An excerpt from the Huberman Lab podcast - "Developing a Rational Approach to Supplementation for Health & Performance".
How to Make a Rational Approach to Health and Performance Supplements
In this episode, Professor A. Huberman tells you how to create a supplement protocol based on your specific needs, diet, lifestyle, and finances to achieve and maintain the best mental and physical health.
Huberman talks about basic supplements for overall health, including vitamins, minerals, digestive enzymes, adaptogens, and prebiotics/probiotics. He then talks about single-ingredient supplements that he recommends to improve specific physiological aspects, such as falling asleep faster, focusing better, improving cognitive function, or maintaining healthy hormone levels (such as testosterone, estrogen, and growth hormone).
We believe these insights and examples will help you create the safest, most biologically effective and cost-effective supplement protocol that will help you achieve your specific goals and support your overall well-being and longevity.
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A. Huberman begins by highlighting, in his opinion, a wrong understanding of the term supplements. The name itself suggests that all supplements are food supplements designed to supplement the body with substances that we can get with food. However, this is not the case. A. Huberman suggests forgetting the theory that all supplements should be used just because we don't eat enough of certain foods. He reminds us that there are countless compounds that are extremely powerful that can improve our health and that cannot be obtained from food.
Many supplements can be effective at improving sleep, hormone function, or concentration, but some of these substances simply aren't present in food, or there aren't enough of them to get the results you want.
The professor emphasizes that supplements are not necessary for everyone, but they can be useful for many.
In order to optimize your physical and emotional health, A. Huberman first suggests starting with lifestyle/behavioral alignment, certain rules you should live by (for example, exercise, no caffeine after two, no food two hours before bedtime, avoiding light between 10 p.m. and 4 in the morning, and look at the sun/light as early as possible after waking up, at least 5-10 minutes). The second layer would be a well-rounded diet, making sure you eat enough of a variety of foods, and only then should you start talking about supplements.
It is important to understand that a complete combination of behavior, nutrition, and supplementation is required to maximize and/or optimize your current well-being and long-term health.
A. Huberman says - " If you sleep well, when you wake up you feel refreshed and full of energy throughout the day - you do not need supplements to improve the quality of your sleep. However, if you sleep poorly, you should first find out what the cause is and then look for ways to solve the problem. No discussion about supplements should take place in a vacuum. Such a discussion needs context. "
Reference Supplements
Foundation supplements are designed to create a foundation or ensure that, along with nutrition, you are getting everything you need to maintain your mental and physical health levels and the ability to perform effectively.
If you are considering whether you need multivitamin, multimineral supplements, it is important to answer a few questions - can you eat enough variety of food to get the necessary amount of vitamins and minerals and if not, can you afford the cost of buying and taking such supplements on a daily basis? Multimineral, multivitamin supplements are especially useful for people who are extremely physically active or do mental work.
A. Huberman says that in recent decades digestive enzymes have also been included in basic supplements. These are naturally occurring enzymes that you can find in fruits like papaya or pineapple. (Look for the suffix 'ase' in the list of additional ingredients.)
Nowadays, basic supplements often include adaptogens . Adaptogens are trace elements, herbs ( ashwagandha ) and sometimes mushrooms ( chaga ) that provide 'protection' to our nervous system by reducing cortisol, and/or by improving blood circulation and enhancing the function of neurotransmitters can improve some aspects of mental performance. These supplements would be extremely difficult to obtain from diet.
Prebiotics and probiotics are another category of foundational supplements. These compounds benefit the gut microbiome and may reduce inflammation. They are abundant in low-sugar fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, kombucha, or Greek yogurt. It is important to note that quality probiotic or prebiotic supplements are very expensive and require refrigeration.
Despite the fact that A. Huberman always prefers single-ingredient formulations, in this case the professor says that it is the basic supplements that can be used in multi-ingredient formulas like Athletic Greens (or Two-per-day ) due to convenience and economy.
Supplements for Sleep
Sleep is the foundation of mental and physical health and overall performance.
When considering sleep supplements, A. Huberman suggests thinking about how well, how deeply, and how much sleep you get per night. If you are one of those people who have trouble falling asleep, keep waking up or can't sleep, or don't feel alert when you wake up - it's worth digging into.
