Dr. Andrew Huberman — The Foundations of Physical and Mental Performance, Core Supplements, Sexual Health and Fertility, Sleep Optimization, Psychedelics, and More (#660)

“Sleep, nutrients, exercise, light, relationships—those really establish the foundation of what I consider to be all of the elements that create our ability to move as seamlessly as possible between the states that we happen to be in and the states we desire to be in.”
— Dr. Andrew Huberman
Andrew Huberman, PhD (@hubermanlab), is a neuroscientist and tenured professor in the Department of Neurobiology at Stanford University’s School of Medicine. He has made numerous important contributions to the fields of brain development, brain function, and neural plasticity. Work from the Huberman Laboratory at Stanford Medicine has been consistently published in top journals including Nature, Science, and Cell.
Andrew is the host of the podcast Huberman Lab, which is often ranked as one of the top five podcasts in the world by both Apple and Spotify. The show aims to help viewers and listeners improve their health with science and science-based tools. New episodes air every Monday on YouTube and all podcast platforms.
Please enjoy!
Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform. You can watch the interview on YouTube here.
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Want to hear another episode with Andrew? Have a listen to our last conversation, in which we discussed visual considerations for optimizing sleep quality, morning mood elevation, shifting the circadian clock to avoid jet lag and the consequences of shift work, melatonin alternatives, the value of non-sleep deep rest, exit cage diving with great white sharks, counteracting the effects of caffeine, the perils of testosterone replacement therapy, and much more.
#521: Dr. Andrew Huberman — A Neurobiologist on Optimizing Sleep, Enhancing Performance, Reducing Anxiety, Increasing Testosterone, and Using the Body to Control the MindWhat was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.
SCROLL BELOW FOR LINKS AND SHOW NOTES…
SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODEConnect with Dr. Andrew Huberman:Website | Twitter | YouTube | Instagram
The Huberman Lab Podcast Dr. Andrew Huberman — A Neurobiologist on Optimizing Sleep, Enhancing Performance, Reducing Anxiety, Increasing Testosterone, and Using the Body to Control the Mind | The Tim Ferriss Show #521The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Tim Ferriss | AmazonThe 4-Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman by Timothy Ferriss | AmazonRancidRick Rubin: How to Access Your Creativity | Huberman LabStages of Sleep: What Happens in a Sleep Cycle | Sleep FoundationDeveloping a Rational Approach to Supplementation for Health & Performance | Huberman Lab12 Proven Health Benefits of Ashwagandha | HealthlineNOW Ashwagandha Supplements | AmazonBenefits of Shilajit | HealthlineShilajit Supplements | AmazonTongkat Ali (Eurycoma Longifolia): Everything You Need to Know | HealthlineSolaray Tongkat Ali Root Supplements | AmazonFadogia Agrestis | ExamineBarlowe’s Herbal Elixirs Fadogia Agrestis Extract Supplements | AmazonAvoiding Injury Part I: Eccentric Strength | Peter AttiaThe Biology and “How To” of Using Light to Trigger or Reduce Depression and the Blue Light Myth | Andrew Huberman, InstagramScience of Social Bonding in Family, Friendship, and Romantic Love | Huberman LabMomentous Alpha-GPC Supplements | AmazonDr. Paul Conti: Therapy, Treating Trauma, and Other Life Challenges | Huberman LabSki Touring Tips for Beginner Backcountry Skiers | Ski MagazineGuest Series | Dr. Andy Galpin: How to Assess and Improve All Aspects of Your Fitness | Huberman LabGuest Series | Dr. Andy Galpin: Optimal Protocols to Build Strength and Grow Muscles | Huberman LabGuest Series | Dr. Andy Galpin: How to Build Physical Endurance and Lose Fat | Huberman LabGuest Series | Dr. Andy Galpin: Optimize Your Training Program for Fitness and Longevity | Huberman LabGuest Series | Dr. Andy Galpin: Maximize Recovery to Achieve Fitness and Performance