Cortisol's role and HPA axis dysregulation

You’re about to learn how government approved food policies, regulatory loopholes, and corporate lobbying have quietly reshaped what’s allowed in the food supply and why these decisions are driving chronic inflammation, immune dysfunction, and neurological breakdown at scale. This episode exposes how biotoxins, ultra processed ingredients, and systemic regulatory failures contribute to long COVID, POTS, mold illness, chronic fatigue, and dysautonomia and why so many people feel sick despite following official health guidance. 

Watch this episode on YouTube for the full video experience: 

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

Host Dave Asprey sits down with Dr. Will Cole, a functional medicine expert who works extensively with autoimmune disease, mold illness, hormonal dysfunction, digestive disorders, and complex brain related symptoms. Dr. Cole brings years of clinical experience analyzing lab data and treating patients with biotoxin exposure, neuro immune dysregulation, and chronic fatigue patterns. 

Together, they connect the dots between mold exposure, post viral illness, mast cell activation, low blood pressure, and why many people with long COVID or POTS feel dizzy, inflamed, and cognitively impaired. They explain how histamine overload, electrolyte depletion, cortisol imbalance, and genetics combine to disrupt blood flow to the brain and shut down human performance. The conversation focuses on practical functional medicine and biohacking tools that help rebuild resilience at the mitochondrial and nervous system level. 

You’ll Learn: 

• Why long COVID, mold illness, POTS, and chronic fatigue often share the same biological drivers 

• How biotoxins like mold and viral exposure dysregulate the neuro immune endocrine axis 

• Why low blood pressure reduces blood flow to the brain and causes brain fog and fatigue 

• What mast cell activation syndrome is and how histamine overload affects the body and brain 

• Why electrolytes, especially sodium, potassium, and magnesium, are foundational for recovery 

• How creatine supports brain energy, hydration, and mitochondrial function 

• The role of cortisol in inflammation, stress tolerance, and nervous system stability 

• When antihistamines and mast cell stabilizers can improve quality of life 

• How nicotine acts as a low dose neuroprotective compound when used carefully 

• The benefits and risks of methylene blue for mitochondrial and cognitive support 

• Why removing the trigger matters more than chasing symptoms 

• How a functional medicine approach rebuilds resilience instead of masking dysfunction 

• Why creatine absorption improves when added to hot coffee 

• How Danger Coffee fits into performance, hydration, and brain energy 

Thank you to our sponsors! 

- IGNITON | Go to http://igniton.com/ and use code DAVE for 15% off your first order. 

-TRU KAVA | Go to https://trukava.com/ and use code DAVE10 for 10% off.   

-Caldera + Lab | Go to https://calderalab.com/DAVE and use code DAVE at checkout for 20% off your first order. 

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

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: long COVID, POTS syndrome, dysautonomia, mold illness, biotoxin illness, mast cell activation, histamine intolerance, low blood pressure brain fog, chronic fatigue syndrome, mitochondrial dysfunction, cortisol imbalance, electrolytes sodium potassium, creatine brain energy, functional medicine long COVID, nicotine neuroprotection, methylene blue mitochondria, brain fog causes, neuro immune dysfunction, will cole dave asprey, will cole biohacking 

Resources:   

• Dr. Will Cole’s Website: https://drwillcole.com/ 

• 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 - Trailer 

1:25 - Introduction 

2:20 - Conspiracy and misinformation 

9:07 - Vaccine safety and fertility 

12:48 - Big Food front groups 

19:38 - POTS, dysautonomia, biotoxins 

20:51 - HLA genetics and immunity 

25:11 - Mast cells and histamine 

28:41 - Electrolytes and sodium 

33:37 - Cortisol and inflammation 

35:01 - HPA axis burnout 

39:22 - Bioidentical cortisol support 

40:27 - Methylene blue and mitochondria 

46:51 - Methylation and MTHFR 

49:57 - Folinic acid and homocysteine 

52:52 - Creatine in coffee hack 

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