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Robert Sapolsky is a neuroendocrinology researcher and author. He is a professor of biology, neurology, neurological sciences, and neurosurgery at Stanford University.
Sapolsky has received numerous honours and awards for his work, including a MacArthur Fellowship in 1987, an Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship, and the Klingenstein Fellowship in Neuroscience. He was also awarded the National Science Foundation Presidential Young Investigator Award, the Young Investigator of the Year Awards from the Society for Neuroscience, the International Society for Psychoneuroendocrinology, and the Biological Psychiatry Society.
In this conversation, he will share scientific research related to the neurobiology of transgender people with the goal protecting the rights of transgender people via the creation of informed policies.
I prepared this summary for facilitating your understanding of this topic 🙂
Ethanol is present in alcoholic beverages as a consequence of the fermentation of carbohydrates with yeast. Alcohols are organic molecules assembled from carbon (C), oxygen (O), and hydrogen (H) atoms. When 2 carbons are present, the alcohol is called ethanol (also known as ethyl alcohol).
The alcohol in drinks is called ethanol (ethyl alcohol). It is made when yeast ferments the sugars in grains, fruits and vegetables. For example, wine is made from the sugar in grapes and vodka is made from the sugar in potatoes.
So, when we drink alcohol most of the ethanol we incorporate in our body is broken down in the liver by an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), which transforms ethanol into a toxic compound called acetaldehyde (CH3CHO), a known carcinogen.
Ethanol can lead to malnutrition, and can exert a direct toxicological effect due to its interference with hepatic metabolism and immunological functions. A causal effect has been observed between alcohol and various cancers.
In addition to the toxicity of ethanol, the main psychoactive component of alcoholic beverages, other physiological symptoms may arise from the activity of acetaldehyde, a metabolite of alcohol.
Acetaldehyde is a much more potent toxin than ethanol, and at least a part of ethanol toxicity is due to ethanol’s first metabolite acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde is toxic and can lead to irreversible DNA damage, which can lead to cancer. The liver converts most of the ethanol in alcoholic beverages we consume into acetaldehyde. Small amounts of ethanol are also broken down in the mouth and stomach.
Acetaldehyde is the first product generated during the metabolism of alcohol (chemically known as ethanol). It is generated primarily in the liver by the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH). The acetaldehyde then is converted rapidly to acetate by the enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH).
Some of the acetaldehyde enters your blood, damaging your membranes and possibly causing scar tissue. It also leads to a hangover, and can result in a faster heartbeat, a headache or an upset stomach. The brain is most affected by acetaldehyde poisoning. It causes problems with brain activity and can impair memory.
If too much alcohol is consumed the body cannot process the acetaldehyde fast enough. Acetaldehyde then builds up in the body.
Spirits have the highest concentration of alcohol and most contain around 40% ABV. Strength can vary considerably, however. Some vodkas contain 30% ethanol, while some bourbons may be around 60% ABV and certain ‘high proof’ spirits can have up to 95% alcohol content.
*TIP: Whiskey contains more alcohol than vodka which has an average alcohol content of about 35% (vodka has 37-40% of alcohol). Whiskey (40-60% of alcohol) is made of grains (barley, rye, and corn). Whereas vodka is made by potatoes or grains. Whiskey contains more sugar before it ferments.
*TIP: Black tea stimulates the enzyme that breaks down acetaldehyde, while green tea promotes the breakdown of alcohol. Drink water. Drinking water may reduce the rate or how much alcohol is ingested, while carbonated water may encourage the breakdown of acetaldehyde.
*TIP: STOP your DRINKING, if you can’t, make it the most conscious you are able to and reduce your drinking as much as possible ! If you can’t, ask for help !
*TIP: If you think you are a social drinker…well, that thing does NOT exist!
*TIP: If you have not started drinking alcohol yet… never start !
* Spirits
Spirits are distilled alcoholic beverages. Some of the more popular examples of spirits include tequila, rum, gin, vodka, whiskey, and bourbon. It’s hard to pinpoint the exact origin of distilled liquors, but scholars’ best guess puts the first distillation around the thirteenth century. In most cases, spirits are liquor and liquors are alcohol. Wine, beer, and cider are all examples of alcohol, but they are not spirits.
