Huberman Lab

In this episode, I talk to Dr. Duncan French, Ph.D., the Vice President of Performance at the UFC Performance Institute and a world-class performance specialist. We discuss specific resistance (weight) training regimens for increasing testosterone in men and women and how to vary mechanical loads and rest between sets and workouts to optimize hormone output and training results. We also discuss how stress-induced "catecholamines" can increase testosterone or decrease it, depending on duration and mindset. And we discuss specific cold- and heat- therapies for increasing resilience, reducing inflammation, heat shock proteins and more. We discuss nutrition for training and how to match nutrition to training goals and metabolic flexibility. We discuss mental focus and how long to train for skill development. Finally, we discuss how mixed martial arts and the UFC Performance Institute are a template for exploring human performance more generally. This episode is intended for anyone interested in athletic and mental performance: athletes, students, and recreational exercisers and includes both science and many practical tools people can apply in their own training. 

Read the full show notes for this episode at hubermanlab.com.

AG1: https://athleticgreens.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab

Waking Up: https://wakingup.com/huberman

Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/huberman

00:00:00 Dr. Duncan French  

00:02:44 Sponsors: AG1, LMNT & Waking Up

00:05:44 Duncan’s Background in Exercise Science  

00:11:45 How Certain Exercises Increase Testosterone  

00:16:22 What Kind of Training Increases Testosterone & Growth Hormone?  

00:20:19 Intensity: Mechanical Load; Volume: Metabolic Load; Inter-set Rest Periods  

00:25:25 Training Frequency & Combining Workout Goals  

00:29:35 How Stress Can Increase or Decrease Testosterone  

00:36:55 Using Cold Exposure for Mindset, Anti-Inflammation, Muscle-Growth  

00:46:55 Skill Development  

00:50:05 Why Hard Exercise Creates Brain Fog: Role of Nutrition  

00:53:55 Low-Carbohydrate Versus All-Macronutrient Diets on Performance  

00:56:15 Ketones & Brain Energy, Offsetting Brain Injury; Spiking Glucose During Ketosis  

00:59:13 Metabolic Efficiency, Matching Nutrition to Training, “Needs Based Eating”  

01:05:00 Duncan’s Work with Olympic Athletes, NCAA, UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship)  

01:08:00 Why UFC & MMA (Mixed-Martial Arts) Are So Valuable for Advancing Performance  

01:12:40 Voluntarily Switching Between Different States of Arousal  

01:14:30 Heat, Getting Better at Sweating, Heat Shock Proteins, Sauna  

01:20:12 Using Rotating 12-Week Training Programs; Logging Objective & Subjective Data  

01:24:07 Surprising & Unknown Aspects of The UFC and UFC Performance Institute  

01:27:45 Conclusions, Zero-Cost Support, Sponsors, Supplements, Instagram  

Disclaimer & Disclosures

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This episode teaches you a lot about the immune system, immune-brain interactions and offers 12 potential tools for enhancing immune system function. I discuss how our immune system works and science-supported tools we can use to enhance our immune system.

I discuss the innate and adaptive immune systems and our various microbiomes-- not just in our gut but also in our nose, eyes and mouth and how to keep them healthy. And I review how specific patterns of breathing and foods maintain a healthy mucosal barrier that is crucial for fighting infections. I discuss how certain neurochemicals called catecholamines enhance our immune system function and how to use specific breathing protocols, types and timing of heat and cold exposure, and, if appropriate, supplementation to activate catecholamines. I also discuss the role and use of serotonin for the sake of accessing the specific types of sleep for recovering from illness, and I discuss how to increase glymphatic "washout" of brain debris during sleep. I also review fever, the vagus nerve and the use of atypical yet highly effective compounds for rhinitis (nasal inflammation).

Read the full show notes for this episode at hubermanlab.com.

