Send us a text

Human metabolism, primate evolution, and modern health challenges with evolutionary anthropologist Herman Pontzer.

Episode Summary: Anthropologist Dr. Herman Pontzer discusses human evolution and metabolism, comparing humans to primates like chimps and gorillas to explain our higher energy use, bigger brains, and longer lives despite trade-offs in reproduction and activity; they discuss dietary shifts from plant-based to hunting-gathering, metabolic adaptations, and modern issues like obesity, where exercise aids health but diet drives weight loss, emphasizing ultra-processed foods' role in overeating and the promise of new drugs like GLP-1 agonists.

About the guest: Herman Pontzer, PhD is a professor of evolutionary anthropology and global health at Duke University. He is the author of books like "Burn" and "Adaptable," which explore how bodies adapt to diets, activity, and environments.

Discussion Points:

• Humans burn 20% more daily energy than other primates (controlling for body size), enabling big brains, more babies, and longer lives, but requiring efficient food strategies like hunting and gathering.
• Unlike apes, humans evolved smaller guts, higher body fat (15-30% vs. apes' <10%), and mixed diets of animal and plant foods.
• Hunter-gatherers like the Hadza are far more active than sedentary Westerners but burn similar calories, as bodies adapt by reducing basal metabolism, inflammation, and hormones.
• Obesity stems more from increased calorie intake via ultra-processed foods than it does from reduced activity; exercise boosts health but rarely causes major weight loss on its own.
• Early humans likely scavenged rancid meat, evidenced by low stomach pH similar to vultures, aiding digestion of risky foods.
• Ketosis isn't unique to high-meat diets; even Inuit on low-carb diets resist it, and other carnivores don't stay in ketosis constantly.
• Across global populations, richer countries have higher BMI and slightly higher total energy expenditure due to larger bodies, but basal rates drop with lower pathogen loads.
• For weight loss, Dr. Pontzer points to diets high in fiber/protein for satiety; intermittent fasting works by cutting

Support the show

Affiliates:

• Seed Oil Scout: Find restaurants with seed oil-free options, scan food products to see what they’re hiding, with this easy-to-use mobile app.
• AquaTru: Reverse osmosis water filters. Remove metals, microbes, endocrine disruptors and toxins from drinking water. $100 off AquaTru filters through link.
• KetoCitra—Ketone body BHB + electrolytes formulated for kidney health. Use code MIND20 for 20% off any subscription (cancel anytime)
• Lumen device to optimize your metabolism for weight loss or athletic performance. Code MIND for 10% off
• SiPhox Health—Affordable at-home blood testing. Key health markers, visualized & explained. Code TRIKOMES for a 20% discount.
• MASA Chips—delicious tortilla chips made from organic corn & grass-fed beef tallow. No seed oils or artificial ingredients. Code MIND for 20% off

For all the ways you can support my efforts

Send us a text

The deep connection between sunlight and life, from the scale of the cosmos to the quantum.

Episode Summary: Astrophysicist Dr. Robert Fosbury discusses the sun's characteristics as a star, its analogies to living systems via entropy and complexity, and Erwin Schrödinger's insights on life as order-maintaining entities; he explores how near-infrared (NIR) light from the sun penetrates bodies to enhance mitochondrial function and metabolism, critiques modern artificial lighting's health impacts like mitochondrial dysfunction leading to diseases, and advocates returning to natural light environments for better wellness, drawing connections from cosmology to everyday architecture and lifestyle.

About the guest: Robert Fosbury, PhD is a is a retired astrophysicist. He spent his career at the European Space Agency, working on Hubble and JWST projects, and now pursues interdisciplinary research linking stellar phenomena to biological processes like light's impact on vision and metabolism.

