Boost Your Energy & Immune System with Cortisol & Adrenaline
Summary
This episode delves into the essential hormones cortisol and adrenaline (epinephrine), explaining their biology and profound impact on energy levels, immune function, and learning. Dr. Huberman provides science-backed tools to deliberately increase or decrease these hormones, such as timed light exposure, specific breathing, and cold water immersion. The discussion also covers the impact of chronic stress, comfort foods, nootropics, and caffeine on these systems, offering actionable protocols for optimization.Episode description
This episode I describe the biology of two essential hormones we all make: cortisol and adrenaline (also called epinephrine). Cortisol and adrenaline powerfully regulate our levels of energy, focus and immune system function. I describe various science-supported tools and practices to increase or decrease cortisol and/or adrenaline, depending on one's specific needs and goals. I also describe the biology of nootropics, and how cortisol and adrenaline can improve or degrade learning. Finally, I review the scientific data and tools for timing the release of these hormones to improve memory, energy and immune system function.
Read the full show notes for this episode at hubermanlab.com.
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Timestamps00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:31 Sponsors: AG1, LMNT & Waking Up
00:05:41 Energy & Your Immune System, & Learning Faster
00:08:34 Why & How Intermittent Fasting Increases Growth Hormone
00:11:56 Why Your Stomach Growls
00:13:09 Hot Baths & Hormones
00:14:35 Energy, Adrenaline (Epinephrine), & Cortisol
00:15:48 Cortisol & Cholesterol, Competition With Testosterone & Estrogen
00:17:54 Adrenaline (Epinephrine) Is Your (Immune System’s) Best Friend
00:18:48 Cortisol Basics In Two (Actually 1) Minute/s
00:19:48 Adrenaline Basics In Two Minutes
00:21:32 Tool: Time Your Cortisol Peak To Waking Using Specific Light Intensities
00:27:20 Brief Increases In Cortisol & Adrenaline Boost Energy, Focus & Immunity
00:30:04 Ways To Increase Adrenaline, Epinephrine & Cortisol & Why That Is Good
00:35:00 Does Mindset During Stress Matter?
00:36:15 Protocols: Adrenaline Breathing Described
00:39:00 Practices To Increase Energy Without Increasing Stress
00:45:00 Using Stressors to ENHANCE Our Immune System: Science & Tools
00:55:11 Timing Thyroid Release For Energy
00:57:02 Adrenaline/Stress Increase Performance & Memory. IF They Are After Learning
01:02:45 An Optimal Learning Protocol
01:03:20 Coffee Changes Your Brain & Increases Connectivity Of “Anxiety Circuits”
01:05:43 Nootropics: Two Kinds, & How & Why They Work, “Neural Energy”
01:09:00 Biology of Comfort Foods: From Negative to Positive Feedback Loops
01:14:00 Bombesin: Energy Without Eating
01:15:00 How Stress Makes Our Hair Gray, & How To Prevent Stress-Induced Graying
01:18:05 Blunting Chronic Cortisol, Including: Ashwagandha & Science Of
01:25:50 Licorice Increases Cortisol & Blood Pressure, & Reduces Testosterone (by Glycyrrhizin)
01:28:50 Apigenin: Anti-Cortisol
01:29:53 Protocols For Optimizing Energy & Immune System Function (& Learning)
01:37:00 When Fasting, Exercise, Cold & Intense Breathing Become Detrimental
01:39:00 Prescription Compounds
01:39:47 Tools For Accessing Alert & Calm States of “Energy”: Separating The Brain & Body
01:42:11 Ways To Apply Knowledge Presented Today
01:43:20 No-Cost Ways To Support Us, Feedback, Sponsors, Patreon, Partners, “Office Hours”
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