Goals | Huberman LabGuest Series | Dr. Andy Galpin: Optimal Nutrition and Supplementation for Fitness | Huberman LabTim Gets a Biopsy Tube Shoved into His Thigh | YouTubeMolecule of the Month: Citrate Synthase | PDB-101G-VEST+ Men’s Weighted Vest | OmorphoCentral Pattern Generator | WikipediaWhat is ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis)? | The ALS AssociationA Guide to the Biggest Thing Missing From Your Fitness Routine: Zone 2 Training | The Art of ManlinessHacky Sack | Wikipedia’90s Kids At Underground Rock Show, Pacific Northwest | Len EndersNirvanaTibialis Raises: Body-Weight Exercise to Strengthen Your Shin Muscles | Hawkes PhysiotherapyDorsiflexion | HealthlineMuscular Hypertrophy and Your Workout | HealthlineKnees Over Toes Guy Workout: Best Exercises for Healthy Joints | Men’s JournalThe Glute-Ham Raise | CrossFitHow to Do a Leg Extension: Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes | Verywell FitHow to Do Hack Squats to Build Serious Lower-Body Strength | ShapeWeighted Sissy Squats | My PT HubStrength Training Can Help Protect the Brain from Degeneration | The University of SydneyThe Best Exercises for Brain Health, According to a Neuroscientist | EatingWellFitness Toolkit: Protocol and Tools to Optimize Physical Health | Huberman LabHow an Ice Bath May Undermine Your Weight Workout | The New York TimesThe Science and Health Benefits of Deliberate Heat Exposure | Huberman LabDeliberate Heat Exposure Protocols for Health and Performance | Huberman LabThe Science and Use of Cold Exposure for Health and Performance | Huberman LabUsing Deliberate Cold Exposure for Health and Performance | Huberman LabHow to Control Your Metabolism by Thyroid and Growth Hormone | Huberman LabReview: Spa 88 in the Financial District Is a Russian Dining Destination for the Soul | Eater NYWhere the Cultures of the World Meet | Archimedes BanyaBrief History of Bayview-Hunters Point | FoundSFThe Ring Dip | CrossFitThe 3 Categories of Exercise: Isometric, Concentric, and Eccentric | Invictus FitnessWhy Neck Training is Important for the Modern Person | Mark Bell’s Power ProjectTDS 4-Way Neck Machine | Amazon“His Neck Kicks Ass!”: Beavis and Butt-Head Do ‘Rollins Band – Low Self Opinion’ | YouTubeAssaultBike Pro | Assault FitnessVO2 Max: How to Measure and Improve It | Cleveland ClinicTabata vs. HIIT: What’s the Difference? | Cleveland ClinicPlay It Away: A Workaholic’s Cure for Anxiety by Charlie Hoehn | AmazonNordic Curls: One Proven Exercise You Are Probably Not Using | SwolverineThe Cookie Challenge | Ben Bruno, InstagramKnees Over Toes Guy | ATGSorinex Exercise EquipmentShin Splints Symptoms and Causes | Mayo ClinicINDO BOARD | AmazonFlat Feet (Flatfoot): Types, Causes, and Treatment | Cleveland ClinicRE: Soleus Pushups | Andrew Huberman, TwitterA Potent Physiological Method to Magnify and Sustain Soleus Oxidative Metabolism Improves Glucose and Lipid Regulation | iScienceSeated Calf Raise Exercises | More Life HealthMomentous Magnesium Threonate Supplements | AmazonMomentous Apigenin Supplements | AmazonMomentous L-Theanine Supplements | AmazonLucky Charms | AmazonZazzee Myo-Inositol Supplements | AmazonThe Difference Between Inositol, Myo-Inositol, and D-Chiro Inositol | InositoliSleep Fitness Technology: Smart Bed Cooling & Heating System For Better Sleep | Eight SleepYour Personal Digital Fitness and Health Coach | WHOOPThe Most Accurate Smart Ring | Oura RingCircadian Rhythms and the Kidney | Nature Reviews NephrologyUsing Cortisol and Adrenaline to Boost Our Energy and Immune System | Huberman LabAvoid the Endless Trap of Excess Cortisol and Sleep Loss | RiseWhy Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers: The Acclaimed Guide to Stress, Stress-Related Diseases, and Coping by Robert M. Sapolsky | AmazonCatecholamine | WikipediaGlucocorticoid | WikipediaPremium Dutch Bicycles | Amsterdam Bicycle CompanyOmega-3 Fatty Acids EPA and DHA: Health Benefits Throughout Life | Advances in NutritionHow to Tolerate Fish Oil Supplements | SFGateCarlson Omega-3 and Fish Oil Supplements | AmazonKing Oscar Sardines | AmazonUni (Sea