Discussion Points:

• Stars like the sun maintain low-entropy states by exporting entropy as light, mirroring how life ingests low-entropy food to sustain order and homeostasis.
• The universe's complexity peaks midway in entropy increase, with stars producing elements that enable biological complexity, evolving toward cognition.
• Near-infrared light, peaking in solar output at ~1.6 microns due to atmospheric physics, catalyzes mitochondrial ATP production by facilitating electron transport, not via photosynthesis but photo-metabolism.
• Modern LEDs and windows block near-infrared, contributing to mitochondrial dysfunction, obesity, diabetes, and aging; historical thermal lights like incandescents provided beneficial infrared.
• Outdoor environments, especially under trees, flood bodies with reflected near-infrared for health, while blue skies act as cold sinks boosting thermodynamic efficiency.
• Eyes are mitochondria-rich, vulnerable to poor light; therapies using near-infrared slow macular degeneration by improving energy production.
• Ultra-processed foods are "high-entropy" with no structural order, akin to waste, reducing nutritional value for maintaining bodily or

Support the show

Affiliates:

• Seed Oil Scout: Find restaurants with seed oil-free options, scan food products to see what they’re hiding, with this easy-to-use mobile app.
• AquaTru: Reverse osmosis water filters. Remove metals, microbes, endocrine disruptors and toxins from drinking water. $100 off AquaTru filters through link.
• KetoCitra—Ketone body BHB + electrolytes formulated for kidney health. Use code MIND20 for 20% off any subscription (cancel anytime)
• Lumen device to optimize your metabolism for weight loss or athletic performance. Code MIND for 10% off
• SiPhox Health—Affordable at-home blood testing. Key health markers, visualized & explained. Code TRIKOMES for a 20% discount.
• MASA Chips—delicious tortilla chips made from organic corn & grass-fed beef tallow. No seed oils or artificial ingredients. Code MIND for 20% off

For all the ways you can support my efforts

Send us a text

How brain synapses work and fuel themselves with fat.

Episode Summary: Dr. Timothy Ryan talks about the high energy costs of synapses, the role of mitochondria and glycolysis, and challenge the long-held view that the brain relies solely on glucose by discussing new evidence that neurons burn fats from lipid droplets for fuel, especially during activity. The talk touches on metabolic flexibility, links to epilepsy treatments like ketogenic diets, neurodegenerative diseases, and future research on brain energy sources.

About the guest: Timothy Ryan, PhD is a professor of biochemistry at Cornell University. His research focuses on the molecular mechanisms of synaptic transmission, particularly vesicle recycling and the bioenergetics that power neural communication. 

Discussion Points:

• Synapses are tiny structures with ~100 vesicles per site (on average), converting electrical signals to chemical ones.
• Brain tissue is energy-hungry due to trillions of synapses (in humans), relying on local mitochondria (present in only ~half of synapses) and glycolysis.
• Vesicles use proton pumps and transporters to concentrate neurotransmitters, requiring ATP to maintain gradients.
• Neurons are metabolically fragile; cutting fuel supply quickly impairs synapses.
• Dogma held brains don't burn fats, but new work shows neurons form lipid droplets (fat stores) that are invisible because constantly used for energy via beta-oxidation.
• Silencing neurons builds lipid droplets like resting muscle; activity speeds their breakdown, indicating demand-driven fat use.
• Inhibiting neuron-specific fat-processing enzymes accumulates droplets and induces torpor (hibernation-like state) in animals, signaling metabolic stress.
• Ketogenic diets aid epilepsy by shifting to ketones; fats may explain this, with potential ties to aging and neurodegeneration like Alzheimer's.
• Brain may be a "hybrid" fuel user (glucose + fats), with open questions on fat sources and roles in cognition or disease protection.