While Hemingway suggests drinking “three to five of these slowly”, we would definitely have to disagree. And last on our list, but certainly not the least (amount of alcohol, that is), we have the Aunt Roberta. This cocktail contains 100% liquor and is widely regarded as THE strongest cocktail in the world.
How do you make an Aunt Roberta cocktail?
1 part of Blackberry liquor, 2 parts of Absinthe, 1.5 parts of Gin, 3 parts of Vodka, and 1 part of Brandy are fused and shaken in a cocktail shaker, filled with ice. The mixture is strained and poured into a glass for a smooth consistency. Voila!
What is absinthe in the Bible?
Absinthe’s popularity grew steadily through the 1840s, when it was given to French troops as a malaria preventive, and the troops brought home their taste for it. Absinthe became so popular in bars, bistros, cafés, and cabarets by the 1860s that the hour of 5 pm was called l’heure verte (“the green hour”).
In the New Testament: Apsinthos is believed to refer to a plant of the genus Artemisia, used metaphorically to mean something with a bitter taste. The English rendering “wormwood” refers to the dark green oil produced by the plant, which was used to kill intestinal worms.
It is spirit with a high alcohol content traditionally produced from wormwood, anise, and other herbs such as fennel. These herbs give absinthe its hallmark green colour. Wormwood contains thujone, which has been identified as the agent rumoured to cause hallucinations and convulsions when consumed in high doses.
NOTE: Beer and wine are NOT safer than spirits. Alcohol is alcohol, toxic and bad for you, regardless of the type.
24 Aug 2022
Dr. Andrew Huberman discusses the impact of alcohol on the brain.
Dr. Andrew Huberman is a tenured professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford University School of Medicine and host of the Huberman Lab Podcast.
What is The Pomodoro Technique?
Identify a task or tasks that you need to complete.
Set a timer for 25 minutes.
Work on a task with no distractions.
When the alarm sounds, take a 5-minute break.
Repeat the process 3 more times.
Take a longer 30-minute break and start again.
Get 5 Free Travel Packs, Free Liquid Vitamin D and more from AG1 at https://drinkag1.com/wisdom (discount automatically applied)
Chris and Andrew Huberman discuss how bad alcohol really is for you. Just how bad is alcohol for your health according to Andrew Huberman?
What does Andrew Huberman prefer to consume rather than drink alcohol? What are the long-term effects of drinking alcohol according to Andrew Huberman?
All males are born females … and die as females… with more estrogens winning over testosterone!
While men and women both create Testosterone and Estrogen, the quantity varies. Testosterone in women is typically between 1/10th and 1/20th of the amount in men. Similarly, men produce a small fraction of the Estrogen women produce, with an average of around 10–40 pg/ml of Estradiol.
Estrogen is one of two sex hormones commonly associated with people assigned female at birth (AFAB), including cisgender women, transgender men and nonbinary people with vaginas. Along with progesterone, estrogen plays a key role in your reproductive health.
Testosterone is an androgen, which is a “male” sex hormone that plays a role in reproduction, growth, and maintenance of a healthy body. In men, testosterone is mainly produced in the testes.
Testosterone levels fall as men age, the decline is steady at about 1% a year from around the age of 30. Such hormone drops are known to dampen male moods. Cisgender men don’t have menstrual periods, but testosterone levels vary from day to day, which may cause some mental and physical effects. Like women, men experience hormonal shifts and changes. Every day, a man’s testosterone levels rise in the morning and fall in the evening which means can actually experience symptoms that can mess with them too. In fact, there is even a male version of PMS called IMS (or, Irritable Man Syndrome).
Testosterone levels affect the skin much like estrogen. The higher your testosterone, the firmer and tighter your skin appears. In men, low testosterone (low-T) is associated with wrinkles, muscle loss and thinning hair.
Your TRT doctor may suggest increased injection frequency to mitigate the conversion of testosterone into estradiol or the use of an aromatase inhibitor. The use of an aromatase inhibitor should be considered when there is a clinical need – i.e. your estradiol levels are high and you have the symptoms of high estrogen.