First answer the following questions:
- Do you consume caffeine after 2 pm? If the answer is yes, you want to limit or completely eliminate caffeine after 2 p.m. or even move it to 12 o'clock. or even earlier.
- Don't you eat too late? Most people would benefit from avoiding food two hours before bedtime. But, it is important that you are not so hungry that you cannot fall asleep.
These dietary and behavioral measures should be considered by everyone. However, if you answered no to both questions and are still having trouble sleeping, there are supplements that may help you.
If you fall asleep easily but wake up in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep:
Myo-Inositol (900 mg dose) - May shorten the time it takes you to fall back asleep if you wake up in the middle of the night.
L-Theanine (100-400 mg dose) may also be helpful in helping you fall asleep faster. It is suitable for many people, but for those who dream extremely intensively and vividly (and wake up precisely from dreams), it is better to avoid L-Theanine.
If you have trouble falling asleep:
Magnesium L-Threonate (can be used interchangeably or in combination with Magnesium Bisciglinate ) - can cause mild drowsiness, and many people who take this supplement report that their 'transition' to sleep is faster and the sleep itself is much deeper. These supplements also benefit cognitive function (mental performance) and have neuroprotective properties.
Apigenin - It works as an anti-anxiety compound that helps to turn off unnecessary thoughts before sleep, thinking about the future, etc.
In order to find out which of the ingredients is the most suitable for you, A. Huberman recommends planning an experiment and trying these supplements separately. Try not to change anything in your normal routine and take Magnesium L-Threonate one week and only Apigenin the next. If you don't feel a difference with one supplement, try taking both together.
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Sleep supplements are often associated with Melatonin . However, it is important to emphasize that Melatonin is a hormone that affects other hormonal systems as well. While this compound may cause drowsiness, it will not ensure good quality sleep and has the potential to disrupt other systems in our body. A. Huberman recommends not to abuse Melatonin and to use it only occasionally or specifically as an effective remedy against jetlag.
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The professor says that sleep supplements do not cause addiction, as drugs (sleeping pills) do, but the placebo effect should be kept in mind. For best results, it is recommended to take a break once every two weeks or once a month and give up some or all of the 'helpers'.
Supplements for the Hormonal System
Professor A. Huberman singles out another category for which additional help can be useful - hormones. He emphasizes the importance of improving and optimizing our hormones and even recommends several compounds (over the counter) that can improve our hormone function.
First of all, the scientist lists examples of behavior that affect our hormones. One of the reasons why women sometimes lose their periods or men lose their testosterone levels is a low-calorie diet . If you don't get enough calories from high-quality sources, hormones like testosterone and estrogen will suffer.
Another reason is sex hormone-binding globulin . It combines testosterone and other hormones and prevents them from being in their free form (eg free testosterone) which is more active. Interestingly, insulin suppresses and reduces the amount of this sex hormone binding globulin. This means that people who practice intermittent fasting, eat few carbohydrates, or take drugs like metformin or supplements like berberine may have higher levels of sex hormone-binding globulin due to low blood glucose levels. Meanwhile, if you eat enough calories and foods that make your insulin a little higher (just not too much!), then your sex hormone-binding globulin should decrease and your free testosterone should increase.
With these examples, A. Huberman wants to draw everyone's attention to the fact that nutrition affects hormones, and in order to have a balanced level of hormones, it is important to start with a complete diet.
Our lifestyle and behavior also affect our hormonal status. Sunlight in the morning (need to be/look at the light) can increase cortisol levels. If you associate cortisol with stress, it may seem that increasing cortisol levels cannot be beneficial, but cortisol will be released in our body in all cases, but it depends on you whether it will be beneficial or harmful. Huberman says that high cortisol levels early in the morning help us stay alert and focused, help our immune function, and ensure that cortisol levels are low at night. All of this will allow you to maintain higher growth hormone and testosterone levels while you sleep (which is what you should be aiming for).
Another way is intense physical activity . It is cardio (cardiovascular) or short but intense resistance training that can even dramatically alter our hormone profiles.
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Again, once both nutritional and behavioral measures are incorporated into your regular routine, you may want to consider supplements to help maintain or optimize your hormones.
The first category is supplements designed to increase or decrease specific hormones. These supplements work in indirect ways by stimulating different systems and can contribute to increased libido, fertility, and testosterone and estrogen levels.