Related episode:

• M&M 158

Support the show

Affiliates:

• Seed Oil Scout: Find restaurants with seed oil-free options, scan food products to see what they’re hiding, with this easy-to-use mobile app.
• AquaTru: Reverse osmosis water filters. Remove metals, microbes, endocrine disruptors and toxins from drinking water. $100 off AquaTru filters through link.
• KetoCitra—Ketone body BHB + electrolytes formulated for kidney health. Use code MIND20 for 20% off any subscription (cancel anytime)
• Lumen device to optimize your metabolism for weight loss or athletic performance. Code MIND for 10% off
• SiPhox Health—Affordable at-home blood testing. Key health markers, visualized & explained. Code TRIKOMES for a 20% discount.
• MASA Chips—delicious tortilla chips made from organic corn & grass-fed beef tallow. No seed oils or artificial ingredients. Code MIND for 20% off

For all the ways you can support my efforts

Send us a text

Episode Summary: Dr. Eugene Chang talks about the microbiome’s role as a vital organ, the impacts of antibiotics and Western diets on microbial health, and strategies for restoring a damaged microbiome through diet and fecal microbial transplants. They delve into microbiome dysbiosis, its links to modern diseases, and Chang’s research on personalized microbiome interventions.

About the guest: Eugene Chang, MD is a physician-scientist and Professor of Medicine at the University of Chicago, specializing in gastroenterology. His research focuses on the gut microbiome as a vital organ influencing metabolic and immune health.

Discussion Points:

• The gut microbiome is a vital organ, acquired early in life, that supports metabolic and immune functions, but can be disrupted by antibiotics, leading to diseases like C. difficile colitis.
• Western diets, high in saturated fats and low in fiber, contribute to microbiome dysbiosis, linked to modern conditions like inflammatory bowel diseases, obesity, and allergies.
• Microbiome health is better assessed by functional markers (e.g., short-chain fatty acid production) than taxonomic diversity, as diversity varies widely among healthy individuals.
• A patient with severe food intolerance due to antibiotic-induced microbiome damage was treated over 50 weeks with a tailored diet, restoring healthy microbiome function.
• Different dietary fibers (e.g., beans vs. seaweed) are metabolized at varying rates, affecting gut health; fermented foods like kefir can bypass digestion issues.
• Diet can rapidly reshape the microbiome within 24-48 hours, but severe dysbiosis may require microbial transplants if key microbes are extinct.
• Chang’s research shows a high-fiber, low-fat diet outperforms fecal microbial transplants in restoring microbiome resilience in mice post-antibiotics.
• Future microbiome medicine may involve personalized “omni microbial transplants” targeting both small and large intestines for comprehensive restoration.

Related episode:

• M&M 203: Metagenomics, Mic

Support the show

Affiliates:

• Seed Oil Scout: Find restaurants with seed oil-free options, scan food products to see what they’re hiding, with this easy-to-use mobile app.
• AquaTru: Reverse osmosis water filters. Remove metals, microbes, endocrine disruptors and toxins from drinking water. $100 off AquaTru filters through link.
• KetoCitra—Ketone body BHB + electrolytes formulated for kidney health. Use code MIND20 for 20% off any subscription (cancel anytime)
• Lumen device to optimize your metabolism for weight loss or athletic performance. Code MIND for 10% off
• SiPhox Health—Affordable at-home blood testing. Key health markers, visualized & explained. Code TRIKOMES for a 20% discount.
• MASA Chips—delicious tortilla chips made from organic corn & grass-fed beef tallow. No seed oils or artificial ingredients. Code MIND for 20% off

For all the ways you can support my efforts

Send us a text

The genetics of sleep duration and sleep timing.

Episode Summary: Dr. Ying-Hui Fu discusses her research on the genetics of sleep, focusing on natural short sleepers who thrive on 4-6 hours of sleep and the heritability of sleep traits like duration and timing. She explores how sleep efficiency, rather than just duration, may explain why some need less sleep without health deficits, and delves into the molecular and circadian mechanisms regulating sleep. 

About the guest: Ying-Hui Fu, PhD is a neuroscientist and professor at UCSF, where her lab studies the genetics of human sleep behaviors, particularly sleep duration and schedule.

