Alcohol kills brain cells / Absinthe & Hemingway’s Aunt Roberta / Neuro-Biology

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).

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.

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 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).

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.

* 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.

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?

  1. Identify a task or tasks that you need to complete.
  2. Set a timer for 25 minutes.
  3. Work on a task with no distractions.
  4. When the alarm sounds, take a 5-minute break.
  5. Repeat the process 3 more times.
  6. 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?

5 tips for Men to increase Testosterone / More Testosterone or more Estrogens are good for men ? / Neuro-Biology

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 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.

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.

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:

Tongkat Ali — https://amzn.to/3gAHQ9g

Fadogia Agrestis — https://amzn.to/3hU6ZvZ

Natural Ways to increase your testosterone ! / Hormones & Neuro-Biology

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.

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.

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.

00:00 Intro
00:28 Apnea
02:52 Mouth Breathing
04:35 Sleep and Testosterone
07:48 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.

00:24 – Benefits of Testosterone
03:03 – Sleep & Testosterone
04:08 – Light Exposure & Testosterone
05:14 – Weight Training & Testosterone
05:41 – Testosterone-Enhancing Supplements

Why do addictions happen? / Dopamine Ups & Downs, Cravings, Neurobiology & Neuroscience

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.

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 meth releases 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.

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.

1 Nov 2023

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.

*Seeking for more info & help? Visit https://www.uk-rehab.com/addiction/psychology/reward-system/

The case against Free Will … does Free will exist ? / Neuroscience

I prepared a summary just to give you some context and introduce you to this topic:

Free will, in philosophy and science, is the supposed power or capacity of humans to make decisions or perform actions independently of any prior event or state of the universe.

Philosophers have been debating fate vs. free will for centuries. Some believe that people’s lives and choices are predetermined, while others believe that humans are responsible for their own actions.

A person who is forced at gunpoint to do something, does so with considerably less free will than someone who does something voluntarily. Similarly, a person with a brain disorder that causes constant coughing lacks free will over their coughing, even though they likely retain free will in other ways.

Most of us are certain that we have free will, though what exactly this amounts to is much less certain. According to David Hume, the question of the nature of free will is “the most contentious question of metaphysics.” If this is correct, then figuring out what free will is will be no small task indeed.

There is a kind of free will that we don’t, and cannot have, which is called Absolute Free Will. This is the kind that allows us to do otherwise for any previous decision. This type of free will is required for Moral Responsibility because if someone could not have done otherwise then they are not morally responsible.

Stanford neurobiologist Robert Sapolsky believes humans have no free will. By studying baboons in Africa and human behaviour for decades, he’s concluded neurochemical influences determine human behaviour. The supposition should create a more just world, Sapolsky claims.

Here the paradox is that not only is the status of the concept a matter for debate, but the very existence of free will as a subject of research remains unclear.

Many philosophers and theologians have however, taken the general idea of free will as a legitimate defense and explanation for the problem of evil. The (religious) argument is made that God desires free creatures, free creatures are created, and therefore it is the free creatures that bring evil into the world.

Most psychologists use the concept of free will to express the idea that behaviour is not a passive reaction to forces but that individuals actively respond to internal and external forces.

14 Mar 2024

Is there a quantum reason we could have free will? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice explore the concept of free will and predetermination with neuroscientist, biologist, and author of Determined: The Science of Life Without Free Will, Robert Sapolsky.

A special thanks from our editors to Robert Sapolsky’s dog.

Could we put an end to the question of whether or not we have free will? Discover “The Hungry Judge Effect” and how little bits of biology affect our actions. We break down a physicist’s perspective of free will, The Big Bang, and chaos theory. Is it enough to just feel like we have free will? Why is it an issue to think you have free will if you don’t?

We discuss the difference between free will in big decisions versus everyday decisions. How do you turn out to be the type of person who chooses vanilla ice cream over strawberry? We explore how quantum physics and virtual particles factor into predetermination. Could quantum randomness change the actions of an atom? How can society best account for a lack of free will? Are people still responsible for their actions?

What would Chuck do if he could do anything he wanted? We also discuss the benefits of a society that acknowledges powers outside of our control and scientific advancements made. How is meritocracy impacted by free will? Plus, can you change if people believe in free will if they have no free will in believing so?

Thanks to our Patrons Pro Handyman, Brad K. Daniels, Starman, Stephen Somers, Nina Kane, Paul Applegate, and David Goldberg for supporting us this week.

A special thanks from our editors to Robert Sapolsky’s dog.

NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free.