AG1: https://athleticgreens.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab

Waking Up: https://wakingup.com/huberman

Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/huberman

00:00:00 The Mind & Immune System, New Findings: Acupuncture & Fascia  

00:03:16 Sponsors: AG1, LMNT & Waking Up

00:07:41 Foundational Tools & Practices for a Healthy Immune System  

00:11:20 Immune System Basics: Skin/Mucous, Innate & Adaptive Immune System  

00:17:08 Killer Cells, Complement Proteins (“Eat Me!” Signals), Cytokines (“Help Me!” Signals)  

00:21:06 The Adaptive Immune System: Antibodies  

00:28:00 Tool 1: Nasal Microbiome and “Scrubbing” Bacteria & Viruses; Nasal Breathing  

00:30:33 Tools 2 & 3: (Not) Touching Your Eyes; Gut Microbiome & Fermented Foods  

00:34:20 Some Interleukins Are Anti-Inflammatory  

00:34:56 Sickness Behavior  

00:39:08 Some People Seek Care When Sick, Others Want to be Alone  

00:42:00 Sickness Behavior & Depression: Cytokines  

00:43:40 Reduced Appetites When Sick: Protein, Iron, Libido  

00:46:45 Vagus-Nerve Stimulation: Fever, Photophobia, Sleepiness  

00:53:03 Humoral (Blood-Borne) Factors, & Choroid Change Your Brain State  

00:55:04 Tools 4, 5: Reducing Sickness: Glymphatic Clearance, Pre-Sleep Serotonin, 5HTP  

01:07:03 Tool 6: Hot Showers, Saunas, Baths & Cortisol, Heat-Cold Contrast  

01:10:53 Feed a Fever & Starve a Cold (?), Adrenaline  

01:12:36 Tool 7: Activating Your Immune System w/Cyclic-Hyperventilation, Alkalinity  

01:29:10 Brain Chemicals & Cyclic-Hyperventilation; Catecholamines, Dopamine  

01:32:10 Mindsets & Immune Function; Yes, You Can Worry Yourself Sick  

01:37:00 Tool 8: Healthy Mindsets, Hope, Dopamine; Tool 9: Tyrosine; Tool 10: Cold Exposure  

01:42:05 Once You’re Already Sick: Accelerating Recovery; Tool 11: Spirulina, Rhinitis  

01:46:09 Histamines, Mast Cells  

01:49:22 Tool 12: Acupuncture: Mechanism for How It Reduces Inflammation; Fascia, Rolfing  

01:53:40 Mechanistic Science & Ancient Practices  

01:58:00 Synthesis, Ways to Support Us (Zero-Cost), Sponsors, Supplements, Social Media  

Disclaimer & Disclosures

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In this episode, I host Dr. Samer Hattar, Ph.D., Chief of the Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms at the National Institute of Mental Health. Dr. Hattar is a world-renowned expert on how viewing light at particular times adjusts our mood, ability to learn, stress and hormone levels, appetite, and mental health. We discuss how to determine and use your individual light sensitivity to determine the optimal sleep-wake cycle for you. We also discuss how to combine your light viewing and waking time with the timing of your food intake and exercise in order to maximize mental and physical functioning. Dr. Hattar is credited with co-discovering the neurons in the eye that set our circadian clocks and regulate mood and appetite. He explains why even a small shift in daylight savings leads to outsized effects on our biking because of the way that our cells and circadian clocks integrate across many days. And he offers precise tools to rapidly adjust to jet lag, shift work, and reset your clock after a late night of work or socializing. This episode is filled with cutting-edge data on the biological mechanisms of human physiology and practical tools for people of all ages. 

Read the full show notes for this episode at hubermanlab.com.

AG1: https://athleticgreens.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab

Waking Up: https://wakingup.com/huberman

Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/huberman

00:00:00 Introducing Dr. Samer Hattar, Ph.D.  

