In this Huberman Lab Essentials episode, I explain how two key hormones control metabolism and discuss tools to enhance their levels to improve metabolic health.
I discuss the pathways through which the brain and body interact to produce thyroid hormone and growth hormone, and how these hormones influence essential processes like tissue growth and repair, body composition, and energy production. I explain how thyroid hormone levels are influenced by key nutrients, such as iodine, selenium, and L-tyrosine. I also explain how practices such as exercise, sleep, meditation and sauna can offset age-related declines in growth hormone, to optimize overall hormone health and metabolism.
Huberman Lab Essentials are short episodes (approximately 30 minutes) focused on essential science and protocol takeaways from past Huberman Lab episodes. Essentials will be released every Thursday, and our full-length episodes will still be released every Monday.
Read the full episode show notes at hubermanlab.com.
Thank you to our sponsors
AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman
Eight Sleep: https://eightsleep.com/huberman
David: https://davidprotein.com/huberman
Timestamps
00:00:00 Huberman Lab Essentials; Hormones & Metabolism
00:01:41 Hypothalamus, Pituitary, Thyroid
00:03:22 Thyroid Hormone Functions, Tools: Iodine, Selenium, L-Tyrosine
00:07:55 Sponsor: Eight Sleep
00:09:27 Thyroid Hormone, Glucose & Metabolism; Thyroid Hormone Disorders
00:11:45 Growth Hormone Functions, Prescription Growth Hormone
00:14:41 Growth Hormone Release, Tools: Sleep & Bedtime Fasting
00:16:07 Growth Hormone Release, Tool: Meditation
00:18:21 Sponsor: AG1
00:19:24 Growth Hormone Release, Tools: Exercise, Warm-Up, Glucose, Cool Down
00:22:04 Growth Hormone Supplements, Arginine
00:24:07 Offsetting Age-Related Growth Hormone Decline
00:25:05 Temperature & Growth Hormone, Tool: Sauna Protocol
00:29:23 Sponsor: David Protein
00:30:38 Peptides, Sermorelin, Secretagogues, Risk
00:33:26 Recap & Key Takeaways
+warming up is essential for increasing HGH production during exercise
+weight training over 60 minutes or too intensely is counter-productive for HGH
+heat exposure (sauna @ 26C – 36C) for at about 20 minutes for at least 3 days increases HGH production by 1200% (12x)
00:14:41 Growth Hormone Release, Tools: Sleep & Bedtime Fasting
+Produce HGH in first few hours deep sleep, but only if low blood glucose
00:16:07 Growth Hormone Release, Tool: Meditation
+Similar effects of deep sleep