Developing a Rational Approach to Supplementation for Health & Performance | Huberman Lab Podcast

Published January 2023 on YouTube

Developing a Rational Approach to Supplementation for Health & Performance | Huberman Lab Podcast

1. Supplements

Andrew discusses the rational guide to supplementation and how it's important to consider safety, cost, and specific endpoints. He provides a number of questions to help listeners decide whether or not to take supplements and which ones to take. He also covers foundational supplements and targeted outcome supplements, as well as how supplements interact with other behavioral tools and prescription drugs.+

2. Health Foundations

Behavioral Tools and Nutrition:Andrew emphasizes the importance of behavioral tools and nutrition in mental and physical health. Behavioral tools like morning sunlight and exercise form the foundation, followed by nutrition. Supplements cannot compensate for poor nutrition and should not be relied on as a sole source of sustenance.+

Mental Health Layers:Andrew Huberman discusses the layers of mental health and performance, starting with behavioral tools as the foundation, followed by nutrition and supplementation. He emphasizes the importance of obtaining basic nutrients and expanding the definition of supplements beyond compensating for food deficiencies.+

Rational Supplementation:Andrew emphasizes the importance of consulting a physician before adding or subtracting any behavioral or nutritional protocols. He discusses how to think about supplements and how they interact with nutrition and behaviors to maximize immediate and long-term health. The purpose of the episode is for listeners to understand where they have needs that can be met by supplementation better than any other approach.+

3. Momentous, LMNT, Helix Sleep

Supplement Benefits:Andrew discusses the benefits of using single ingredient supplements and how they can help assess which ingredients work best for an individual. He also introduces Momentous, a high-quality supplement brand that offers a 20% discount to listeners.+

Sleep and Electrolytes:Andrew discusses the importance of sleep and introduces two sponsors, Element and Helix Sleep. He talks about how Element contains a scienceback electrolyte ratio that can help with sleep and offers a free sample pack with purchase. He also shares his positive experience with Helix Sleep mattresses and how they are customized to your sleep needs.+

4. Rational Supplementation

Rational Supplementation:Andrew discusses the emergence of supplements and how to develop a rational supplementation regimen. He emphasizes that supplements should not replace excellent behavioral protocols and talks about the importance of foundational supplements that contain vitamins and minerals to compensate for any deficiencies in diet.Show transcript +

Vitamin Supplements:Andrew discusses the benefits and risks of taking vitamin and mineral supplements. While they can cover gaps in nutrition, high levels of water-soluble vitamins may be excreted in urine, and high levels of fat-soluble vitamins may be stored in the body. It's important to pay attention to your diet and nutritional program to ensure you're getting the right amount of vitamins and minerals.+

5. Vitamin Supplements

Andrew discusses the factors to consider when deciding whether or not to take a vitamin supplement, including cost and dietary needs. He emphasizes the importance of obtaining most of your vitamins and minerals from non-processed or minimally processed foods.+

6. Foundational Supplements

Andrew explains that foundational supplements have expanded to include micronutrients, vitamins, minerals, and digestive enzymes. These supplements can be found in multi-ingredient formulations and can assist in the digestion of macronutrients.+

7. Gut Microbiome Benefits

Andrew Huberman explains the benefits of having a diverse gut microbiome and how consuming low sugar fermented foods can greatly improve gut function and support the immune system. Ingesting four servings a day of these foods can reduce inflammation in the brain and body, leading to better mental and physical health.+

8. Gut Microbiome Supplements

Andrew Huberman discusses the importance of supporting the gut microbiome through supplements and how to choose the right ones. He recommends low sugar fermented foods and prebiotic fiber, but also cautions against excessive amounts of prebiotics and probiotics in capsule form, which can lead to brain fog and other issues.+

9. InsideTracker

Andrew discusses the importance of understanding your blood and DNA test results and how Inside Tracker can help you adjust your nutritional, behavioral, and supplementation interventions to bring your metabolic factors into optimal ranges for your immediate and long term health.+

10. Foundational Supplements

Andrew discusses the importance of foundational supplements, specifically adaptogens, which are micronutrients that can help reduce cortisol and enhance cognitive function. He highlights the difficulty of obtaining sufficient concentrations of adaptogens through food sources and recommends broad-spectrum supplements like Athletic Greens, which cover all categories of foundational nutrition.+

