Links:

• Review on Dopamine: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41583-021-00455-7
• Cold Exposure & Dopamine: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs004210050065 

 

Timestamps:

• 00:00:00 Introduction & Tool 1 to Induce Lasting Dopamine
• 00:04:48 Sponsors: Roka, InsideTracker, Headspace
• 00:09:10 Upcoming (Zero-Cost) Neuroplasticity Seminar for Educators
• 00:09:58 What Dopamine (Really) Does
• 00:15:30 Two Main Neural Circuits for Dopamine 
• 00:18:14 How Dopamine Is Released: Locally and Broadly
• 00:22:03 Fast and Slow Effects of Dopamine
• 00:25:03 Dopamine Neurons Co-Release Glutamate
• 00:28:00 Your Dopamine History Really Matters 
• 00:30:30 Parkinson’s & Drugs That Kill Dopamine Neurons. My Dopamine Experience 
• 00:36:58 Tool 3 Controlling Dopamine Peaks & Baselines
• 00:40:06 Chocolate, Sex (Pursuit & Behavior), Nicotine, Cocaine, Amphetamine, Exercise
• 00:46:46 Tool 4 Caffeine Increases Dopamine Receptors
• 00:49:54 Pursuit, Excitement & Your “Dopamine Setpoint”
• 00:56:46 Your Pleasure-Pain Balance & Defining “Pain”
• 01:00:00 Addiction, Dopamine Depletion, & Replenishing Dopamine
• 01:07:50 Tool 5 Ensure Your Best (Healthy) Dopamine Release
• 01:15:28 Smart Phones: How They Alter Our Dopamine Circuits
• 01:19:45 Stimulants & Spiking Dopamine: Counterproductive for Work, Exercise & Attention
• 01:22:20 Caffeine Sources Matter: Yerba Mate & Dopamine Neuron Protection
• 01:24:20 Caffeine & Neurotoxicity of MDMA
• 01:26:15 Amphetamine, Cocaine & Detrimental Rewiring of Dopamine Circuits
• 01:27:57 Ritalin, Adderall, (Ar)Modafinil: ADHD versus non-Prescription Uses
• 01:28:45 Tool 6 Stimulating Long-Lasting Increases in Baseline Dopamine 
• 01:37:55 Tool 7 Tuning Your Dopamine for Ongoing Motivation
• 01:47:40 Tool 8 Intermittent Fasting: Effects on Dopamine 
• 01:53:09 Validation of Your Pre-Existing Beliefs Increases Dopamine
• 01:53:50 Tool 9 Quitting Sugar & Highly Palatable Foods: 48 Hours
• 01:55:36 Pornography
• 01:56:50 Wellbutrin & Depression & Anxiety
• 01:58:30 Tool 10 Mucuna Pruriens, Prolactin, Sperm, Crash Warning
• 02:01:45 Tool 11 L-Tyrosine: Dosages, Duration of Effects & Specificity
• 02:05:20 Tool 12 Avoiding Melatonin Supplementation, & Avoiding Light 10pm-4am
• 02:07:00 Tool 13 Phenylethylamine (with Alpha-GPC) For Dopamine Focus/Energy
• 02:08:20 Tool 14 Huperzine A
• 02:10:02 Social Connections, Oxytocin & Dopamine Release
• 02:12:20 Direct & Indirect Effects: e.g., Maca; Synthesis & Application
• 02:14:22 Zero-Cost & Other Ways To Support Podcast & Research

 

Please note that The Huberman Lab Podcast is distinct from Dr. Huberman's teaching and research roles at Stanford University School of Medicine. The information provided in this show is not medical advice, nor should it be taken or applied as a replacement for medical advice. The Huberman Lab Podcast, its employees, guests and affiliates assume no liability for the application of the information discussed.

 

Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac - https://www.blabacphoto.com