00:02:33 Sponsors: AG1, LMNT & Waking Up

00:06:15 Light, Circadian (24-hour) & Circannual (365-day) “Photoentrainment”  

00:14:30 Neurons in Our Eyes That Set Our Body Clocks: Similar to Frog Skin  

00:18:55 What Blind People See  

00:20:15 When, How & How Long to View Light for Optimal Sleep & Wakefulness  

00:30:20 Sunlight Simulators, Afternoon Light Viewing, Naps  

00:33:48 Are You Jet Lagged at Home? Chronotypes & Why Early Risers Succeed  

00:38:33 How to Decide Your Best Sleep-Wake Schedule; Minimal Light Test  

00:42:16 Viewing Light in Middle of Day: Mood & “Light Hunger”  

00:44:55 Evening Sunlight; Blueblocker Warning  

00:48:57 Blue Light Is Not the Issue; Samer’s Cave; Complete Darkness  

00:53:58 Screens at Night  

00:56:03 Dangers of Bright Light Between 10 pm and 4 am: Mood & Learning  

01:01:05 The Tripartite Model: Circadian, Sleep Drive, Feeding Schedules  

01:05:05 Using Light to Enhance Your Mood; & The Hattar-Hernandez Nucleus  

01:07:19 Why Do We Sleep?  

01:08:17 Effects of Light on Appetite; Regular Light & Meal Times  

01:18:08 Samer’s Experience with Adjusting Meal Timing  

01:22:51 Using Light to Align Sleep, Mood, Feeding, Exercise & Cognition  

01:30:15 Age-Related Changes in Timing of Mental & Physical Vigor  

01:31:44 “Chrono-Attraction” in Relationships; Social-Rhythms  

01:33:40 Re-setting Our Clock Schedule; Screen Devices Revisited  

01:37:50 How Samer Got into the Study of Light  

01:39:33 Clock Gene mRNAs & More Accurate Biomarkers  

01:41:08 Light as Medicine  

01:42:48 ADHD (Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)  

01:43:35 How to Beat Jet Lag: Light, Temperature, Eating  

01:50:44 Vigor: The Consequence of Proper Timing  

01:52:15 Waking in the Middle of the Night: When Your Nightly Sleep Becomes a Nap  

01:54:10 Melatonin, Pineal Calcification  

01:55:25 Our Seasonal Rhythms: Mood, Depression, Lethargy & Reproduction  

01:59:08 Daylight Savings: Much Worse Than It Might Seem  

02:05:27 Eye Color & Sensitivity to Light, Bipolar Disorder  

02:09:28 Spicy Food, Genetic Variations in Sensory Sensitivity  

02:10:52 Synthesizing This Information, Samer on Twitter, Instagram  

02:13:00 Conclusions, Ways To Support the Huberman Lab Podcast & Research  

Disclaimer & Disclosures

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This episode I describe science-supported nutrients for brain and performance (cognition) and for nervous system health generally.

I describe 10 tools for this purpose, including specific amounts and sources for Omega-3 fatty acids which make up the "structural fat" of neurons (nerve cells) and allow them to function across our lifespan. I also review data on creatine, phosphatidylserine, anthocyanins, choline, glutamine and how they each impact brain function in healthy people seeking to reinforce and improve their cognition and in those combatting cognitive decline. I describe both food-based and supplement-based sources for these compounds, and their effective dose ranges based on peer-reviewed literature.

Then I review the 3 factors: gut-brain signaling, perceived taste, and learned associations that combine with the metabolic and blood-sugar-elevating effects of food to determine what foods we seek and prefer. Amazingly, it's not just about what tastes good to us. Next, I explore how we can leverage the neural circuits of learned food preference toward seeking and enjoying the right foods for brain health and performance. I also review new data on non-caloric sweeteners and why consuming them with glucose-elevating foods can be detrimental, in some cases rapidly leading to insulin dysregulation. This episode covers more than 10 actionable tools for those seeking to improve and/or maintain brain function, and it explains modern neuroscience underlying of our sense of taste, our food seeking preferences and brain metabolism.

Read the full show notes for this episode at hubermanlab.com.

