Huberman Lab

In this Huberman Lab Essentials episode, I explain the biology, symptoms and types of bipolar disorder (sometimes called bipolar depression), a condition characterized by extreme, maladaptive shifts in energy, mood and perception. I describe the diagnostic criteria that distinguish bipolar I from bipolar II, including mania and hypomania and the different patterns of mood cycling. I discuss the remarkable history and discovery of lithium and how it works, in part by reducing inflammation, providing neuroprotection and supporting the interoceptive neural circuits affected in bipolar disorder. I also cover talk therapies, electroconvulsive therapy and nutraceuticals such as omega-3 fatty acids and inositol, and I explore the intriguing relationship between mood disorders and creativity. This episode should interest anyone who has or knows someone with bipolar disorder, as well as those interested in how the brain balances mood, energy and focus.

Read the show notes at hubermanlab.com.

Thank you to our sponsors

AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman

BetterHelp: https://betterhelp.com/huberman

Eight Sleep: https://eightsleep.com/huberman

Timestamps

(00:00:00) Bipolar Disorder

(00:01:09) Bipolar I; Manic Episode Symptoms

(00:05:00) Bipolar II, Hypomania; Depressive Episodes & Cycling

(00:09:00) Sponsor: BetterHelp

(00:10:09) Lithium Discovery, Dr. John Cade, Uric Acid

(00:12:14) Lithium Urate & Guinea Pigs, Control Experiments

(00:13:19) Lithium Salts Paper, Toxicity & Monitoring

(00:15:40) How Lithium Works: Inflammation & Neuroprotection

(00:16:50) Exteroception vs. Interoception, Neural Circuit Atrophy

(00:19:04) Sponsor: AG1

(00:20:29) Drug vs. Talk Therapies

(00:20:40) Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Interpersonal & Social Rhythm Therapy

(00:22:30) Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), Treatment-Resistant Depression

(00:24:07) Caution: Rely on Prescribed Treatment, Suicide Risk

(00:24:59) Tool: Lifestyle Support, Sleep, Exercise, Nutrition & Sunlight

(00:26:05) Tool: Inositol & Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Fish Oil Study

(00:29:53) Sponsor: Eight Sleep

(00:31:10) Creativity & Mood Disorders, Eminent Individuals Study

(00:34:00) Recap & Key Takeaways

Disclaimer & Disclosures
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Dr. Alan Castel, PhD, is a professor of psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and one of the world's foremost experts on human memory and cognitive aging. We discuss what science actually tells us about how to improve our learning ability and memory at any age. We also discuss how memory works, why all planning and imagination about the future is based on the past, false memories, and how to leverage curiosity, emotion, and self-testing retrieval practice to stamp in memories for the long term. We discuss what "superagers"—people who actually improve their cognitive capacity with age—do differently than everyone else. This episode is for anyone interested in the science of memory and tools to maintain and improve your memory across the lifespan.

Thank you to our sponsors

AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman

Wealthfront*: https://wealthfront.com/huberman

Helix Sleep: https://helixsleep.com/huberman

Function: https://functionhealth.com/huberman

Lingo: https://hellolingo.com/huberman

Timestamps

(00:00:00) Dr. Alan Castel

(00:02:41) What Is Memory?, Reconstruction & Metacognition

(00:04:49) Mnemonics, Remembering Names & Deeper Learning

(00:08:22) The Penny & Apple Logo, Noticing vs Seeing, Learning Through Mistakes

(00:10:43) Sponsors: Wealthfront & Helix

(00:14:05) Neuroplasticity, Frustration, Curiosity & Mindset

(00:17:42) Maintaining vs Learning New Things, Habits, Novelty & Emotional Memory