Aromatase inhibitors decrease the levels of estradiol, which counteract the estradiol’s negative feedback mechanism at the pituitary gland level and consequently increase the levels of gonadotrophins, LH, and FSH, and result in a rise in serum testosterone.
Circulating testosterone activates the androgen receptor (AR) and is also converted into estrogen in the brain via aromatase. This conversion is the primary source of estrogen to the male brain. It is unclear whether testosterone and estrogen signaling interact to masculinize neural circuits.
All humans begin life in the womb as females. If no Y chromosome is present in the foetus, then the embryo will continue to develop as and be born as a female. Specifically, in male fetuses, testosterone from the fetal testis is converted to estradiol in neural tissue of the POA which results in development of the SDN. Furthermore, the production of estradiol increases the expression and activity of the neural aromatase.
During early development the gonads of the fetus remain undifferentiated; that is, all fetal genitalia are the same and are phenotypically female. After approximately 6 to 7 weeks of gestation, however, the expression of a gene on the Y chromosome induces changes that result in the development of the testes.
27 Dec 2022
Derek from More Plates More Dates breaks down how to increase your testosterone naturally. What does More Plates More Dates say are the most important tactics for testosterone boosting? How does sleep, diet and supplementation impact testosterone for men?
6 Jul 2022
Dr Andrew Huberman gives his thoughts on Derek from More Plates More Dates. Does Andrew Huberman think that Derek is a good addition to the world of information about health and fitness? Does Huberman Lab agree with Derek’s position on hormones?
@hubermanlab 1 year ago Thank you for hosting me Chris. I misspoke on Nolvadex— it’s not an aromatase inhibitor; apologies. Other aromatase inhibitors were described correctly.
22 Nov 2022
Be sure to check with your doctor before using the following medicines:
I prepared a summary to give you context and introduce you to this topic : )
Mouth breathing is often just a habit that was developed at an early age, a pattern that was unconsciously ingrained. Due to respiratory neuroplasticity we now know that we can retrain our breathing patterns, meaning any poor functioning of the respiratory system can be reversed through consistent effort.
Breathing through your mouth can actually be the cause of your cold or sickness. When we breathe through our mouths, the air that we breathe tends to be dry and cold air. This air can irritate our airways, making them more susceptible to infection. This could be why you wake up with a mild sore throat in the morning.
You may notice mouth breathers usually have a recessed or weak chin and little to no jawline. This is because the mouth gapes open all the time, which alters facial and jaw development as a child grows.
Nose breathing is more beneficial than mouth breathing. Breathing through your nose can help filter out dust and allergens, boost your oxygen uptake, and humidify the air you breathe in. Mouth breathing, on the other hand, can dry out your mouth.
Nose Breathing is sometimes called the art of breath control. Alternate-nostril breathing is one type of pranayama or breathing practice, also known as nadi shodhana. Alternate-nostril breathing doesn’t just belong to yoga, though.
Nasal breathing (as opposed to mouth breathing) increases circulating blood oxygen and (a reduced offload of) carbon dioxide levels, slows the breathing rate and improves overall lung volumes. Contrary to popular belief, carbon dioxide is not just a waste gas because it performs a number of essential functions in the body. In other words, it is a more effective breathing which makes you a better sleeper reducing the levels of apnea. When sleep apnea is reduced or eliminated during sleep, significant increases in testosterone can be observed.
The chronic shortness of breath and low oxygen levels characteristic of COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) usually contribute to fatigue, a resistance to exercise, and deterioration of muscle tissue. Increased fatigue, loss of lean muscle mass, and an early onset of frailty are common symptoms of low testosterone.
High testosterone during development is linked to facial features such as a chiselled jaw, broad face, narrow eyes and rugged cheekbones. But normal adult testosterone levels are not required for normal erections to occur and that when this threshold of testosterone is reached, additional amounts do not further increase the frequency, amplitude, or rigidity of erections. Contrary to common belief, it’s not the amount of testosterone or DHT that causes baldness; it’s the sensitivity of your hair follicles. That sensitivity is determined by genetics. The AR gene makes the receptor on hair follicles that interact with testosterone and DHT.