AG1: https://athleticgreens.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab

Waking Up: https://wakingup.com/huberman

Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/huberman

00:00:00 Food & Brain Function Introduction  

00:02:08 Summary: Critical Aspects of Time Restricted Feeding/Fasting  

00:04:36 Sponsors: AG1, LMNT & Waking Up

00:08:24 Neuroplasticity Super Protocol (Zero-Cost Tools) Online  

00:09:22 Eating to Enhance Brain Function & Foundational Aspects of Brain Health  

00:13:00 Eating Fats for Brain Health, EFAs Phospholipids (Tool 1: 1-3g EPA Omega-3/day)  

00:20:35 Phosphatidylserine (Tool 2: 300mg/day)  

00:22:15 Choline, Egg Yolks (Tool 3: 1-2g/day Threshold)  

00:28:26 Hydration & Electrolytes (Tool 4)  

00:29:50 Liquid Fish Oil/Capsules (2-3g EPA per day; 300mg Alpha GPC 2-4X/week)  

00:32:22 Creatine for Cognition (Tool 5: 5g/day)  

00:36:28 Anthocyanins, Dark Skin Berries (Tool 6: 10mg/day (Extract), 1-2 cups Berries)  

00:41:19 L-Glutamine (Tool: 1-10g/day) & Offsetting Apnea & Inflammation  

00:49:23 Neural Basis of Food Preference, Yum, Yuck, Meh; Taste, Guts, & Beliefs  

00:55:25 Taste is 100% In Your Head  

00:59:50 Gut Neurons Controlling Food Preference: Neuropod Cells; (Tool 7: Fermented Foods)  

01:06:14 Capsule Probiotics, Brain Fog  

01:07:16 Learning to Like Specific Tastes: Sweetness & Brain Metabolism  

01:12:11 Hard-Wiring & Soft-Wiring  

01:13:25 Artificial & Non-Caloric Sweeteners: Safe or Harmful Depends on (Glucose) Context  

01:18:15 Non-Caloric Sweetener & Insulin; (Tool 8: Don’t Have w/Glucose Elevating Foods)  

01:22:17 Beliefs & Thoughts; The Insula; (Tool 9: Pairing-Based Reshaping Food Preferences)  

01:30:42 Liking Neuro-Healthy Foods & Bettering Brain Metabolism (Tool 10); Food Wars  

01:36:05 Food Reward & Diabetes, Obesity; Important Review Article (See Caption)  

01:38:28 Synthesis, Zero-Cost Support, Future Topic Suggestions, Sponsors, Supplements  

Disclaimer & Disclosures

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This episode I discuss the science and practice of fasting also called time-restricted feeding. I review the data on how limiting food intake to specific portions of every 24-hour cycle (or fasting longer) impacts weight loss, fat loss specifically, liver health, mental focus, muscle, longevity and more. I explain how "fasted" is contextual, and relates to blood glucose levels and their downstream effects, and how the depth of fasting can be adjusted with behaviors such as different types of exercise, or with glucose disposal agents. I also discuss the optimal fasting protocol: and both the absolute (non-negotiable) and variable (contextual) features of a fasting/time-restricted-feeding protocol that will allow you to get the most benefits. I also discuss what does and does not break a fast, the effects of fasting on hormones like testosterone and cortisol and on fertility. I also review how different feeding windows of 8 or 10 or 4 hours differentially impact the effects of fasting, and why the classic 8 hour feeding window came to be but also might be ideal. I discuss mechanisms and offer tools to discern the optimal fasting duration and timing for you. 

Read the full show notes for this episode at hubermanlab.com.