Shilajit is a supplement that has a follicle activating effect. It promotes fertility, libido, and can increase testosterone and estrogen levels.
Ashwagandha can affect many hormones. It is a very strong supplement that reduces cortisol levels and increases testosterone levels (indirectly). A. Huberman emphasizes that high doses of ashwagandha should not be used for more than two weeks and suggests taking breaks. Use for two weeks, take a break, then resume.
Maca root can increase libido by acting on dopamine-related systems. Greater effectiveness is observed in women.
L-Carnitine has also been cited as potentially improving sperm motility and quality, as well as egg health.
Hormones and Supplements that work directly:
Growth Hormone – The best way to increase your growth hormone levels is to get quality sleep. Intermittent fasting can also increase the release of growth hormone, but this may do more harm than good in the long run. A. Huberman suggests that it is better to simply not eat for two hours before going to bed. Arginine has been singled out as the only supplement that can increase growth hormone when taken before bed, but the research data is pretty weak.
Testosterone - Fadogia Agrestus (600 mg daily), many people using this supplement report increased libido, sperm production and testosterone. A. Huberman warns that it is extremely important to follow the recommended daily dose with this supplement, as it can be toxic in larger amounts. The professor recommends using Fadogia Agrestus for 8 weeks with a 2-week break, or 12 weeks with a monthly break.
Tongkat Ali – Increases free testosterone by decreasing sex hormone binding globulin. Recommended doses range from 200 mg to 600 mg per day, so Huberman suggests starting with the lowest to find the lowest effective dose for you. There is no need to take breaks with Tongkat Ali, but notes that it may take longer to feel the effects. This supplement can benefit both men and women.
IMPORTANT: To make sure the supplements are working, it is best to do blood tests before and after taking them. With Fadogia Agrestus, you can test after 4-8 weeks of supplementation, and with Tongkat Ali after 8-12 weeks.
Supplements for Mental Performance and Attention
The best way to improve cognitive function is quality sleep of sufficient duration, and a complete diet, when you do not overeat, but also do not starve.
If you're looking for more help in this area, Huberman identifies two categories of supplements that could be helpful:
The first is supplements that increase energy levels due to their stimulating properties. An obvious example is caffeine. Caffeine is a molecule that, when used in targeted doses (1-3ml per kilogram of body weight), can increase levels of alertness and concentration. Benefits are best seen when taken 30 minutes before strenuous mental or physical activity.
Caffeine can also be used as a supplement. Huberman notes that when taken in tablet form, caffeine has a much stronger and longer-lasting effect than when taken in coffee or tea. Even 100 mg in tablet form increases alertness and concentration significantly more than the same or even double the amount obtained from coffee or tea.
*The professor points out that caffeine increases alertness, but does not narrow (strengthen) your focus.
The second category is non-stimulant supplements. One option that A. Huberman recommends is Alpha GPC . By increasing acetylcholine, this compound can enhance your focus (make it easier to stay focused). Alpha GPC may also have a small effect on your alertness. The recommended dose is 300mg-600mg, and the effect can last as long as 4-6 hours.
Another compound is a dopamine precursor, the amino acid L-Tyrosine (500mg-1000mg). Used alone or in combination with Alpha GPC, it also increases concentration levels without a stimulant effect.
*Compared to caffeine, both Alpha GPC and L-Tyrosine provide less alertness and/or euphoria, but are effective at narrowing (enhancing) focus.
The professor himself tends to take 300mg of Alpha GPC* with a cup of coffee. A. Huberman's personal experience with L-Tyrosine is that it works great to help focus, but after a while the professor crashes (he is productive and elated and suddenly the mood disappears, he doesn't want to do anything). *To offset the potential increase in TMAO, Huberman uses 600 mg garlic capsules along with Alpha GPC.
A. Huberman singles out another particularly useful supplement that not only supports our mental activity, but also benefits our entire body. You may have guessed it, it's Omega-3 fatty acids.
They improve metabolism, cardiovascular activity, and our mental abilities. 1g-3g (especially EPA) are extremely useful for various aspects of our health, so if you have a limited budget, A. Huberman recommends investing it in quality Omega-3 supplements that will provide you with at least 1g of EPA per day.
Watch the full episode - Developing a Rational Approach to Supplementation for Health & Performance