Discussion Points:

• Sleep Traits Are Genetic: Sleep duration (how long you sleep) and sleep schedule (when you sleep) are partially heritable, with most people needing 7-9 hours, while rare natural short sleepers thrive on 4-6 hours.
• Natural Short Sleepers: These individuals fall asleep quickly, have high sleep efficiency, and live healthy, active lives without deficits, possibly due to faster toxin clearance and repair during sleep.
• Sleep Efficiency Matters: Short sleepers may complete restorative sleep processes (e.g., clearing toxins, repairing damage) more efficiently, allowing them to need less sleep.
• Circadian & Entrainment Pathways: Sleep timing is regulated by a molecular clock and environmental cues like light, with mutations in entrainment pathways causing extreme schedules (e.g., early bedtime or night owl tendencies).
• Modern Lifestyle Harms Sleep: Stimuli like blue light and tense media disrupt sleep patterns, leading to widespread sleep deprivation and health risks.
• Shift Work Risks: Shift workers face higher risks of diseases like cancer and neurodegeneration due to disrupted sleep cycles, though genetic background influences susceptibility.
• Finding Your Sleep Rhythm: A two-week vacation without stimulants or artificial light can help determine your natural sleep schedule and duration.
• Sleep’s Health Impact: Poor sleep is a major factor in aging and diseases like Alzheimer’s, making it as critical as diet and exercise for health.

Support the show

Affiliates:

• Seed Oil Scout: Find restaurants with seed oil-free options, scan food products to see what they’re hiding, with this easy-to-use mobile app.
• AquaTru: Reverse osmosis water filters. Remove metals, microbes, endocrine disruptors and toxins from drinking water. $100 off AquaTru filters through link.
• KetoCitra—Ketone body BHB + electrolytes formulated for kidney health. Use code MIND20 for 20% off any subscription (cancel anytime)
• Lumen device to optimize your metabolism for weight loss or athletic performance. Code MIND for 10% off
• SiPhox Health—Affordable at-home blood testing. Key health markers, visualized & explained. Code TRIKOMES for a 20% discount.
• MASA Chips—delicious tortilla chips made from organic corn & grass-fed beef tallow. No seed oils or artificial ingredients. Code MIND for 20% off

For all the ways you can support my efforts

Send us a text

A blend of biology, philosophy, and history exploring how hormones and endocrine disruptors affect social behavior and society.

Episode Summary: Dr. Charles Cornish-Dale discusses the decline of masculinity in modern society, linking it to falling testosterone levels, environmental endocrine disruptors, and the limitations of liberal democracy. Drawing on Francis Fukuyama’s “End of History & the Last Men” and historical perspectives, Cornish-Dale argues that biological and societal factors, including diet and hormonal interventions like birth control, are reshaping male and female behaviors, with profound implications for health and social structures.

About the guest: Charles Cornish-Dale, PhD is a medieval historian and anthropologist with a PhD from Oxford. His new book is, “The Last Men: Liberalism and the Death of Masculinity.”

Discussion Points:

• Thymos & Masculinity: Cornish-Dale uses the ancient Greek concept of thymos, meaning spiritedness, to explain male drives for recognition and distinction, which he ties to testosterone-driven behaviors.
• Testosterone Decline: Studies like the Massachusetts Male Aging Study show a ~20% drop in male testosterone levels over 17 years, correlating with reduced reproductive health and social withdrawal.
• Endocrine Disruptors: Chemicals in plastics, pesticides, and soy products mimic estrogen, disrupting hormonal balance and potentially causing developmental and behavioral issues.
• Diet & Behavior: Historical shifts to grain-based diets, as noted by Plato, and modern plant-based trends may suppress thymos and alter hormonal profiles, impacting societal dynamics.
• Hormonal Contraceptives: Birth control can thin the ventromedial prefrontal cortex in women, affecting emotional regulation, especially if taken during teenage years, with potential permanent effects.
• Fukuyama’s End of History Framework: Cornish-Dale critiques liberal democracy’s inability to satisfy megalothymia (the desire to be better), contributing to a crisis of purpose for men.