AG1: https://athleticgreens.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab

Waking Up: https://wakingup.com/huberman

Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/huberman

00:00:00 Introduction, Blood Glucose & Mortality, Mice Vs. Humans  

00:06:18 Sponsors: AG1, LMNT & Waking Up

00:09:42 Neuroplasticity Protocols & Online Lecture  

00:11:20 Feeding, Fasting, Performance  

00:13:50 Calories-In, Calories-Out (CICO); Perfect Diets  

00:19:48 Feeding-Induced Health Conditions  

00:25:33 Time Restricted Eating: When We Eat Is Vital  

00:29:45 The Eight Hour Feeding Window  

00:31:26 Feeding Deep Into the Night Is Bad (In Humans)  

00:36:33 Liver Health  

00:39:45 Time Restricted Feeding Protocol: Rules  

00:41:35 When to Start & Stop Eating  

00:45:38 Gastric Clearance, Linking Fasting to Sleep  

00:52:35 Effects of Specific Categories of Food  

00:55:40 Precision In Fasting: Protocol Build  

00:59:30 4-6 Hour Feeding Windows  

01:03:08 Protein Consumption & Timing for Muscle  

01:08:13 How to Shift Your Eating Window  

01:13:20 Glucose Clearing, Exercise & Compounds  

01:22:37 Blood Glucose: Monitoring, mTOR & Related Pathways  

01:27:40 Gut Health: Fasting, Clock Genes and Microbiota  

01:29:15 Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver  

01:32:00 Effects of Fasting on Hormones: Testosterone, Cortisol  

01:38:40 Fertility  

01:41:50 8-Hour Feeding Window: Weight Loss Without Calorie Counting  

01:43:20 Eating Every-Other-Day  

01:45:29 Adherence  

01:47:15 Mental Focus & Clarity  

01:49:12 Enhancing Weight Loss from Body Fat: Hepatic Lipase  

01:53:15 What Breaks a Fast? Rules & Context  

01:58:50 Artificial Sweeteners, Plant-Based Sweeteners  

02:01:42 Glucose Clearing II, Cinnamon, Acidity, Salt  

02:06:42 My Circadian Clock, Zero-App  

02:08:20 Odd (But Common) Questions  

02:09:23 Effects of Sauna & Dehydration on Blood Glucose  

02:11:12 The Ideal Fasting Protocol  

02:24:00 More Resources, Ways to Support Us, Supplements  

Disclaimer & Disclosures

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This episode I am joined by Dr. Craig Heller, Ph.D., Professor of Biology at Stanford University and world expert on the science of temperature regulation. We discuss how the body and brain maintain temperature under different conditions and how most everyone uses the wrong approach to cool off or heat up. Dr. Heller teaches us the best ways and in doing so, explains how to offset hyperthermia and hypothermia. He also explains how we can use the precise timing and location of cooling on our body to greatly enhance endurance and weight training performance. He describes how cooling technology discovered and engineered in his laboratory has led to a tripling of anaerobic (weight training) performance and allowed endurance athletes to run further and faster, as well as to eliminate delayed onset muscle soreness. Dr. Heller explains how heat impairs muscular and mental performance, and how to cool the brain to reduce inflammation and to enhance sleep and cognition. We discuss how anyone can apply these principles for themselves, even their dogs! Our conversation includes both many practical tools and mechanistic science.

Read the full show notes for this episode at hubermanlab.com.

AG1: https://athleticgreens.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab

Waking Up: https://wakingup.com/huberman

Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/huberman

00:00:00 Introducing Dr. Craig Heller, Physiology & Performance  

00:02:20 Sponsors: AG1, LMNT & Waking Up

00:06:45 Cold Showers, Ice Baths, Cryotherapy  

00:10:45 Boundary Layers  

00:11:55 Cooling Before Aerobic Activity to Enhance Performance  

00:14:45 Anaerobic Activity Locally Increases Muscle Heat  

00:16:45 Temperature Gates Our Energy Use  

00:19:00 Local Versus Systemic Fatigue: Heat Is Why We Fail  

00:22:10 Cooling Off: Most Methods are Counterproductive  

00:26:43 Exercise-Induced Brain Fog  

00:27:45 Hyperthermia  

00:31:50 Best Body Sites for Cooling: Palms, Foot Pads, Upper Face  

00:38:00 Cooling Your Brain via The Upper Face; Concussion  

00:41:25 Extraordinary (Tripling!) Performance by Cooling the Palms  

00:45:35 Enhancing Recovery, Eliminating Soreness w/Intra-workout Cooling  

00:50:00 Multiple Sclerosis: Heat Sensitivity & Amelioration with Cooling  

00:51:00 Enhancing Endurance with Proper Cooling  

00:53:00 Cool Mitt, Ice-Cold Is Too Cold, 3 Minutes Cooling  

00:58:20 How You Can Use Palmer Cooling to Enhance Performance  

01:01:15 Radiation, Convection, Heat-Transfer, Role of Surface Area  

01:04:40 Hypothermia Story, Ideal Re-Heating Strategy  

01:11:40 Paw-lmer Cooling for Dog Health & Performance  

01:12:45 Warming Up, & Varying Temperature Around the Body  

01:17:35 Cooling-Enhanced Performance Is Permanent  

01:19:55 Anabolic Steroids versus Palmer Cooling  

01:24:00 Female Athletic Performance  

01:25:18 Shivering & Cold, Metabolism  

01:26:55 Studies of Bears & Hibernation, Brown Fat  

01:31:10 Brown Fat Distribution & Activation In Humans  

01:34:18 Brain Freeze, Ice Headache: Blood Pressure, Headache  

01:37:50 Fidgeters, Non-Exercise Induced Thermogenesis  

01:39:44 How Pre-Workout Drinks, & Caffeine May Inhibit Performance  

01:43:42 Sleep, Cold, Warm Baths, Screens, & Socks  

01:48:44 Synthesis  

01:49:30 Supporting the Podcast & Scientific Research  

Disclaimer & Disclosures

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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. 

Read the full show notes for this episode at hubermanlab.com.

AG1: https://athleticgreens.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab

Waking Up: https://wakingup.com/huberman

Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/huberman

00:00:00 Introduction & Tool 1 to Induce Lasting Dopamine  

00:05:04 Sponsors: AG1, LMNT & Waking Up

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  

Disclaimer & Disclosures

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This episode I discuss medical research on psychedelic compounds with Dr. Matthew Johnson, Ph.D., Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. We discuss the biology and medical clinical-trial uses of psilocybin, MDMA, ayahuasca, DMT, and LSD. Dr. Johnson teaches us what the clinical trials in his lab are revealing about the potential these compounds hold for the treatment of depression, addiction, trauma, eating disorders, ADHD, and other disorders of the mind. Dr. Johnson describes a typical psychedelic experiment in his laboratory, start to finish, including the conditions for optimal clinical outcomes. And he explains some of the potential hazards and common misconceptions and pitfalls related to psychedelic medicine. Dr. Johnson explains flashbacks, the heightened risks of certain people and age groups using psychedelics and the ever evolving legal and pharmaceutical industry landscape surrounding psychedelics. Dr. Johnson also explains how the scientific study of psychedelics is likely to set the trajectory of psychiatric medicine in the years to come. Dr. Johnson is among a small handful of researchers who have pioneered the clinical study of these powerful compounds. He has unprecedented insight into how they can be woven into other psychiatric treatments, changing ones sense of self and of reality.

Read the full show notes for this episode at hubermanlab.com.

AG1: https://athleticgreens.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab

