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In this episode, I explain the biological roles of the four major neuromodulators—dopamine, epinephrine (aka adrenaline), serotonin, and acetylcholine—and describe how these neuromodulators impact a wide variety of mental states and behaviors, including focus, creativity, motivation, drive, learning, alertness, mood, relationships, and feelings of well-being. Then, with that foundational understanding in mind, I describe a potent toolkit of science-supported behavioral, nutrition, and supplementation tools that can be used to increase baseline levels of individual neuromodulators and that can be modified for specific goals. This episode summarizes low-or-no-cost, actionable, science-based tools that can benefit anyone in order to enhance their levels of brain chemicals and improve mental health, physical health, and performance.
Articles
- Rapid and reversible control of human metabolism by individual sleep states (Cell Reports)
- Resetting the late timing of ‘night owls’ has a positive impact on mental health and performance (Sleep Medicine)
- Skin exposure to UVB light induces a skin-brain-gonad axis and sexual behavior (Cell Reports)
- The Role of Gene Encoding Variation of DRD4 in the Relationship between Inattention and Seasonal Daylight (bioRxiv)
- Caffeine increases striatal dopamine D2/D3 receptor availability in the human brain (Translational Psychiatry)
- Human physiological responses to immersion into water of different temperatures (European Journal of Applied Psychology)
- The effect of Cissus quadrangularis (CQR-300) and a Cissus formulation (CORE) on obesity and obesity-induced oxidative stress (Lipids in Health and Disease)
Other Resources
- The Darya Rose Show: Sunscreen & Sunprotection with Dr. Brian Diffey
- Huberman Lab: Controlling Your Dopamine for Motivation, Focus & Satisfaction
- Huberman Lab: ADHD & How Anyone Can Improve Their Focus
- Huberman Lab: Using Deliberate Cold Exposure for Health and Performance
- Huberman Lab: Tools for Managing Stress & Anxiety
Timestamps
Timestamp links will open in YouTube.
- 00:00:00 Optimizing Neurochemicals to Improve Health
- 00:03:40 Momentous Supplements
- 00:05:30 Sleep & Maintaining Healthy Metabolism
- 00:09:52 Tools: How to Wake Up Earlier, Night Owls
- 00:19:32 AG1 (Athletic Greens), Thesis, InsideTracker
- 00:22:05 Nervous System Overview
- 00:31:32 How Neuromodulators Work
- 00:34:24 Baseline Neuromodulator Levels, 3 Daily Phases
- 00:42:15 Hormones Modulate Neuromodulators
- 00:52:12 The 4 Major Types of Neuromodulators
- 01:01:45 Tool Kit 1: Increase Baseline Dopamine & Focus
- 01:08:52 Tyrosine-rich Foods & Dopamine
- 01:10:59 Dopamine Supplementation: Mucuna Pruriens, L-tyrosine & Phenylethylamine
- 01:16:00 Deliberate Cold Exposure & Dopamine
- 01:21:12 Tool Kit 2: Additional Tips to Increase Dopamine
- 01:26:10 Tool Kit 3: Increase Epinephrine (Adrenaline) & Alertness
- 01:34:34 Tool Kit 4: Increase Acetylcholine & Attention/Learning; Choline-rich Foods
- 01:37:29 Acetylcholine Supplements: Nicotine, Alpha GPC, Huperzine
- 01:44:47 Tool Kit 5: Behavior to Increase Focus & Acetylcholine
- 01:46:56 Tool Kit 6: Behavior to Increase Serotonin & Feelings of Well-being
- 01:50:51 Tools: Tryptophan-Rich Foods & Serotonin
- 01:53:31 Tools: Serotonin Supplements: Cissus Quadrangularis, 5-HTP, Myo-inositol
- 02:02:14 Use the Neurochemical Toolkit to Meet Individual Goals
- 02:06:44 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube Feedback, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, Momentous Supplements, Instagram, Twitter, Neural Network Newsletter