Related episode:

Support the show

Affiliates:

• Seed Oil Scout: Find restaurants with seed oil-free options, scan food products to see what they’re hiding, with this easy-to-use mobile app.
• AquaTru: Reverse osmosis water filters. Remove metals, microbes, endocrine disruptors and toxins from drinking water. $100 off AquaTru filters through link.
• KetoCitra—Ketone body BHB + electrolytes formulated for kidney health. Use code MIND20 for 20% off any subscription (cancel anytime)
• Lumen device to optimize your metabolism for weight loss or athletic performance. Code MIND for 10% off
• SiPhox Health—Affordable at-home blood testing. Key health markers, visualized & explained. Code TRIKOMES for a 20% discount.
• MASA Chips—delicious tortilla chips made from organic corn & grass-fed beef tallow. No seed oils or artificial ingredients. Code MIND for 20% off

For all the ways you can support my efforts

Send us a text

How our biological clocks shape biology from the molecular to behavioral level.

Episode Summary: Dr. Joseph Takahashi discusses circadian rhythms, exploring their biological basis, from molecular mechanisms to their impact on metabolism and health; the discovery of circadian clock genes; role of the suprachiasmatic nucleus, and how light, feeding, and oxygen influence these rhythms. The conversation highlights practical implications, such as the effects of artificial light and meal timing on health, and touches on emerging research linking stronger circadian clocks to longevity.

About the guest: Joseph Takahashi, PhD is a renowned neuroscientist at UT Southwestern Medical Center, where he leads research on circadian clock genes.

Discussion Points:

• The suprachiasmatic nucleus in the hypothalamus acts as the brain's central clock, syncing with light via the retina.
• Key circadian genes like CLOCK and BMAL regulate thousands of genes, especially those involved in metabolism, impacting health outcomes.
• Internal desynchronization, when brain and organ clocks misalign (e.g., from eating at night), can lead to metabolic issues like pre-diabetes.
• In mice, eating at the right time (night for nocturnal animals) extends lifespan by up to 35% under caloric restriction, compared to 10% with spread-out feeding.
• Artificial light, especially blue light at night, disrupts melatonin and circadian rhythms, while natural sunlight supports healthy eye development.
• Melatonin, a darkness-signaling hormone, is best for resetting rhythms (e.g., jet lag) at low doses, not as a sedative, and U.S. supplements vary widely in quality.
• Oxygen-sensing proteins interact with circadian clock components, hinting at links between altitude, metabolism, and health.
• Learning and memory show diurnal variations, with better performance at certain times, influenced by circadian modulation of synaptic activity.
• A stronger circadian clock, created genetically in mice, led to 16% longer lifespan and resistance to weight gain (unpublished research).

Related episode:

Support the show

Affiliates:

• Seed Oil Scout: Find restaurants with seed oil-free options, scan food products to see what they’re hiding, with this easy-to-use mobile app.
• AquaTru: Reverse osmosis water filters. Remove metals, microbes, endocrine disruptors and toxins from drinking water. $100 off AquaTru filters through link.
• KetoCitra—Ketone body BHB + electrolytes formulated for kidney health. Use code MIND20 for 20% off any subscription (cancel anytime)
• Lumen device to optimize your metabolism for weight loss or athletic performance. Code MIND for 10% off
• SiPhox Health—Affordable at-home blood testing. Key health markers, visualized & explained. Code TRIKOMES for a 20% discount.
• MASA Chips—delicious tortilla chips made from organic corn & grass-fed beef tallow. No seed oils or artificial ingredients. Code MIND for 20% off

For all the ways you can support my efforts

Send us a text

Cellular self-organization, cytoskeleton dynamics, and membrane wound healing.