Waking Up: https://wakingup.com/huberman

Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/huberman

00:00:00 Introducing Dr. Matthew Johnson  

00:02:27 Sponsors: AG1, LMNT & Waking Up

00:06:40 ‘Psychedelics’ Defined  

00:14:09 Hallucinations, Synesthesia, Altered Space-Time Perception  

00:19:56 Serotonin & Dopamine  

00:23:50 Ketamine & Glutamate  

00:28:00 An Example Psychedelic Experiment  

00:37:30 ‘Letting Go’ with Psychedelics  

00:44:10 Our Mind’s Eye  

00:48:00 Redefining Your Sense of Self  

00:58:56 Exporting Psychedelic Learnings to Daily Life  

01:04:36 Flashbacks  

01:12:10 Ayahuasca, ASMR, Kundalini Breathing  

01:15:54 MDMA, DMT  

01:26:00 Dangers of Psychedelics, Bad Trips, Long-Lasting Psychosis  

01:38:15 Micro-Dosing  

01:56:45 Risks for Kids, Adolescents & Teenagers; Future Clinical Trials  

02:03:40 Legal Status: Decriminalization vs. Legalization vs. Regulation  

02:18:35 Psychedelics for Treating Concussion & Traumatic Brain Injury  

02:27:45 Shifting Trends in Psychedelic Research, Academic Culture  

02:44:23 Participating in a Clinical Trial, Online Survey Studies, Breathwork  

02:50:38 Conclusions, Subscribing & Supporting the HLP, Supplements  

Disclaimer & Disclosures

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In this episode, I discuss ADHD (Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder): what it is, the common myths, and the biology and psychology of ADHD.

I discuss both behavioral and pharmacologic treatments for ADHD, and brain-machine interface tools. I also discuss behavioral training protocols that can improve focus in people with ADHD and those without ADHD, and for people of different ages. I discuss the role of dopamine in coordinating 'default-mode' and 'task-related' neural networks, attentional "blinks" (lapses of attention) and how to overcome them, and the role of actual blinks in time perception and attention. Finally, I review some of the prescription and over-the-counter compounds for increasing focus such as Adderall, Ritalin, Modafinil and Armodafinil, the racetams, Alpha-GPC and phosphatidylserine and the role of diet for managing ADHD (and the controversies of diet for ADHD).

The role of cell phones/technology in ADHD and ADHD-like challenges with focus are also discussed. Throughout, both basic science and clinical scenarios, as well as applicable tools and resources are covered.

Read the full show notes for this episode at hubermanlab.com.

AG1: https://athleticgreens.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab

Waking Up: https://wakingup.com/huberman

Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/huberman

00:00:00 Introduction & Note About Diagnosis  

00:03:44 Sponsors: AG1, LMNT & Waking Up

00:07:56 ADHD vs. ADD: Genetics, IQ, Rates in Kids & Adults  

00:13:00 Attention & Focus, Impulse Control  

00:14:57 Hyper-focus  

00:16:45 Time Perception  

00:18:25 The Pile System  

00:20:00 Working Memory  

00:24:10 Hyper-Focus & Dopamine  

00:26:40 Neural Circuits In ADHD: Default Mode Network & Task-Related Networks  

00:32:57 Low Dopamine in ADHD & Stimulant Use & Abuse  

00:37:10 Sugar, Ritalin, Adderall, Modafinil & Armodafinil  

00:47:00 Non-Prescribed Adderall, Caffeine, Nicotine  

00:49:18 How Stimulants “Teach” the Brains of ADHD Children to Focus  

00:52:00 When To Medicate: A Highly Informed (Anecdotal) Case Study  

00:56:35 Elimination Diets & Allergies In ADHD  

01:04:46 Omega-3 Fatty Acids: EPAs & DHAs  

01:07:00 Modulation vs Mediation of Biological Processes  

01:10:50 Attentional Blinks  

01:16:56 Open Monitoring & 17-Minute Focus Enhancement  

01:22:50 Blinking, Dopamine & Time Perception; & Focus Training  

01:30:10 Reverberatory Neural & Physical Activity  

01:33:40 Adderall, Ritalin & Blink Frequency  

01:35:00 Cannabis  

01:37:30 Interoceptive Awareness  

01:41:15 Ritalin, Adderall, Modafinil, Armodafinil; Smart Drugs & Caffeine: Dangers  

01:48:05 DHA Fatty Acids, Phosphatidylserine  

01:50:54 Ginko Biloba  

01:51:45 Modafinil & Armodafinil: Dopamine Action & Orexin  

01:56:19 Acetylcholine: Circuits Underlying Focus; Alpha-GPC  

01:59:04 L-Tyrosine, (PEA) Phenylethylamine  

02:01:23 Racetams, Noopept  

02:05:15 Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation; Combining Technology & Pharmacology  

