How to experiment with nootropics

Mood, motivation, and emotional resilience are not personality traits. They are biological systems. In this episode, you’ll get the 12 greatest mood boosters on Earth, not as a clickbait supplement list, but as the real biological levers that control dopamine sensitivity, hormones, neuroplasticity, and energy production.

Watch this episode on YouTube for the full video experience: 

https://www.youtube.com/@DaveAspreyBPR 

Host Dave Asprey sits down in Dubai with friend of the show, Lucas Aoun, founder of Ergogenic Health and INB4, for a deep, experience driven conversation on dopamine, mood, and performance. Lucas is Australia’s leading biohacker, now based in Dubai, with a background in exercise science, naturopathy, and pharmacology. He is globally recognized for his work in dopamine regulation, testosterone optimization, and neurohormonal performance, and for rigorously testing protocols before recommending them.  

Together, Dave and Lucas explore how dopamine receptor upregulation changes motivation, mood, and resilience more effectively than stimulants alone. They break down compounds and systems discussed in the episode including solbutiamine, lithium orotate, sarcosine, inositol, uridine, testosterone, growth hormone, ketamine pathways, thyroid optimization, liver health, sleep quality, and desire regulation. The conversation also examines GLP-1 drugs, why they can blunt motivation, and how to think more strategically about long term mood and energy. 

This episode connects neuroscience, functional medicine, hormone biology, nootropics, and advanced biohacking ethics into a single framework for improving how you feel and function every day. Dave and Lucas also explain why experimentation requires guardrails, how to avoid tolerance and emotional flattening, and why upgrading baseline biology beats chasing quick fixes. 

You’ll Learn: 

• Why dopamine sensitivity matters more than dopamine levels 

• How mood, motivation, and desire are regulated biologically 

• Which compounds and systems came up as major mood levers 

• How testosterone and growth hormone influence emotional resilience 

• Why some longevity drugs may reduce motivation and drive 

• How sleep depth and mitochondrial function affect mood 

• The role of neuroplasticity in emotional regulation 

• Why strategic testing beats random supplementation 

• How to improve mood without addiction or burnout 

• Where to start if you want sustainable energy and motivation 

Dave Asprey is a four time New York Times bestselling author, founder of Bulletproof Coffee, and the father of biohacking. With over 1,000 interviews and 1 million monthly listeners, The Human Upgrade is the top podcast for people who want to take control of their biology, extend their longevity, and optimize every system in the body and mind. Each episode features cutting edge insights in health, performance, neuroscience, supplements, nutrition, hacking, emotional intelligence, and conscious living. 

Thank you to our sponsors! 

-LYMA | Go to https://lyma.sjv.io/gOQ545 and use code DAVE10 for 10% off the LYMA Laser. 

-Vibrant Blue Oils | Grab a full-size bottle for over 50% off at https://vibrantblueoils.com/dave. 

-AirDoctor | Go to https://airdoctorpro.com/daveasprey and save up to $300 on Air Purifiers 

Dave Asprey is a four-time New York Times bestselling author, founder of Bulletproof Coffee, and the father of biohacking. With over 1,000 interviews and 1 million monthly listeners, The Human Upgrade brings you the knowledge to take control of your biology, extend your longevity, and optimize every system in your body and mind. Each episode delivers cutting-edge insights in health, performance, neuroscience, supplements, nutrition, biohacking, emotional intelligence, and conscious living. 

New episodes are released every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday (BONUS). Dave asks the questions no one else will and gives you real tools to become stronger, smarter, and more resilient. 

Keywords: dopamine sensitivity, dopamine receptors, mood boosters, motivation biology, dopamine supplements, natural mood boosters, biohacking dopamine, emotional resilience, anhedonia dopamine, focus and motivation, testosterone mood, growth hormone mood, ketamine alternatives, neuroplasticity mood, sleep and mood regulation, mitochondrial energy mood, GLP-1 dopamine effects, desire regulation, hormone optimization mood, dave asprey dopamine, lucas aoun biohacking, smarter not harder mood 

Resources:   

• Lucas's YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/c/boostyourbiology/ 

• Get My 2026 Biohacking Trends Report: https://daveasprey.com/2026-biohacking-trends-report/ 

• Join My Low-Oxalate 30-Day Challenge: https://daveasprey.com/2026-low-ox-reset/ 

• Dave Asprey's Latest News | Go to https://daveasprey.com/ to join Inside Track today.  

• Danger Coffee: https://dangercoffee.com/discount/dave15   

• My Daily Supplements: SuppGrade Labs (15% Off)   

• Favorite Blue Light Blocking Glasses: TrueDark (15% Off)   

• Dave Asprey’s BEYOND Conference: https://beyondconference.com   

• Dave Asprey’s New Book – Heavily Meditated: https://daveasprey.com/heavily-meditated  

• Upgrade Collective: https://www.ourupgradecollective.com   

• Upgrade Labs: https://upgradelabs.com   

• 40 Years of Zen: https://40yearsofzen.com   

Timestamps: 

0:00 – Introduction & Dopamine Discussion 

2:55 – Dopamine Compounds 

6:29 – Lithium & Emotional Regulation 

9:37 – Pain, Suffering & Biohacking Ethics 

13:56 – Trumpet Vine & Amphetamine Alternatives 

17:55 – Nootropics & Experimentation 

20:27 – Sarcosine & Fast-Acting Antidepressants 

23:53 – Sugar Tolerance & Inositol 

27:01 – Testosterone & Hormone Optimization 

33:48 – Natural Testosterone Optimization 

37:36 – Anabolic Agents & SARMs 

39:38 – Growth Hormone & MK-677 

40:38 – Cabergoline & Prolactin 

49:03 – Thyroid & Reverse T3 

51:18 – Liver Health & Tudca 

54:53 – Ketamine & Psychedelics 

1:02:01 – Experimental Compounds 

1:07:05 – Advanced Peptides & Compounds 

1:13:19 – GLP-1 Agonists & Dopamine 

1:14:44 – Closing Thoughts 

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