Urchin) | Sushi FAQA Gut-Brain Neural Circuit for Nutrient Sensory Transduction | ScienceHow Does Sugar Drive Consumption? Columbia Scientists Discover Gut-brain Sugar Sensor in Mice | Zuckerman InstituteHow Glutamine Will Help Crush Your Sugar Cravings | Eat This Not ThatThe Scientific Reason Grilled Steak Is So Delicious | HuffPost Life8 Surprising Benefits of Sauerkraut | HealthlineWhat Is Kimchi? | The Spruce EatsBulgarian Yogurts | White Mountain FoodsNattō | Gastro ObscuraGut-Microbiota-Targeted Diets Modulate Human Immune Status | CellThe Complete Guide to Umeboshi (Japanese Pickled Plums) | Japanese Taste7 Proven Health Benefits of Rhodiola Rosea | HealthlineRhodiola Rosea Supplements | AmazonReproductive Hormones | Endocrine SocietyTestosterone — What It Does And Doesn’t Do | Harvard HealthRisk Factors of Having High or Low Estrogen Levels in Males | HealthlineEndothelium | WikipediaHow Does Age Affect Male Fertility? | Verywell FamilyOvarian Reserve: What You Need to Know About Your Egg Quality and Quantity | ProgynyTim Ferriss Has a Favorite Quote from a Greek Philosopher | Business InsiderHuman Chorionic Gonadotrophin | The Society for EndocrinologyIs Testosterone Therapy Safe? Take a Breath Before You Take the Plunge | Harvard HealthHow to Optimize Fertility in Males and Females | Huberman LabAndrew Huberman’s Testosterone Boosting Trick: More Sunlight | Hone HealthHow to Safely Get Vitamin D From The Sun | HealthlineNew Research Identifies Distinct Masturbation–Satisfaction Patterns Among Women and Men | PsyPostThe Dangers of Porn Addiction ft. Andrew Huberman | Mark Bell’s Power ProjectDances with Wolves | Prime VideoFreezing Eggs vs. Embryos | FertilityIQAdvanced Paternal Age: Does a Dad’s Age Matter? | FertilityIQWhat Is Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)? | Reproductive FactsL-Carnitine | ExamineL-Carnitine Supplements | AmazonA Closer Look at TMAO | Cleveland HeartLabAllicin: Uses, Benefits, Side Effects, Dosage, Precautions | Verywell HealthThe Effects of Smoking and Vaping on Fertility | RMA of NYPot During Pregnancy: A Growing Number of Expecting Mothers Are Using Cannabis | NBC NewsEffects of Mobile Phone Usage on Sperm Quality – No Time-Dependent Relationship on Usage: A Systematic Review and Updated Meta-Analysis | Environmental ResearchScientists Think Warm Balls Could Be the Next Male Birth Control | ViceWhat Is In-Vitro-Fertilization (IVF)? | Planned ParenthoodAlcohol and Fertility: How Much Is Too Much? | Fertility Research and PracticeAn Introduction to Behavioral Endocrinology by Randy J. Nelson and Lance J. Kriegsfeld | AmazonShould You Be Concerned About BPA and Paper Receipts? | Facts About BPACount Down: How Our Modern World Is Threatening Sperm Counts, Altering Male and Female Reproductive Development, and Imperiling the Future of the Human Race by Shanna H. Swan and Stacey Colino | AmazonShanna Swan: Toxic Chemicals Threaten Ability to Reproduce | The InterceptAverage Erect Penis Length Has Increased 24 Percent and Scientists Have No Idea Why, Study Suggests | ViceWhat Alcohol Does to Your Body, Brain, and Health | Huberman LabReddit, What Is Your Opinion of Cocaine? | r/AskRedditWolf’s PSA | Future Man, FacebookDEA Laboratory Testing Reveals that 6 out of 10 Fentanyl-Laced Fake Prescription Pills Now Contain a Potentially Lethal Dose of Fentanyl | DEAThe Effects of Cannabis (Marijuana) on the Brain and Body | Huberman LabDr. Nolan Williams: Psychedelics and Neurostimulation for Brain Rewiring | Huberman LabHigh-Potency Cannabis Linked to Increased Risk of Psychosis and Addiction, Study Suggests | NBC NewsReefer Madness | Prime VideoCharlotte’s Web: The Families Using Medical Marijuana to Help Their Kids | The GuardianCBD Oil, CBD Gummies, and Cream | Charlotte’s WebFalling for Psychedelics | Stanford MagazineDr. Matthew Johnson: Psychedelic Medicine | Huberman LabSupport Psychedelic Science | Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS)MDMA-Assisted Therapy for Severe PTSD: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Phase 3 Study | Nature MedicineDr. Andrew Huberman: How