11. Foundational Supplements

Supplement Recommendations:Andrew Huberman recommends that people focus on improving their foundational nutrition with adaptogens, probiotics, prebiotics, and digestive enzymes instead of taking specific supplements for sleep or focus. He suggests asking three questions: how well are you sleeping, how's your nutrition, and what's your budget, before making any supplement recommendations.+

Foundational Supplements:Andrew discusses the importance of covering foundational health needs through a broad spectrum supplement that includes vitamins, minerals, probiotics, digestive enzymes, and adaptogens. He recommends Athletic Greens or finding individual components to meet these needs, but emphasizes that there are other great sources as well. For those with a lower budget, he suggests discussing food intake patterns to support mental and physical health.+

12. Rational Sleep Supplements

Rational Sleep Supplements:Andrew discusses the importance of sleep and how to think about supplements in a rational and cost-effective way for achieving better sleep. He emphasizes the need to ask important questions about the quality and quantity of sleep before considering single ingredient formulations for sleep support.+

Better Sleep:Andrew Huberman discusses how to improve sleep quality through nutrition and behavioral tools such as limiting caffeine and avoiding food before bedtime. He also suggests supplements like myoinositol for falling back asleep and theanine for falling asleep, but warns that theanine may not be suitable for those with vivid dreams.+

13. Sleep Supplements

Sleep Supplements:Andrew discusses the effectiveness of magnesium and apigenin supplements in aiding sleep. He suggests trying them separately or together to determine which works best for the individual.+

Sleep Supplements:Andrew discusses the most rational, cost-effective, and biologically effective approach to supplementation for sleep. He emphasizes the importance of isolating variables and trying a single ingredient formulation for about a week while not varying anything else. This approach will help people find the supplements that work best for them towards their sleep goals.+

14. Melatonin Caution

Andrew discusses his stance on melatonin supplementation, highlighting its limited use for occasional jet lag relief. He warns against the inconsistency of dosages in supplements and the potential impact on reproductive hormone axes.+

15. Sleep Supplement Dependency

Sleep Supplements Dependency:Andrew Huberman discusses the issue of dependency on sleep supplements and explains that there is no problem falling and staying asleep in the absence of these supplements. However, he also notes that the depth and duration of sleep may not be as good without them. He recommends exploring this issue on your own and taking one night off completely from all your sleep supplements or leaving out one sleep supplement every two weeks or so.+

Sleep Supplement Dependency:Andrew explains that there is no established dependency on sleep supplements, but there may be placebo effects at play. Neural circuits involved in falling and staying asleep can still function just fine even in the absence of taking supplements.+

16. AG1 (Athletic Greens)

Andrew takes a brief break to acknowledge the podcast sponsor, Athletic Greens, and explains how it has helped him cover his foundational nutritional needs for the past 10 years. He also shares a special offer for listeners to receive ten free travel packs and a year's supply of vitamin D Three, K Two by visiting Athleticgreens.com Huberman.+

17. Hormone Support

Hormone Support:Andrew discusses the importance of hormone optimization for mental health, physical health, and performance. He explains how nutrition impacts hormone function and how certain supplements can improve hormone health.+

Hormone Support:Andrew emphasizes the importance of nutrition and exercise in supporting hormone levels. He suggests getting morning sunlight and engaging in intense resistance training to increase cortisol, growth hormone, and testosterone levels. Before considering supplements or prescription-based approaches, it's crucial to establish proper behaviors and nutrition.+

18. Hormone Supplements

Andrew discusses different types of supplements that can augment multiple hormones and support multiple hormone systems, generally in the direction of pro-fertility, pro-libido, and increasing estrogen and testosterone. He also talks about the indirect effects of supplements like Ashwagandha and Maca on testosterone and estrogen pathways.+

19. Boosting Growth Hormone

Andrew discusses the limited effectiveness of supplements in increasing growth hormone levels and suggests avoiding food intake 2 hours prior to sleep as a way to boost growth hormone. He also mentions that while fasting can increase growth hormone levels, extended fasting may have detrimental effects on the function of growth hormone.+