Men’s testosterone levels are highest in the morning, after they’ve spent the night recharging, meaning that they’re at their horniest in the morning but also at their best in terms of stamina. In consequence, morning erections are a great measure of testosterone health. Men who do not wake up with a morning erection are probably suffering from Low T, and TRT for ED may help. Interestingly, morning erections are usually the first positive report we get from our patients after starting TRT for erectile dysfunction.
Zinc deficiency reduces testosterone levels and zinc supplementation improves testosterone levels. Some studies have shown that magnesium supplementation can increase testosterone levels in men. It is recommended that men have at least 400–420 mg per day of magnesium, which can come from food or a combination of food and supplements. Having too much or too little can be dangerous for your health. To provide a large amount of omega-3s in the body will benefit men on increasing testosterone levels in the body.
During a documented experiment, the men who received ashwagandha showed a greater increase in testosterone levels. Their testosterone levels increased by 96.2 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL). Comparatively, the men in the placebo group experienced an increase of 18.0 ng/dL.
*TIP: apnea is a condition in which your breathing stops and restarts many times while you sleep. This can prevent your body from getting enough oxygen.
*TIP: Include foods rich in the natural testosterone boosters: zinc (oysters, beef, oats), magnesium (nuts, seeds, spinach, beans), and vitamin D (fatty fish, fortified milk).
*TIP: Although you might have heard that using tape to block mouth breathing can help your nose-breathing at many social media platforms, this is NOT true nor beneficial. Mouth taping not only doesn’t help you to breathe through your nose, it’s also highly dangerous. It can cause obstructed breathing and create other more serious sleep disorders like obstructive sleep apnea and sleep disruption.
1 Mar 2024
In this video, Andrew Huberman discusses the fastest natural way to increase testosterone levels and improve overall health — nasal breathing.
Andrew D. Huberman is an American neuroscientist and tenured associate professor in the department of neurobiology and psychiatry and behavioural sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine.
23 Oct 2023
Delve into the science behind naturally boosting testosterone levels. If you’re looking to optimize your hormonal balance and overall health, this is a must-watch!
Andrew D. Huberman is an American neuroscientist and tenured associate professor in the department of neurobiology and psychiatry and behavioural sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine.
I prepared a summary to introduce you to this topic:
The crucial brain reward neurotransmitter activated by addictive drugs is dopamine, specifically in the “second-stage” ventral tegmental area to nucleus accumbens link in the brain’s reward circuitry. This has been learned over many decades of research, and is based upon many congruent findings.
When we crave something, it signals our brain’s demand for a substance or action linked to pleasure or alleviation of discomfort. This demand triggers the release of neurotransmitters like dopamine, which stimulates the brain’s reward pathways, creating a compelling urge for the craved item or activity.
Animal studies have shown that when cortisol is released with chronic stress, changes in the brain’s response can lead to lower dopamine levels and increased cravings. Stress has also been associated with increased levels of the hormone ghrelin, again causing stronger cravings.
Today, Crystal methreleases more dopamine in the brain compared to any other drug. Dopamine is a brain neurotransmitter that serves a number of functions, including the feeling of pleasure. When crystal meth leads to a powerful surge of dopamine in the brain, people feel motivated to seek it out again and again.
Additionally, the intensified dopamine response in the brain that mood-altering drugs produce does not naturally stop once the behaviour is initiated or completed (as is the case with natural reward behaviours such as eating or having sex); as a result, cravings for the rewards associated with the drug continue to occur.
Dopamine affects movement, emotion, learning, reward, and executive functions.High levels may result in impulsiveness and aggression, while low levels may lead to tiredness and a lack of motivation.
High dopamine symptoms include anxiety, excessive energy, insomnia, and hallucinations. Low dopamine levels are associated with brain fog, mood swings, and muscle spasms.