31 Jan 2024

Does free will truly exist, or are we merely sophisticated meat machines running our biochemical programming with sentience as a byproduct? Stanford University neurologist Robert Sapolsky, having extensively studied the topic, asserts that not only is free will a myth but also that our insistence on its reality adversely affects the world we inhabit. In this episode, Adam speaks with Dr. Sapolsky about how choice is an illusion and the impact this has on our society, from workplace meritocracies to criminal justice reform. Find Dr. Sapolsky’s book, Determined: A Science of Life without Free Will, at factuallypod.com/books

AI detected fraud in medical research & publishing / AI Tech, Medicine & Truth

29 Mar 2024

New detection tools powered by AI have lifted the lid on what some are calling an epidemic of fraud in medical research and publishing. Last year, the number of papers retracted by research journals topped 10,000 for the first time.

One case involved the chief of a cancer surgery division at Columbia University’s medical centre. An investigation found that dozens of his cancer treatment studies contained dubious data and recycled images. Other scandals have hit Harvard on the East Coast and on the West Coast it is Stanford University. A scandal there resulted in the resignation of the president last year.

Chapters:
0:00 What we think we know about medical research
1:32 Arthur Caplan, NYU Langone Medical Center

The Neuro-biology of trans-sexuality / What is gender? / Neuroendocrinology, Social Movements, Discrimination & Assumptions

3 Oct 2021

This is a snippet from ‘Lecture 15: Human Sexual Behavior I’ of Stanford’s ‘Introduction to Behavioural Biology’ given by prof. Robert Sapolsky.

8 Jun 2023

What if gender wasn’t a predetermined reality, but a fluid construct formed by culture, history, and individual identity? This is a question that drives the work of Judith Butler, a gender theorist and distinguished professor at the University of California at Berkeley.

While acknowledging the biological realities of sex, Butler promotes the concept of gender as performative — something that is enacted and shaped through our actions and interactions. This view, although challenging to traditional perspectives, is instrumental in the discourse on queer, trans, and women’s rights. Butler encourages a shift in societal conversation to include diverse gender identities.

This transformation, they believe, allows us to work toward a society where equality, freedom, and justice are at the forefront, reinforcing the foundations of our democratic society.

0:00 What is gender theory?
1:34 Sex and gender: What’s the difference?
2:29 Learning from genocide
3:34 Queer theory in the 1970s & ’80s
4:56 Big ideas in gender theory’s evolution
7:06 Gender is “performative”: What that means
9:04 The resistance to trans rights
10:37 Countering the attack on gender

About Judith Butler:
Judith Butler is a post-structuralist philosopher and queer theorist. They are most famous for the notion of gender performativity, but their work ranges from literary theory, modern philosophical fiction, feminist and sexuality studies, to 19th- and 20th-century European literature and philosophy, Kafka and loss, mourning and war.

They have received countless awards for their teaching and scholarship, including a Guggenheim fellowship, a Rockefeller fellowship, Yale’s Brudner Prize, and an Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Distinguished Achievement Award.

Their books include “Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity,” “Bodies That Matter: On the Discursive Limits of Sex,” “Undoing Gender,” and “Frames of War: When Is Life Grievable?”

How stress impacts the human Body / Neuro-endocrinology

31 May 2017

How can humans be so compassionate and altruistic — and also so brutal and violent? To understand why we do what we do, neuroscientist Robert Sapolsky looks at extreme context, examining actions on timescales from seconds to millions of years before they occurred. In this fascinating talk, he shares his cutting edge research into the biology that drives our worst and best behaviours.

14 Oct 2023

Dr Robert Sapolsky is a Professor at Stanford University, a world-leading researcher, and an author. Stress is an inevitable part of human life. But what is stress actually doing to the human body when it happens for such a prolonged period of time? And what does science say are the best interventions to defeat it?

Expect to learn the crucial difference between short term and long term stress, how stress actually impacts the human system, the neurodevelopmental consequences of stress and poverty, how to detrain your dopamine sensitivity, what everyone doesn’t understand about how hormones work, whether believing in free will is a useful world view, why there is a relationship between belief in free will and obesity and much more…

00:00 What Robert Wished People Knew About Stress
06:00 Where is the Threshold of Short-Term Stress Becoming Long-Term?
12:29 How Brain Development is Influenced by Mother’s Socioeconomic Status
25:50 Does Your Stress Impact Your Descendants?
29:00 Finding Solutions to Manage Stress
35:52 How to Better Enjoy the Good Things in Life
42:50 Can You Actually Detox from Dopamine?
53:18 Why Robert Wanted to Study Our Lack of Free Will
1:01:46 How Having No Conscious Agency Impacts Justice
1:11:10 The Myth of the Self-Made Man
1:32:43 How to Acknowledge Your Lack of Agency & Not Feel Depressed
1:40:22 Where to Find Robert

Routines & Habits in a day at Stanford | Simple Present

Nov 15, 2018

The sophomore captain showcases a day in his life at Stanford, which features classes in visual frontiers and English, training, and time with teammates.

*English Language Learners Definition of sophomore : a student in the second year of high school or college uk / ˈsɒf.ə.mɔː r/ us / ˈsɑː.fə.mɔːr /

Mar 1, 2020

What’s up guys! In this video I go through my typical Wednesday as a STANFORD STUDENT ATHLETE.