to Change Your Brain | Rich RollRetraction RE: MDMA Neurotoxicity | ScienceFinding Nemo | Prime VideoJaws | Prime VideoLeary and Alpert Fired from Harvard University | Psychedelic Science ReviewHuberman Lab PremiumThe Future of MDMA, Psilocybin, and Psychedelics in the US | TimeHow to Change Your Mind | NetflixHow to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence by Michael Pollan | Amazon“Trip of Compassion” — The Most Compelling Movie I’ve Seen In The Last Year | Tim FerrissPromoting Health & Safety within Music and Nightlife Communities | DanceSafeFormer GOP Texas Governor Promotes Psychedelics Research for Veterans at Event with Leading Experts | Marijuana Moment5-MeO-DMT: The Story Behind The ‘”God Molecule” | Double BlindThe Microdose, an independent journalism newsletter supported by the U.C. Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics. The Healing Journey by Claudio Naranjo | AmazonHow I Built The Tim Ferriss Show to 700+ Million Downloads — An Immersive Explanation of All Aspects and Key Decisions (Featuring Chris Hutchins) | The Tim Ferriss Show #538SHOW NOTES[05:20] Inspirations and principles.[07:51] Sleep, nutrients, exercise, light, and relationships.[19:30] Making movement matter.[27:37] Striving to “be like a mule” on Sunday.[29:32] The neurological processes of cultivating the physique.[33:20] Monday.[48:48] An aside about cheat day.[50:09] Tuesday.[52:35] Wednesday.[54:23] A strong neck is more than just an appealing aesthetic.[1:00:32] Thursday.[1:00:47] Friday.[1:01:56] Saturday.[1:02:46] A recap of how the days synergize with one another.[1:08:23] Nordic curls for boys and girls.[1:11:14] Minimizing shin splints.[1:13:47] You say soleus pushup, I say seated calf raise.[1:16:42] Flat feet, Tabata, and self-coaching.[1:18:32] The holy trinity of Andrew’s sleep stack + one.[1:21:47] How the first half of your day should differ from the last half.[1:25:24] Dutch bicycles or bust.[1:26:55] Omega-3 supplement nausea.[1:28:48] EPA dosage, Carlson’s oil on oatmeal, and sushi.[1:30:00] Benefits of EPA.[1:30:34] How EPA (and, in general, food) affects mood.[1:35:38] Are you eating enough nattō and Bulgarian yogurt?[1:38:00] Rhodiola rosea.[1:43:09] Tongkat ali and Fadogia agrestis.[1:45:00] Yes, men depend on estrogen too.[1:46:47] Fine-tuning fertility (and, by proxy, vitality).[1:55:11] Benefits of afternoon de-light.[1:57:07] The highs and lows of self-pleasure in the modern era.[2:00:03] Optimizing the health of one’s reproductive material.[2:05:41] Is your smartphone sterilizing you?[2:11:05] Lessons learned from IVF.[2:14:55] Why you might consider selecting “Email receipt” at checkout.[2:17:52] The consequences of having more than two drinks a week.[2:19:09] Cocaine? Just say no.[2:20:50] Concerns about cannabis.[2:29:46] Changing thoughts on psychedelics.[2:36:31] Raising research funds with Huberman Lab premium.[2:40:12] Andrew’s clinical psychedelic experiences.[2:48:15] A reminder not to trust street drugs, kids.[2:49:15] The exciting, seemingly endless applications of psychedelic research.[2:55:45] Parting thoughts.MORE ANDREW HUBERMAN QUOTES FROM THE INTERVIEW“If we don’t actually take the time to figure out what’s going on in our head, how can we really trust that we’re on the best path?”
— Dr. Andrew Huberman
“Sleep, nutrients, exercise, light, relationships—those really establish the foundation of what I consider to be all of the elements that create our ability to move as seamlessly as possible between the states that we happen to be in and the states we desire to be in.”
— Dr. Andrew Huberman
“The state that we’re in on Monday has a lot to do with what we did on Sunday.”
— Dr. Andrew Huberman
“If you’re on a plane and you’re bouncing your knee, it’s actually a meaningful—it’s not a replacement for exercise, but in terms of its metabolic impact, is meaningful. I find that really interesting and perhaps of all the things that we’ll discuss today, if you’re unwilling to try that, then your bar for entry is just way too high.”
— Dr. Andrew Huberman
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