Huberman Lab

Podcast Notes Key Takeaways

• A hormone has to be able to bind the receptor and take action on target cells to be effective
• Testosterone and estrogen can travel into cells and interact with the DNA of cells to control gene expression
• Primary sexual characteristics show up at birth (external genitalia) while secondary sexual characteristics take place during puberty (deepening of the voice, hair growth, etc.)
• Masculinization of the brain in males and females is accomplished by estrogen via aromatase which converts testosterone to estrogen
• Estrogen sets up masculine circuitry in the brain, testosterone controls the display of behaviors
• In utero exposure to androgens may have an impact on mate selection and sexual orientation later in life
• Pre-conception and in utero exposure to certain substances can impact the sexual characteristics of the fetus
• The average density and volume of human sperm has decreased significantly in the U.S. and Europe

Read the full notes @ podcastnotes.org

In this episode I discuss how hormones such as testosterone and estrogen and their derivatives impact the early development of the brain and body and their maturation. I review published data on environmental factors shown to powerfully alter hormone pathways in animals and humans and the effects of cannabis, alcohol and cell phones on testes, sperm, ovaries and hormones. I describe the predictable relationship between genes, beard growth and balding patterns, and the importance of estrogen for brain development in people of all chromosomal sexes. Finally, I discuss how the hormones we are exposed to in the womb shape the relative length of our finger digits, the sounds our ears make (yes you read that correctly), and how those correlate with people's self-reports of their sexual preferences. As always, basic information and tools are discussed.

 

Thank you to our sponsors:

• InsideTracker - https://insidetracker.com/huberman
• Helix Sleep - https://helixsleep.com/huberman
• Athletic Greens - https://athleticgreens.com/huberman

 

Our Patreon page:

• https://www.patreon.com/andrewhuberman

 

Supplements from Thorne:

• http://www.thorne.com/u/huberman

 

Social:

• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/hubermanlab
• Twitter - https://twitter.com/hubermanlab

 

Links:

• Mood Meter: https://moodmeterapp.com/
• NSDR: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pL02HRFk2vo
• Cell Phones & Hormones: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22138021/
• Finger Length Ratios & Hormones/Sexual Orientation:
  • https://www.nature.com/articles/35006555
  • https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2940503/
• LeVay Study in Science Magazine on Sexual Orientation Brain Dimorphism: https://science.sciencemag.org/content/253/5023/1034

 

Timestamps below.

• 00:00:00 Introduction
• 00:06:47 Announcement: Mood Meter App Works Again
• 00:08:00 Maximizing Learning from the Podcast
• 00:10:00 New Non-Sleep Deep Rest Protocol, Spanish Subtitles
• 00:11:35 Sexual Differentiation: Hormones, Neurons & Behavior
• 00:14:15 Hormones Basics
• 00:15:26 Sperm Meets Egg, Chromosomal Sex, Gonadal Sex,
• 00:17:50 Y Chromosome Inhibition of Feminization
• 00:19:00 Placenta Is An Endocrine (Hormone-Producing) Organ, Adrenal Testosterone
• 00:19:45 Hormonal Sex, Morphological Sex
• 00:21:04 Hormones Fast & Slow, Sex Steroids Can Turn On Genes
• 00:23:06 Masculinization, Feminization, Demasculinization, Defeminization
• 00:23:42 Primary Sexual Characteristics: DHT Drives Penis Development
• 00:27:03 Secondary Sexual Characteristics
• 00:27:43 Penis Sprouting: Guevedoces
• 00:31:25 Estrogen, NOT Testosterone, Masculinizes The Brain
• 00:33:15 Breast Development In Males: Aromatase; Puberty, & Steroids in Athletes
• 00:34:50 Estrogen Powerfully Controls Brain Development In All Individuals
• 00:35:19 Avoiding Hormonal Disruption In Children & Adults: Specific Oils, Creams, Etc.
• 00:39:00 Environmental Endocrine Disruptors, Sperm Count Decline, Vincloziline
• 00:44:20 Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome: Hormones Need Receptors, SARMS
• 00:48:41 Estrogen Establishes “Masculine” Brain Circuits, Testosterone
• 00:49:42 Cannabis, Alcohol: In Babies, Puberty & Adults
• 00:56:25 Cell Phone Technology: Effects On Hormones, Ovaries, & Testicles
• 01:02:33 Beards & Baldness Patterns Around the World, DHT, 5-alpha-reductase
• 01:06:39 Creatine & DHT/Hair Loss
• 01:08:20 Predicting Aging Rates By Pubertal Rates
• 01:10:04 Hyenas, Baseball, & Jumbo Clitorises: Androstenedione
• 01:14:26 Intersex Moles
• 01:15:40 Marijuana Plants, Pollens: Plant-To-Animal “Warfare”
• 01:20:08 Finger Length Ratios, Prenatal Hormone Exposure & Sexual Orientation
• 01:29:13 Brain Dimorphisms with Sexual Orientation
• 01:32:00 “Older Brother Effects”: Male Fetuses Might Change Mothers & Subsequent Brothers
• 01:35:06 The Path Forward & A Warning
• 01:35:55 Support & Your Questions

 

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/]