AMA #3: Adaptogens, Fasting & Fertility, Bluetooth/EMF Risks, Cognitive Load Limits & More

In this premium AMA episode, Andrew Huberman tackles the question of adaptogens, compounds or behaviors that help the body buffer stress. He breaks them into three categories: nutritional (dark leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables), supplement-based (ashwagandha, lion's mane, and chaga), and behavioral (meditation, breath work, NSDR, cold exposure). He details dosing protocols for ashwagandha and emphasizes keeping cortisol high early in the day and buffering it in the afternoon and evening. He repeatedly stresses that the goal is to modulate cortisol, not zero it out, since cortisol serves vital functions. The free preview covers only the adaptogens question before transitioning to premium subscription information.

• Huberman says even people doing everything right (sunlight, exercise, sleep) may still benefit from a supplement-based adaptogen during stressful periods.
  00:11:31
• Cites a 2012 double-blind placebo-controlled study showing 300mg of ashwagandha twice daily dramatically buffered serum cortisol.
  00:12:32
• Advises NOT taking ashwagandha before exercise because cortisol increases during exercise drive beneficial adaptations.
  00:14:35
• Recommends taking ashwagandha for no longer than a month-and-a-half, then taking two to four weeks off to avoid chronically buffering cortisol.
  00:15:35
• Notes prescription drugs exist that can zero out cortisol, but most doctors are reluctant to prescribe them because cortisol is functionally important.
  00:25:01
• Reveals ashwagandha's cortisol-reducing effect is potent enough to take place on day one, while anxiety-buffering effects are more cumulative.
  00:13:33

• Reactive oxygen species harm cells by hindering mitochondrial function, which is why antioxidants were long promoted as beneficial.
  00:02:37
• Over the last decade the health focus has shifted from antioxidants toward inflammatory responses and cytokines like interleukin 6.
  00:03:41
• Overheating leafy greens or cruciferous vegetables can destroy the very adaptogenic nutrients you want; ingest the colored leaching fluid too.
  00:05:49
• Cortisol should peak early in the day for anti-inflammatory, focus, and mood benefits, then taper toward evening.
  00:09:58
• Morning sunlight in the eyes for five to thirty minutes is one of the best ways to restrict the cortisol peak to early day.
  00:10:29
• Lion's mane at 1,000mg/day and chaga at 500 to 1,500mg/day can act as adaptogens and reduce inflammatory cytokines.
  00:17:08
• Deliberate cold water exposure early in the day boosts adrenaline, norepinephrine, and dopamine.
  00:23:27
• The physiological sigh (double inhale through the nose, long exhale) is the fastest way to reduce stress in real time.
  00:27:07

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