Boost Your Energy & Immune System with Cortisol & Adrenaline

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. Access the full show notes, including referenced articles, resources and more at hubermanlab.com. Thank you to our sponsors AG1 (Athletic Greens): https://athleticgreens.com/huberman LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman Waking Up: https://www.wakingup.com/huberman Momentous: https://www.livemomentous.com/huberman Timestamps (00:00:00) 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 Systems) 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” Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac Disclaimer

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Huberman Lab discusses neuroscience — how our brain and its connections with the organs of our body control our perceptions, our behaviors, and our health. We also discuss existing and emerging tools for measuring and changing how our nervous system works. Andrew Huberman, Ph.D., is a neuroscientist and tenured professor in the department of neurobiology, and by courtesy, psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford School of Medicine. He has made numerous significant contributions to the fields of brain development, brain function and neural plasticity, which is the ability of our nervous system to rewire and learn new behaviors, skills and cognitive functioning.  Huberman is a McKnight Foundation and Pew Foundation Fellow and was awarded the Cogan Award, given to the scientist making the most significant discoveries in the study of vision, in 2017. His lab’s most recent work focuses on the influence of vision and respiration on human performance and brain states such as fear and courage. He also works on neural regeneration and directs a clinical trial to promote visual restoration in diseases that cause blindness. Huberman is also actively involved in developing tools now in use by the elite military in the U.S. and Canada, athletes, and technology industries to optimize performance in high stress environments, enhance neural plasticity, mitigate stress and optimize sleep.   Work from the Huberman Laboratory at Stanford School of Medicine has been published in top journals including Nature, Science and Cell and has been featured in TIME, BBC, Scientific American, Discover and other top media outlets.  In 2021, Dr. Huberman launched the Huberman Lab podcast. The podcast is frequently ranked in the top 5 of all podcasts globally and is often ranked #1 in the categories of Science, Education, and Health & Fitness.