02:09:14 Smart Phones & ADHD & Sub-Clinical Focus Issues In Adults & Kids  

02:14:30 Synthesis/Summary  

02:16:10 Support for Podcast & Research, Supplement Resources  

Disclaimer & Dislcosures

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In this episode, I discuss what drives hunger and satiety, and the role our brain, stomach, fat and hormones play in regulating hunger and turning off the desire to eat more. I also address how protein is assimilated better early in the day than it is later in the day, and why those using intermittent fasting might want to shift their feeding window to earlier in the day.

Then I delve into the topic of disorders of eating: Anorexia Nervosa, where people starve themselves and Bulimia Nervosa where people binge and purge their food. I discuss some common myths about Anorexia such as the role of media images increasing the rates of anorexia and the myth of the "perfectionist" anorexic. I also review the symptoms, and the brain and chemical systems disrupted in this condition. I explain how anorexics become hyperaware of the fat content of foods and develop reflexive habits of fat-hyperawareness. Then I discuss the most effective treatments ranging from family-based models to those that target the habitual nature of low-fat/calorie food choices. I also discuss new more experimental clinical trials on MDMA, Psilocybin and Ibogaine for Anorexia, and both their promise and risks

I review the latest work on binge eating disorder and brain stimulation, drug treatments and thyroid disruption in Bulimia and why the treatments for Bulimia are so similar to those for ADHD. Finally, I discuss "cheat days," body dysmorphia and the growing list of novel forms of eating disorders start to finish. As always, science and science-based tools are discussed.

Read the full show notes for this episode at hubermanlab.com.

AG1: https://athleticgreens.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab

Waking Up: https://wakingup.com/huberman

Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/huberman

00:00:00 Introduction: Fasting, & Defining Healthy Eating  

00:08:55 Morning Protein Is Important  

00:22:21 Sponsors: AG1, LMNT & Waking Up

00:26:29 Defining & Diagnosing Eating Disorders  

00:29:00 Anorexia Nervosa (Overview & Myths)  

00:33:44 Bulimia (Overview & Myths)  

00:37:35 Binge Eating Disorders, EDNOS, OSFEDS, Pica  

00:39:44 What is Hunger? What is Satiety?  

00:42:00 Neuronal & Hormonal “Accelerators & Brakes” on Eating  

00:46:17 Fat, Leptin & Fertility & Metabolic Dysfunctions in Obesity  

00:50:30 Why We Overeat  

00:55:30 Homeostasis & Reward Systems/Decisions  

00:59:58 Anorexia  

01:04:28 The Cholesterol Paradox  

01:06:13 Psychological vs. Biological/Genetic Factors in Anorexia  

01:09:44 Chemical Imbalances, Serotonergic Treatments  

01:12:56 Altered Habits & Rewards in Anorexia: Hyperacuity for Fat Content  

01:18:28 Brain Areas for Reward Based Decision Making vs. Habits  

01:24:06 Habit-Reward Circuits Are Flipped in Anorexics: Reward for Deprivation  

01:28:30 How Do You Break a Habit?  

01:33:23 Family Based Models, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy  

01:35:39 MDMA, Psilocybin, Clinical Trials, Ibogaine  

01:40:35 Anabolic vs. Catabolic Exercise, Spontaneous Movements, NEAT  

01:43:23 Distorted Self Image in Anorexia  

01:47:54 Bulimia & Binge-Eating, “Cheat Days”, Thyroid Hormone  

01:53:05 Inhibitory Control, Impulsivity, Adderall, Wellbutrin  

01:58:00 Direct Brain Stimulation: Nucleus Accumbens  

02:04:28 Anorexia/Reward vs. Bulimia/Binging  

02:05:45 Healthy Eating Revisited  

02:10:55 Synthesis, Body Dysmorphias  

02:14:15 Support: Podcast, & Research Studies  

Disclaimer & Disclosures

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices