Episode
Using Your Nervous System to Enhance Your Immune System
1:59:46
Published: Mon Nov 01 2021
Description
This episode teaches you a lot about the immune system, immune-brain interactions and offers 12 potential tools for enhancing immune system function. I discuss how our immune system works and science-supported tools we can use to enhance our immune system. I discuss the innate and adaptive immune systems and our various microbiomes-- not just in our gut but also in our nose, eyes and mouth and how to keep them healthy. And I review how specific patterns of breathing and foods maintain a healthy mucosal barrier that is crucial for fighting infections. I discuss how certain neurochemicals called catecholamines enhance our immune system function and how to use specific breathing protocols, types and timing of heat and cold exposure, and, if appropriate, supplementation to activate catecholamines. I also discuss the role and use of serotonin for the sake of accessing the specific types of sleep for recovering from illness, and I discuss how to increase glymphatic "washout" of brain debris during sleep. I also review fever, the vagus nerve and the use of atypical yet highly effective compounds for rhinitis (nasal inflammation). 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) The Mind & Immune System, New Findings: Acupuncture & Fascia (00:03:16) Sponsors: AG1, LMNT, Thesis, Momentous (00:07:41) Foundational Tools & Practices for a Healthy Immune System (00:11:20) Immune System Basics: Skin/Mucous, Innate & Adaptive Immune System (00:17:08) Killer Cells, Complement Proteins (“Eat Me!” Signals), Cytokines (“Help Me!” Signals) (00:21:06) The Adaptive Immune System: Antibodies (00:28:00) Tool 1: Nasal Microbiome and “Scrubbing” Bacteria & Viruses; Nasal Breathing (00:30:33) Tools 2 & 3: (Not) Touching Your Eyes; Gut Microbiome & Fermented Foods (00:34:20) Some Interleukins Are Anti-Inflammatory (00:34:56) Sickness Behavior (00:39:08) Some People Seek Care When Sick, Others Want to be Alone (00:42:00) Sickness Behavior & Depression: Cytokines (00:43:40) Reduced Appetites When Sick: Protein, Iron, Libido (00:46:45) Vagus-Nerve Stimulation: Fever, Photophobia, Sleepiness (00:53:03) Humoral (Blood-Borne) Factors, & Choroid Change Your Brain State (00:55:04) Tools 4, 5: Reducing Sickness: Glymphatic Clearance, Pre-Sleep Serotonin, 5HTP (01:07:03) Tool 6: Hot Showers, Saunas, Baths & Cortisol, Heath-Cold Contrast (01:10:53) Feed a Fever & Starve a Cold (?), Adrenaline (01:12:36) Tool 7: Activating Your Immune System w/Cyclic-Hyperventilation, Alkalinity (01:29:10) Brain Chemicals & Cyclic-Hyperventilation; Catecholamines, Dopamine (01:32:10) Mindsets & Immune Function; Yes, You Can Worry Yourself Sick (01:37:00) Tool 8: Healthy Mindsets, Hope, Dopamine; Tool 9: Tyrosine; Tool 10: Cold Exposure (01:42:05) Once You’re Already Sick: Accelerating Recovery; Tool 11: Spirulina, Rhinitis (01:46:09) Histamines, Mast Cells (01:49:22) Tool 12: Acupuncture: Mechanism for How It Reduces Inflammation; Fascia, Rolfing (01:53:40) Mechanistic Science & Ancient Practices (01:58:00) Synthesis, Ways to Support Us (Zero-Cost), Sponsors, Supplements, Social Media Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac Disclaimer
Chapters
Research has shown that the nervous system can activate the immune system by liberating molecules that reduce inflammation and promote faster healing.
00:00 - 03:04 (03:04)
Summary
Research has shown that the nervous system can activate the immune system by liberating molecules that reduce inflammation and promote faster healing. Several peer-reviewed studies have explored the mind-body connection and the nervous system’s ability to control immune system activation.
EpisodeUsing Your Nervous System to Enhance Your Immune System
PodcastHuberman Lab
InsideTracker is a personalized nutrition platform that analyzes data from your blood and DNA to provide specific recommendations on lifestyle factors, nutrition, and supplementation to optimize your health.
03:04 - 08:08 (05:03)
Summary
InsideTracker is a personalized nutrition platform that analyzes data from your blood and DNA to provide specific recommendations on lifestyle factors, nutrition, and supplementation to optimize your health. They offer a scientific and systematic way to build a supplementation protocol that is optimized for cost and effectiveness.
EpisodeUsing Your Nervous System to Enhance Your Immune System
PodcastHuberman Lab
The foundation of mental and physical health lies in getting adequate sleep, eating nutritious food, and setting the rhythm of our circadian clock in a regular state.
08:08 - 17:16 (09:07)
Summary
The foundation of mental and physical health lies in getting adequate sleep, eating nutritious food, and setting the rhythm of our circadian clock in a regular state. To keep the immune system running optimally, it is essential to keep these three barriers healthy and functioning properly.
EpisodeUsing Your Nervous System to Enhance Your Immune System
PodcastHuberman Lab
The adaptive immune system produces antibodies that can recognize specific invaders such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, or physical intruders.
17:16 - 28:24 (11:08)
Summary
The adaptive immune system produces antibodies that can recognize specific invaders such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, or physical intruders. The hemopoietic stem cell can give rise to red blood cells and white blood cells that aid in fighting infections.
EpisodeUsing Your Nervous System to Enhance Your Immune System
PodcastHuberman Lab
This podcast discusses sickness behavior and how it helps to understand the function of the immune system while bridging the gap between the immune system and nervous system.
28:24 - 39:10 (10:45)
Summary
This podcast discusses sickness behavior and how it helps to understand the function of the immune system while bridging the gap between the immune system and nervous system. Along with advice for keeping your gut microbiome healthy, there are three ways to enhance the immune system and combat infections that are separate from the typical information you get about good sleep, nutrition, and social connection.
EpisodeUsing Your Nervous System to Enhance Your Immune System
PodcastHuberman Lab
Many people have a natural tendency to desire being taken care of when they become ill or emotionally vulnerable, which can activate a regressed state.
39:10 - 48:16 (09:06)
Summary
Many people have a natural tendency to desire being taken care of when they become ill or emotionally vulnerable, which can activate a regressed state. Both sick individuals and people with major depression show increased levels of interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha.
EpisodeUsing Your Nervous System to Enhance Your Immune System
PodcastHuberman Lab
Although it may be tempting to lower your body temperature during a fever, doing so can limit your body's ability to fight off an infection.
48:16 - 53:21 (05:05)
Summary
Although it may be tempting to lower your body temperature during a fever, doing so can limit your body's ability to fight off an infection. Fever is a functional and adaptive response that plays a role in killing off invaders, as it is the fast pathway by which an infection in the body signals the brain to respond accordingly.
EpisodeUsing Your Nervous System to Enhance Your Immune System
PodcastHuberman Lab
Sleep is closely tied to the immune system and can enhance immune function, especially during the early stages of infection.
53:21 - 1:00:14 (06:52)
Summary
Sleep is closely tied to the immune system and can enhance immune function, especially during the early stages of infection. Consuming tryptophan-rich foods such as white meat, turkey, and complex carbohydrates can lead to better sleep that allows for a more robust immune response.
EpisodeUsing Your Nervous System to Enhance Your Immune System
PodcastHuberman Lab
By increasing the activity of the glymphatic system through practices like sleeping with your feet elevated, we can potentially improve its effectiveness and reduce iron levels.
1:00:14 - 1:12:52 (12:38)
Summary
By increasing the activity of the glymphatic system through practices like sleeping with your feet elevated, we can potentially improve its effectiveness and reduce iron levels. Laboratory studies are exploring using serotonin supplementation to further enhance glymphatic circulation.
EpisodeUsing Your Nervous System to Enhance Your Immune System
PodcastHuberman Lab
The Wim Hof breathing technique employs a behavioral protocol that activates the sympathetic nervous system which in turn, enhances immune system function through the release of adrenaline and epinephrine in the brain and body.
1:12:52 - 1:23:01 (10:09)
Summary
The Wim Hof breathing technique employs a behavioral protocol that activates the sympathetic nervous system which in turn, enhances immune system function through the release of adrenaline and epinephrine in the brain and body. The technique involves cyclic hyperventilation with retaining breaths and is also referred to as Tummo breathing.
EpisodeUsing Your Nervous System to Enhance Your Immune System
PodcastHuberman Lab
Through breathing techniques, the nervous system can activate the immune system by releasing adrenaline, thus counterbalancing the effects of illness.
1:23:01 - 1:30:10 (07:08)
Summary
Through breathing techniques, the nervous system can activate the immune system by releasing adrenaline, thus counterbalancing the effects of illness. Hyperventilating and inducing hypoxia can increase epinephrine adrenaline levels, which in turn helps fight and combat infections.
EpisodeUsing Your Nervous System to Enhance Your Immune System
PodcastHuberman Lab
ISA Rolls' laboratory has shown that when the so-called dopamine system, and at several episodes I described, there are multiple dopamine systems, but the so-called mesolimbic reward pathway involving areas like the nucleus accumbens, et cetera, when the reward system that's associated with dopamine and norepinephrine is activated, you see incredible effects, including, for.
1:30:10 - 1:41:18 (11:07)
Summary
ISA Rolls' laboratory has shown that when the so-called dopamine system, and at several episodes I described, there are multiple dopamine systems, but the so-called mesolimbic reward pathway involving areas like the nucleus accumbens, et cetera, when the reward system that's associated with dopamine and norepinephrine is activated, you see incredible effects, including, for.
EpisodeUsing Your Nervous System to Enhance Your Immune System
PodcastHuberman Lab
Spirulina has been found to inhibit the formation and activity of mast cells, reduce inflammatory cytokines, and improve other symptoms associated with rhinitis, by delivering dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine, larger amounts of immune cells can be deployed.
1:41:18 - 1:53:50 (12:32)
Summary
Spirulina has been found to inhibit the formation and activity of mast cells, reduce inflammatory cytokines, and improve other symptoms associated with rhinitis, by delivering dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine, larger amounts of immune cells can be deployed.
EpisodeUsing Your Nervous System to Enhance Your Immune System
PodcastHuberman Lab
By understanding the mechanisms and pathways of practices such as acupuncture and respiration and their impact on the immune system, new and more effective protocols can be developed for better health.
1:53:50 - 1:59:44 (05:53)
Summary
By understanding the mechanisms and pathways of practices such as acupuncture and respiration and their impact on the immune system, new and more effective protocols can be developed for better health. These ancient practices are now converging with hardcore mechanistic science for a new and more exciting direction in health and medicine.