When we constantly overstimulate ourselves with things like excessive screen time, gaming, and unhealthy eating, it can lead to issues like addiction and poor mental health. During a dopamine detox, you have to avoid activities like social media, gaming, junk food, and even work.
Engage in Natural Dopamine-Boosting Activities: Physical exercise, meditation, exposure to sunlight, engaging in hobbies, and listening to music can naturally increase dopamine levels. These activities not only help in elevating mood but also in reducing cravings.
Dr. Andrew Huberman discusses the science of addiction, focusing on the role of dopamine to understand why quick rewards make addiction so hard to combat. Dr. Andrew Huberman is a tenured professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford University School of Medicine and host of the Huberman Lab podcast.
2 Nov 2023
Dr. Andrew Huberman discusses the dopamine-driven cycle of craving and motivation.
For a long time, mankind was getting smarter and smarter. In fact, our progress seemed unstoppable. Intelligence research actually confirmed this. But a few years ago, IQ scores stagnated. What could be the reason for this?
In 1984, the political scientist James Flynn, who lives in New Zealand, discovered that the intelligence values measured in numerous countries had been rising continuously since the beginning of the 20th century. This became known as “the Flynn effect”. The increase was attributed to things like better nutrition and medical care. But above all, it was the result of broader access to education.
Shortly after the turn of the millennium, however, Norwegian statisticians discovered that the Flynn effect was no longer working. On the contrary, some countries have even recorded slightly declining IQ scores since then. To this day, researchers are still puzzling over the question: Why are we getting dumber?
Many neurobiologists and psychologists suspect that digitization and changes in the media landscape could have a negative impact on IQ scores. Increased screen time and constant accessibility via smartphones have been proven to reduce our ability to concentrate. Our brains are simply overtaxed. And external biological factors could also have an impact on intelligence, such as the exponential increase in fossil fuel production and the everyday use of plastic.
Shortly after the turn of the millennium, however, Norwegian statisticians discovered that the Flynn effect was no longer working. On the contrary, some countries have even recorded slightly declining IQ scores since then. To this day, researchers are still puzzling over the question: Why are we getting dumber?
Many neurobiologists and psychologists suspect that digitization and changes in the media landscape could have a negative impact on IQ scores. Increased screen time and constant accessibility via smartphones have been proven to reduce our ability to concentrate. Our brains are simply overtaxed. And external biological factors could also have an impact on intelligence, such as the exponential increase in fossil fuel production and the everyday use of plastic.
Andrew Huberman is a neuroscientist at Stanford University who runs the Huberman Lab, which studies how the brain functions, how it changes through experiences, and how to repair the brain after injury or disease. In his career, Andrew has made many important contributions to the fields of brain development, brain plasticity, and neural regeneration, and repair.
He’s received numerous awards and recognitions for his research and publications, including the McKnight Foundation Neuroscience Scholar Award, the Biomedical Scholar Award from the Pew Charitable Trusts, and the Cogan Award for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.
In addition to being a tenured professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford University, Dr. Andrew is a brilliant neuroscientist and teacher — he excellently explains complicated concepts in a way that everyday people can understand them and use neuroscience to improve their lives!
Andrew’s goal is to understand how the brain allows us to sense, evaluate, and respond to the world around us. He’s actively working on methods to re-wire and repair eye-to-brain connections for people who suffer from blinding diseases, as well as investigating emotions and how they drive human behavior.
Dr. Andrew is clearly an expert on how the human brain works — I can’t wait for him to share his wisdom with you today!
Our knowledge of the brain is evolving at a breath taking pace, and Dr. Lara Boyd is positioned at the cutting edge of these discoveries. In 2006, she was recruited by the University of British Columbia to become the Canada Research Chair in Neurobiology and Motor Learning. Since that time she has established the Brain Behaviour Lab, recruited and trained over 40 graduate students, published more than 80 papers and been awarded over $5 million in funding.
Dr. Boyd’s efforts are leading to the development of novel, and more effective, therapeutics for individuals with brain damage, but they are also shedding light on broader applications. By learning new concepts, taking advantage of opportunities, and participating in new activities, you are physically changing who you are, and opening up a world of endless possibility.
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