About this video

• Video Title: Food & Supplements for Brain Health & Cognitive Performance | Huberman Lab Essentials
• Channel: Andrew Huberman
• Speakers: Andrew Huberman
• Duration: 00:32:35

Overview

This video, part of the Huberman Lab Essentials series, revisits key scientific findings on how food and supplements impact brain health, cognitive performance, and food preferences. Andrew Huberman discusses essential nutrients for neuron structure and function, such as omega-3s, phosphatidylserine, choline, creatine, and anthocyanins. He also explores the complex interplay of taste, gut signals, and belief systems in shaping food choices, and how these can be consciously influenced to promote healthier eating habits.

Key takeaways

• Brain Structure and Function: Fats, particularly essential fatty acids like EPA and DHA, and phospholipids like phosphatidylserine, are crucial for the structural integrity of neurons.
• Cognitive Performance Boosters:
  • Choline: Supports acetylcholine production, vital for focus and concentration. Eggs are a primary source.
  • Creatine: Can serve as a fuel source for the brain and may enhance cognitive functions related to mood regulation and motivation. Supplementation of 5g/day is suggested.
  • Anthocyanins: Found in dark berries, these compounds have data supporting their enhancement of brain function, possibly through anti-inflammatory effects.
  • Glutamine: An amino acid found in protein-rich foods and some vegetables, which may help offset sugar cravings by signaling satiety to the brain.
• Food Preference Mechanisms: Food choices are driven by three main signals:
  1. Taste: Sensory input from the mouth, including the five basic tastes (sweet, bitter, umami, salty, sour), processed in the insular cortex.
  2. Gut Signals: Subconscious signals from neurons in the gut (neuropod cells) that sense nutrient content (amino acids, sugars, fatty acids) and trigger dopamine release, motivating further consumption.
  3. Beliefs: Perceptions and beliefs about a food's health benefits or caloric content significantly influence physiological responses like blood sugar and insulin levels.
• Rewiring Food Preferences: Learned associations between taste and metabolic effects can be modified. Consuming artificial sweeteners, especially when paired with high-glucose foods, can hijack the dopamine system. To adjust preferences, pair less palatable healthy foods with those that provide metabolic rewards, which can lead to increased enjoyment of healthier options within about 7-14 days.

Creatine

• Function: Can be used as a fuel source in the brain and may enhance the function of frontal cortical circuits involved in mood regulation and motivation.
• Sources: Derived from meat sources, can also be supplemented.
• Supplementation: Appears to be at least 5g per day for cognitive benefits. Creatine monohydrate is a common form.

EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid)

• Function: An omega-3 essential fatty acid crucial for supporting healthy brain function in the short and long term.
• Sources: Fish is the number one source. Also found in chia seeds, walnuts, and soybeans.
• Supplementation: Can be beneficial to reach levels above 1.5 grams and ideally up to two or three grams per day of EPA.