(00:24:28) "Mental Photographs," Photo-Taking & Imagining the Future

(00:29:28) Eyewitness Memory, the Ronald Cotton Case, Confidence vs Accuracy

(00:35:07) Medium-Term & Prospective Memory, Hotel Fire Exits

(00:40:28) Sponsor: AG1

(00:41:47) When Habits Turn Lethal, Aviation & Human Error

(00:49:01) Why Memory Changes With Age; Alzheimer's & the Nun Study

(00:52:34) Exercise & Hippocampal Volume, Falls & Balance

(00:57:14) SuperAgers & Athletes; Regret, Balance & Being Driven

(01:12:08) Sponsor: Function

(01:13:45) Age Stereotypes, Subjective Age & Positive Age Beliefs

(01:20:02) Goals & Plans, Scams; Anterior Midcingulate Cortex & SuperAgers

(01:26:23) Culture, Resilience, Blue Zones & COVID

(01:29:18) Adversity, the Positivity Effect & Intergenerational Learning

(01:36:31) Sponsor: Lingo

(01:38:00) Limitations & Purpose; Time, Family & Connection

(01:44:58) Deliberately Building Memories; the ABCs of Successful Aging

(01:51:02) Following Your Interests; Castel's Path & Older Adults

(01:57:16) Mental Simulations, Curiosity Studies & Selectivity

(02:01:19) Socioemotional Selectivity Theory; Steve Jobs & Lifespan

(02:07:10) The Secret to Successful Aging; State vs Trait Curiosity

(02:11:04) Scams & AI Voice Cloning

(02:14:31) John Wooden, Wisdom, Love & Balance

(02:17:41) Learning Through Mistakes; Does the Brain Get Better With Age?

(02:25:00) Conclusion, Better With Age

(02:26:00) Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow, Reviews & Feedback, Sponsors, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter

Disclaimer & Disclosures

*This experience may not be representative of other Wealthfront clients, and there is no guarantee of future performance or success. Experiences will vary. Andrew Huberman receives cash compensation from Wealthfront Brokerage for paid testimonials in his podcast, creating a conflict of interest. The Cash Account, which is not a deposit account, is offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. The base APY is 3.30% on cash deposits as of January 30, 2026, is representative, subject to change, and requires no minimum. If eligible for the overall boosted rate of 4.05% offered in connection with this promo, your boosted rate is also subject to change if the base rate decreases during the 3 month promo period. Additional terms and conditions apply, which can be found on Wealthfront.com/Huberman. Funds in the Cash Account are swept to program banks, where it earns the variable APY. Same-day withdrawal or instant payment transfers may be limited by destination institutions, daily transaction caps, and by participating entities such as Wells Fargo, the RTP® Network, and FedNow® Service. New Cash Account deposits are subject to a 2-4 day holding period before becoming available for transfer. Investment advisory services are provided by Wealthfront Advisers LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. Securities investments: not bank deposits, bank-guaranteed or FDIC-insured, and may lose value.
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In this Huberman Lab Essentials episode, I explain the biology and psychology of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and describe the neural circuitry behind repetitive "thought-action loops," including why compulsive actions actually strengthen the underlying obsessions rather than relieve them. I discuss the most effective treatments for OCD, including exposure-based cognitive behavioral therapy and SSRIs, and explain what the research shows about how these compare when used alone versus together. Finally, I describe a specific clinical protocol in which patients are guided into states of anxiety while learning to suppress compulsive responses, retraining the brain to break the OCD cycle.

Read the episode show notes at hubermanlab.com.

Thank you to our sponsors

AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman

Eight Sleep: https://eightsleep.com/huberman

Rorra: https://rorra.com/huberman

Timestamps

(00:00:00) Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

(00:00:11) OCD Prevalence & Impact, Obsessions & Compulsions

(00:01:54) Categories: Checking, Repetition & Order; Contamination & Disgust

(00:04:30) Anxiety, Fear

(00:05:20) Sponsor: AG1

(00:06:40) Genetic Component of OCD

(00:08:45) Neural Circuitry, Cortex, Striatum, Thalamus

(00:10:16) Cortico-Striatal-Thalamic Loop; Imaging Studies, SSRIs

(00:14:30) Sponsor: Eight Sleep

(00:16:00) Diagnosis, Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS)

(00:18:00) Y-BOCS Categories, Identifying the Core Fear

(00:19:30) Tool: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) & Exposure Therapy

(00:21:39) Anxiety Tolerance, Interrupting the Compulsion

(00:23:23) Dr. Helen Blair Simpson, Ritual Prevention, Exposure Sessions

(00:25:18) CBT vs Placebo vs SSRIs

(00:26:30) Sponsor: Rorra

(00:28:07) SSRIs & Serotonin System; Psychiatry & Causality

(00:29:13) Cannabis, CBD & OCD; Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

(00:31:48) Mindfulness Meditation, Holistic Treatments, NIH

(00:33:40) Nutraceuticals, Inositol; Recap & Conclusion

Disclaimer & Disclosures
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Cesar Millan is a world-renowned dog behavior expert. We discuss how to adjust your energy and behavior to ensure your dog is calm and happy and always follows your lead. Cesar shares specific tools for: returning home to your dog each day, structuring their walks, and eliminating aggressive behaviors and anxiety. We discuss how to determine if your dog is front, middle, or back of the pack order—a hardwired feature that determines much of their needs and personality. And we explore how human-human interactions are based on balances in energy, too. Both dog owners and non-owners will gain extremely valuable insights and tools from this episode.

