Episode
How Foods and Nutrients Control Our Moods
1:43:10
Published: Mon Mar 15 2021
Description
This episode explains the brain-body connections that allow the specific foods we eat to control our moods and motivation. I discuss the vagus nerve and its role in dopamine and serotonin release in the brain. I review Omega-3 fatty acids and the key role of the gut microbiome in supporting (or hindering) our mental and emotional states. Many actionable tools are reviewed and discussed related to fasting, ketogenic and plant-based diets, probiotics, fermented foods, fish oils, artificial sweeteners, specific supplements that promote dopamine and serotonin, and some remarkable behavioral (and belief) effects. For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com. Thank you to our sponsors AG1 (Athletic Greens): https://athleticgreens.com/huberman LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman Thesis: https://takethesis.com/huberman Supplements from Momentous https://www.livemomentous.com/huberman Timestamps (00:00:00) Introduction (00:00:31) Sponsors: AG1, LMNT, Thesis, Momentous (00:05:00) Emotions: Aligning Mind & Body (00:06:41) Nutrients, Neurochemicals and Mood (00:08:39) Primitive Expressions and Actions (00:12:30) The Vagus Nerve: Truth, Fiction, Function (00:15:45) “Vagus Stimulation”: A Terrible Concept (00:16:35) Polyvagal Theory (00:18:27) Vagus Senses Many Things, & Moves Our Organs (00:19:35) Sugar Sensing Without Perception of Sweetness (00:23:00) Eating-Induced Anxiety (00:27:30) We Eat Until Our Brain Perceives “Amino Acid Threshold” (00:29:45) Reward Prediction Error: Buildup, Letdown and Wanting More (00:32:01) L-Tyrosine, Dopamine, Motivation, Mood, & Movement (00:34:04) Supplementing L-Tyrosine, Drugs of Abuse, Wellbutrin (00:38:29) Serotonin: Gut, Brain, Satiety and Prozac (00:43:38) Eating to Promote Dopamine (Daytime) & Serotonin (Night Time) (00:44:30) Supplementing Serotonin: Sleep, & Caution About Sleep Disruptions (00:46:40) Examine.com An Amazing Cost-Free Resource with Links to Science Papers (00:48:05) Mucuna Pruriens: The Dopamine Bean with a Serotonin Outer Shell (00:51:00) Emotional Context and Book Recommendation: “How Emotions Are Made” (00:54:55) Exercise: Powerful Mood Enhancer, But Lacks Specificity (00:56:45) Omega-3: Omega-6 Ratios, Fish Oil and Alleviating Depression (01:01:00) Fish Oil as Antidepressant (01:02:40) EPAs May Improve Mood via Heart Rate Variability: Gut-Heart-Brain (01:07:24) Alternatives to Fish Oil to Obtain Sufficient Omega-3/EPAs (01:09:05) L-Carnitine for Mood, Sperm and Ovary Quality, Autism, Fibromyalgia, Migraine (01:16:29) Gut-Microbiome: Myths, Truths & the Tubes Within Us (01:21:55) Probiotics, Brain Fog, Autism, Fermentation (01:25:20) Artificial Sweeteners & the Gut Microbiome: NOT All Bad; It Depends! (01:28:00) Ketogenic, Vegan, & Processed Food Effects, Individual Differences (01:33:20) Fasting-Based Depletion of Our Microbiome (01:35:20) How Mindset Effects Our Responses to Foods: Amazing (Ghrelin) Effects! (01:38:30) How Mindset Controls Our Metabolism (01:41:03) Closing Comments, Thanks, Support & Resources Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac Disclaimer
Chapters
This episode discusses the key role of supplements, hydration, and electrolytes in optimizing your health and immune system, as well as the brain-body relationship and how emotions are impacted by physical health.
00:00 - 05:38 (05:38)
Summary
This episode discusses the key role of supplements, hydration, and electrolytes in optimizing your health and immune system, as well as the brain-body relationship and how emotions are impacted by physical health.
EpisodeHow Foods and Nutrients Control Our Moods
PodcastHuberman Lab
The podcast discusses the scientific studies that explore how certain nutrients, both macronutrients like proteins, fats, and carbohydrates as well as micronutrients, can impact the chemicals in our brain that give rise to various emotions and how one can use specific tools to control and change emotions.
05:40 - 14:44 (09:04)
Summary
The podcast discusses the scientific studies that explore how certain nutrients, both macronutrients like proteins, fats, and carbohydrates as well as micronutrients, can impact the chemicals in our brain that give rise to various emotions and how one can use specific tools to control and change emotions.
EpisodeHow Foods and Nutrients Control Our Moods
PodcastHuberman Lab
The vagus nerve plays a crucial role in regulating the brain-body connection and mood, and should not be oversimplified or used to diagnose different physical or psychological manifestations.
14:44 - 19:32 (04:47)
Summary
The vagus nerve plays a crucial role in regulating the brain-body connection and mood, and should not be oversimplified or used to diagnose different physical or psychological manifestations.
EpisodeHow Foods and Nutrients Control Our Moods
PodcastHuberman Lab
Anxiety can lead to pre-meal anxiety or anxiety around food, which can inhibit feeding and make us not want to eat.
19:32 - 29:15 (09:43)
Summary
Anxiety can lead to pre-meal anxiety or anxiety around food, which can inhibit feeding and make us not want to eat. This is due to the activation of locus coeruleus, which releases noredrenaline in the brain when we approach food.
EpisodeHow Foods and Nutrients Control Our Moods
PodcastHuberman Lab
Learn about how dopamine reward and prediction error works and how it affects your cravings, food intake and behavior.
29:15 - 34:01 (04:45)
Summary
Learn about how dopamine reward and prediction error works and how it affects your cravings, food intake and behavior. Prescription dopamine may be necessary for people who make low levels of dopamine.
EpisodeHow Foods and Nutrients Control Our Moods
PodcastHuberman Lab
L-Tyrosine supports the production of dopamine and other factors in the brain, which is crucial for people with Parkinson's disease.
34:01 - 40:08 (06:07)
Summary
L-Tyrosine supports the production of dopamine and other factors in the brain, which is crucial for people with Parkinson's disease. However, the abuse of drugs like methamphetamine and cocaine, which significantly increase dopamine levels, can lead to addiction due to the inability to achieve dopamine release through other mechanisms.
EpisodeHow Foods and Nutrients Control Our Moods
PodcastHuberman Lab
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is responsible for mood regulation, among other things, and is often targeted by antidepressant medications, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
40:08 - 46:00 (05:51)
Summary
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is responsible for mood regulation, among other things, and is often targeted by antidepressant medications, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Some people seek to increase their serotonin levels through diet, while others may need medication to regulate imbalances.
EpisodeHow Foods and Nutrients Control Our Moods
PodcastHuberman Lab
The ability of a sperm to swim depends on certain proteins, and sperm motility is generally associated with sperm quality.
46:00 - 50:45 (04:45)
Summary
The ability of a sperm to swim depends on certain proteins, and sperm motility is generally associated with sperm quality. Some food items like macunapurines, reduce prolactin, increase sperm motility, increase testosterone, and subjective wellbeing.
EpisodeHow Foods and Nutrients Control Our Moods
PodcastHuberman Lab
This podcast episode discusses the connection between emotions and the gut, and how context and culture play a role in how emotions are experienced.
50:45 - 54:13 (03:28)
Summary
This podcast episode discusses the connection between emotions and the gut, and how context and culture play a role in how emotions are experienced. The discussion also touches on the limitations of the idea that serotonin in the gut is what causes feelings of calm.
EpisodeHow Foods and Nutrients Control Our Moods
PodcastHuberman Lab
Omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acid ratio has a significant impact on depression.
54:13 - 1:02:03 (07:49)
Summary
Omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acid ratio has a significant impact on depression. EPA, one of the high Omega-3 sources, can affect the mood, which is why people who have blood clotting issues should talk to their doctor before taking it.
EpisodeHow Foods and Nutrients Control Our Moods
PodcastHuberman Lab
The vagus nerve connects the heart to the brain and is responsible for adjusting heart rate variability.
1:02:03 - 1:10:59 (08:56)
Summary
The vagus nerve connects the heart to the brain and is responsible for adjusting heart rate variability. Eating a diet with inadequate levels of omega threes can have a negative impact on the vagus nerve and inflammatory cytokines, leading to non-responsiveness to antidepressants.
EpisodeHow Foods and Nutrients Control Our Moods
PodcastHuberman Lab
The body has natural barriers, such as the blood-brain barrier and blood gonadal barrier, that protect certain organs like the brain, ovaries, and testes.
1:10:59 - 1:16:30 (05:30)
Summary
The body has natural barriers, such as the blood-brain barrier and blood gonadal barrier, that protect certain organs like the brain, ovaries, and testes. While these barriers prevent dangerous molecules from entering these organs, there is an emerging field of supplements that can assist with drug addiction withdrawal symptoms.
EpisodeHow Foods and Nutrients Control Our Moods
PodcastHuberman Lab
The gut-brain axis involves the connection between the gut and the brain, which controls various functions such as motility, heart rate, and immune response.
1:16:31 - 1:21:01 (04:29)
Summary
The gut-brain axis involves the connection between the gut and the brain, which controls various functions such as motility, heart rate, and immune response. The gut microbiome plays a significant role in this connection, and an imbalance in the microbiome can have negative effects on mental health and cognitive function.
EpisodeHow Foods and Nutrients Control Our Moods
PodcastHuberman Lab
A study published in Nature found that saccharin, an artificial sweetener, can disrupt the gut microbiome leading to a range of negative health markers, while other commonly used artificial sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose did not have the same effect.
1:21:02 - 1:31:14 (10:12)
Summary
A study published in Nature found that saccharin, an artificial sweetener, can disrupt the gut microbiome leading to a range of negative health markers, while other commonly used artificial sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose did not have the same effect.
EpisodeHow Foods and Nutrients Control Our Moods
PodcastHuberman Lab
The positive impacts of different diets on the gut microbiome are true, but it's frustrating when people come with an agenda.
1:31:14 - 1:38:33 (07:19)
Summary
The positive impacts of different diets on the gut microbiome are true, but it's frustrating when people come with an agenda. Fasting affects digestion and returning to eating after fasting can sometimes make people feel unwell.
EpisodeHow Foods and Nutrients Control Our Moods
PodcastHuberman Lab
Our beliefs and perceptions about certain foods, nutrients, and substances can have a profound effect on the magnitude, quality, and direction of their impact on our body.
1:38:34 - 1:43:02 (04:28)
Summary
Our beliefs and perceptions about certain foods, nutrients, and substances can have a profound effect on the magnitude, quality, and direction of their impact on our body. The mind-body connection plays a crucial role in how we feel and react to various stimuli, and positive mental biases can have a significant impact on our physiology, including blood pressure, body fat, and overall well-being.