20. Hormones and Supplements

Hormones and Supplements:Andrew explains the role of luteinizing hormone in the production of testosterone and estrogen, and how supplements like Fadogia agrestis can impact this pathway. He also emphasizes the importance of maintaining balanced levels of both hormones for optimal libido and overall health.+

Hormone Supplements:Andrew Huberman discusses the benefits and potential risks of hormone supplements, specifically Fadogia agrestis. He emphasizes the importance of following recommended dosages and cycling the supplement, as well as getting blood tests before and after taking it. He also recommends starting with a lower dosage and gradually building up to avoid negative effects.+

21. Tongkat Ali Dosage

Andrew discusses the dosage of Tongkat Ali and its benefits for both men and women. He recommends starting with the minimum amount and finding the minimal effective dose for each individual. Blood work is the most effective way to determine what's working or not working at the level of objective numbers.+

22. Hormone Supplements

Andrew Huberman discusses the importance of controlling individual ingredients and dosage when taking hormone supplements, especially for women during different phases of their menstrual cycle. He also touches on the impact of hormone-based birth control and the use of supplements for improving sperm and egg health during fertility treatments.+

23. Cognitive Supplements

Cognitive Supplements:Andrew discusses the benefits of caffeine as a supplement for cognitive enhancement and focus, emphasizing the importance of taking appropriate dosages and avoiding caffeine intake late in the day. He also notes that a good night's sleep and proper nutrition are crucial for optimal cognitive function.+

Enhancing Focus:Andrew discusses the use of supplements, specifically caffeine, for enhancing focus. He explains the difference between ingesting caffeine in the form of a drink versus a pure supplement and cautions those who experience anxiety or panic attacks to be careful with their intake.+

24. Stimulant Supplements

Andrew discusses different forms of yohimbine and caffeine as supplements to enhance cognitive function and focus, cautioning that some supplements may cause anxiety and work better for some people than others.+

25. Focus Supplements

Focus Supplements:Andrew discusses the benefits of using non-stimulant supplements, such as Alpha GPC and Ltyrosine, to enhance focus and mental performance without the jittery effects of caffeine. He recommends separating stimulant-based and neuromodulator-based supplements and experimenting with different dosages to find what works best for each individual.+

Nootropic Stacks:Andrew discusses the differences between stimulant-based and neuromodulator-based approaches to nootropics, emphasizing the importance of trying individual ingredients before combining them. He shares his personal experiences with Alpha GPC, L Tyrosine, and Phenyl Theanine, and suggests that listeners explore different ingredients to find the best protocols for themselves.+

26. Cognitive, Mood & Metabolic Support: Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Andrew discusses the benefits of omega three fatty acid supplements for brain and body health, including improved focus and cognitive ability. He explains the importance of ingesting one to three grams of EPA per day and suggests that omega three supplements can be a cost-effective alternative to foundational supplements for those on a limited budget.+

27. Food-Mimic Supplements, Protein

Andrew discusses the different types of food-based or food mimic supplements, including protein powders and plant-based substitutes. While they can be convenient, it's important to understand that they don't contain all the essential nutrients found in whole foods. Andrew recommends getting a significant portion of your nutrition from whole foods, especially for the fiber and bulk that makes us feel full.+

28. Kids, Aging & Supplements

Supplement Safety:Andrew Huberman discusses the safety of supplements for children, including the potential harm of melatonin supplementation and caution around hormone augmentation. He also touches on the importance of cognitive enhancement for older adults.+

Optimize Your Health:Andrew emphasizes the importance of getting sufficient sleep, exercise, and nutrition to maximize cognitive and cardiovascular function. Behavioral tools and nutritional tools are the primary layers upon which supplement protocols rest. Supplementation makes sense for those who want to enhance their sleep, focus, hormone function, and physical performance.+

29. Rational Supplementation

Andrew emphasizes the importance of taking single-ingredient formulations for exploring supplementation for sleep, hormone health, and L-carnitine function. He also stresses the significance of focusing on foundational nutritional support and customizing tools for our mental, physical health, and performance.+

30. Supplementation Insights

Andrew discusses the importance of high-quality supplements and how they can benefit many people. He also mentions Momentous supplements as a partner and shares information on how to subscribe to the Neural Network newsletter.+