Read the episode show notes at hubermanlab.com.

Pre-order Protocols: https://protocolsbook.com

Thank you to our sponsors

AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman

Joovv: https://joovv.com/huberman

Eight Sleep: https://eightsleep.com/huberman

Function: https://functionhealth.com/huberman

Timestamps

(00:00:00) Cesar Millan

(00:03:54) Animal Instincts & Human Energy

(00:06:31) Spirit, Sending Energy, Tool: Silence, Calm & Confident

(00:16:48) Sponsors: LMNT & Joovv

(00:19:30) Walking Dog; Pack Order, Tool: Picking a Puppy

(00:26:44) Human & Dog Hierarchy; Greeting Dog, Tool: No Look, No Touch, No Speak

(00:35:11) Calm Dog, Structured Walk, Tool: Weighted Backpack

(00:44:17) Sponsor: AG1 & Eight Sleep

(00:46:57) Exercise, Discipline & Affection

(00:50:23) Relationship to Death, Spirituality

(00:55:30) Human Energy, Rescue Dogs; Sensing Stress

(01:01:36) Animal Intelligence, Cats; Being a Pack Leader

(01:07:27) Calm Greeting, Humanizing Animals, Safety & Security, Anxious Dogs

(01:12:41) Safety & Horses, Respecting Dogs; Human Selfishness, Pack Leader

(01:21:31) Sponsor: Function

(01:23:15) Human Leaders; Pack Order, Prioritizing Affection

(01:32:17) Picking Human Partners, Good Pack Leaders

(01:44:40) Dog & Testing Boundaries, Tool: Calm & Confidence

(01:52:34) Cultivating Self-Awareness & Self-Discipline, Life Values

(01:58:02) Clearing Mind, Tool: Cold Plunge

(02:02:22) Honoring Pet Death, Celebration, Expressing Sadness

(02:12:13) Understanding Energy, Dog Training & Hard Work

(02:17:25) Dog Breeds & Exercise, Fostering Dogs; Spay & Neuter, Humping

(02:23:50) Petting Dogs; Barking & Destructive Behaviors, Tools: Early Walks, Challenges

(02:31:31) Spirit & Instincts, Training Humans; Acknowledgements

(02:35:50) Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow, Reviews & Feedback, Protocols Book, Sponsors, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter

Disclaimer & Disclosures
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In this Huberman Lab Essentials episode, my guest is Kyle Gillett, MD, a dual board-certified physician in family medicine and obesity medicine, and an expert in hormone optimization. We discuss science-based tools for optimizing male hormones across the lifespan, including the role of bloodwork, nutrition, and exercise in supporting healthy hormone levels. We also discuss testosterone therapy, hair loss, prostate health, and supplements such as creatine, L-carnitine, Tongkat Ali, and Fadogia agrestis.

Read the show notes at hubermanlab.com.

Thank you to our sponsors

AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman

David: https://davidprotein.com/huberman

Timestamps

(00:00:00) Kyle Gillett

(00:00:20) Male Hormone Optimization, Testosterone, Tool: Blood Tests

(00:02:17) Diet & Hormone Health, Diary, Vitamin D, Fiber

(00:05:36) Caloric Restriction & Testosterone

(00:06:44) Lifestyle Pillars: Stress, Life Purpose

(00:07:56) Sponsor: LMNT

(00:09:28) Exercise & Hormone Health

(00:10:32) Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) & Young Adults

(00:12:05) Supplements for Testosterone, Creatine & Hair Loss; Betaine, Doses

(00:15:50) L-Carnitine, Forms, Dose, TMAO, Garlic & Berberine

(00:19:02) Vitamin D, Boron

(00:20:43) Tongkat Ali (Longjack)

(00:23:34) Sponsor: AG1

(00:24:53) Fadogia Agrestis

(00:26:49) Testosterone Therapy, Dose; Side Effects

(00:31:24) Clomiphene, SERM & Testosterone

(00:33:58) Sponsor: David

(00:35:16) Alcohol, Aromatase & Testosterone

(00:36:09) Prostate Health & Tadalafil, Nighttime Urination

(00:38:10) Hair Loss, Caffeine, Finasteride, Dutasteride

(00:40:13) Acknowledgements

Disclaimer & Disclosures
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