Episode Summary: Cell Biologist Dr. Bill Bement explains the dynamic world of the cell cortex, discussing how actin filaments and microtubules drive processes like cell division and wound healing through self-assembly and self-organization; energy dynamics of these processes; the role of rho GTPases in patterning; the implications for diseases such as cancer and muscular dystrophy, using vivid analogies and video demonstrations to make complex concepts accessible.

About the guest: Bill Bement, PhD is a cell biology professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he has studied cellular processes for over 30 years. He leads a lab focused on the cell cortex, investigating cell division and repair. His work emphasizes self-organization and cytoskeletal dynamics, contributing to insights into diseases like muscular dystrophy.

Discussion Points:

• The cell cortex, the outer layer of a cell, includes the plasma membrane & underlying proteins like actin & myosin, which enable dynamic shape changes.
• Actin filaments self-assemble without energy input, growing & shrinking to facilitate cell movement and division, while microtubules, stiffer hollow tubes, aid in chromosome separation.
• Self-organization in cells, driven by energy-dependent feedback loops, creates complex patterns like mitotic spindles.
• Cellular wound healing involves concentric rings of rho GTPases and actin, closing wounds rapidly, a process critical for surviving natural damage from mechanical stress or toxins.
• Energy costs of cytoskeletal rearrangements are significant but likely less than protein synthesis, though precise measurements remain challenging.
• Cancer metastasis may rely on enhanced cell repair, allowing metastatic cells to survive mechanical damage while squeezing through tissues.
• Muscular dystrophy involves excessive damage or impaired repair, highlighting the importance of cell repair mechanisms.
• Bement’s lab is developing tools for synthetic self-organization, aiming to manipulate cellular processes to address repair deficits in diseases.

Related episode:

Support the show

Affiliates:

• Seed Oil Scout: Find restaurants with seed oil-free options, scan food products to see what they’re hiding, with this easy-to-use mobile app.
• AquaTru: Reverse osmosis water filters. Remove metals, microbes, endocrine disruptors and toxins from drinking water. $100 off AquaTru filters through link.
• KetoCitra—Ketone body BHB + electrolytes formulated for kidney health. Use code MIND20 for 20% off any subscription (cancel anytime)
• Lumen device to optimize your metabolism for weight loss or athletic performance. Code MIND for 10% off
• SiPhox Health—Affordable at-home blood testing. Key health markers, visualized & explained. Code TRIKOMES for a 20% discount.
• MASA Chips—delicious tortilla chips made from organic corn & grass-fed beef tallow. No seed oils or artificial ingredients. Code MIND for 20% off

For all the ways you can support my efforts

Send us a text

How brains compute and learn, blending neuroscience with AI insights.

Episode Summary: Dr. Marius Pachitariu discusses how the brain computes information across scales, from single neurons to complex networks, using mice to study visual learning. He explains the differences between supervised and unsupervised learning, the brain’s high-dimensional processing, and how it compares to artificial neural networks like large language models. The conversation also covers experimental techniques, such as calcium imaging, and the role of reward prediction errors in learning.

About the guest: Marius Pachitariu, PhD is a group leader at the Janelia Research Campus, leading a lab focused on neuroscience with a blend of experimental and computational approaches.

Discussion Points:

• The brain operates at multiple scales, with single neurons acting as computational units and networks creating complex, high-dimensional computations.
• Pachitariu’s lab uses advanced tools like calcium imaging to record from tens of thousands of neurons simultaneously in mice.
• Unsupervised learning allows mice to form visual memories of environments without rewards, speeding up task learning later.
• Brain activity during sleep or anesthesia is highly correlated, unlike the high-dimensional, less predictable patterns during wakefulness.
• The brain expands sensory input dimensionality (e.g., from retina to visual cortex) to simplify complex computations, a principle also seen in artificial neural networks.
• Reward prediction errors, driven by dopamine, signal when expectations are violated, aiding learning by updating internal models.
• Large language models rely on self-supervised learning, predicting next words, but lack the forward-modeling reasoning humans excel at.

Related episode:

• M&M 44: Consciousness, Perception, Hallucinations, Selfhood, Neuroscience, Psychedelics & "Being You" | Anil Seth

*Not medical advice.

Support the show

Affiliates:

• Seed Oil Scout: Find restaurants with seed oil-free options, scan food products to see what they’re hiding, with this easy-to-use mobile app.
• AquaTru: Reverse osmosis water filters. Remove metals, microbes, endocrine disruptors and toxins from drinking water. $100 off AquaTru filters through link.
• KetoCitra—Ketone body BHB + electrolytes formulated for kidney health. Use code MIND20 for 20% off any subscription (cancel anytime)
• Lumen device to optimize your metabolism for weight loss or athletic performance. Code MIND for 10% off
• SiPhox Health—Affordable at-home blood testing. Key health markers, visualized & explained. Code TRIKOMES for a 20% discount.
• MASA Chips—delicious tortilla chips made from organic corn & grass-fed beef tallow. No seed oils or artificial ingredients. Code MIND for 20% off

For all the ways you can support my efforts

Send us a text

How dietary fats and cannabinoids shape brain function and mental well-being.

Episode Summary: Dr. Steven Laviolette discusses the role of lipids, particularly endocannabinoids and fatty acids, in brain signaling and mental health, discussing how dietary omega-3 and omega-6 imbalances, prenatal THC exposure, and fatty acid binding proteins (FABPs) impact mood, anxiety, and neuroinflammation, while highlighting potential dietary interventions to mitigate these effects.

About the guest: Steven Laviolette, PhD is a professor at the University of Western Ontario, holding a PhD, and his lab focuses on the brain’s cannabinoid system and its role in mental health. He investigates how cannabinoids and fatty acids influence brain development and disorders like anxiety and schizophrenia.

Discussion Points:

• The brain uses fats like endocannabinoids (e.g., anandamide, 2-AG) not just for structure but as signaling molecules to regulate emotional and cognitive processing.
• Prenatal THC exposure in rodents skews the omega-3/omega-6 balance toward pro-inflammatory omega-6, leading to cognitive and mood issues in offspring, but omega-3 supplementation can mitigate these effects.
• Fatty acid binding proteins (FABPs), especially FABP5, shuttle endocannabinoids like anandamide to degradation sites, and inhibiting FABP5 increases anandamide levels, reducing anxiety and depression without addictive side effects.
• FABP5 inhibitors show promise as safer alternatives to benzodiazepines.
• Both THC and CBD can induce problems during early development, challenging the notion that CBD is universally safe, especially during pregnancy.
• Dietary interventions, like omega-3 supplementation or antioxidants (e.g., L-theanine, N-acetylcysteine), may counteract the negative psychiatric effects of cannabinoid exposure, particularly during adolescence.
• The North American diet, high in omega-6, contributes to neuroinflammation and mental health issues, underscoring the need for nutritional neuroscience to address these imbalances.

Related episode:

Support the show

Affiliates:

• Seed Oil Scout: Find restaurants with seed oil-free options, scan food products to see what they’re hiding, with this easy-to-use mobile app.
• AquaTru: Reverse osmosis water filters. Remove metals, microbes, endocrine disruptors and toxins from drinking water. $100 off AquaTru filters through link.
• KetoCitra—Ketone body BHB + electrolytes formulated for kidney health. Use code MIND20 for 20% off any subscription (cancel anytime)
• Lumen device to optimize your metabolism for weight loss or athletic performance. Code MIND for 10% off
• SiPhox Health—Affordable at-home blood testing. Key health markers, visualized & explained. Code TRIKOMES for a 20% discount.
• MASA Chips—delicious tortilla chips made from organic corn & grass-fed beef tallow. No seed oils or artificial ingredients. Code MIND for 20% off

For all the ways you can support my efforts