How cold exposure and breathwork affect vagal activity

Bioelectronic medicine is changing how we treat inflammation, autoimmunity, and chronic disease, and this episode shows you exactly how nerve stimulation could redefine human performance, longevity, and brain optimization. You will learn how electricity, neurotransmitters, and targeted neural pathways can replace drugs, control inflammation, and help you hack the vagus nerve with precision instead of guesswork. 

Watch this episode on YouTube for the full video experience: 

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

Host Dave Asprey is joined by Kevin J. Tracey, MD, president and CEO of the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research at Northwell Health, pioneer of vagus nerve research, and author of The Great Nerve. He is one of the world’s most cited scientists in inflammation and neuroscience, and his discoveries created the field now known as bioelectronic medicine. He identified the therapeutic action of anti TNF antibodies, mapped the inflammatory reflex, and revealed how vagus nerve signaling controls immunity. With more than 450 scientific publications and over 120 U.S. patents, he is a trusted authority whose work drives the future of anti-aging, functional medicine, metabolism, and neural therapies. 

Dr. Tracey and Host Dave Asprey explore how the vagus nerve truly operates, why it contains 200,000 fibers with different functions, and what happens when you stimulate specific pathways that regulate inflammation, HRV, neurotransmitters, and immune signaling. You will learn how nerve impulses transmit information, how voltage gated ion channels shape behavior and biology, and why certain forms of stimulation create measurable improvements in mitochondria, metabolic control, sleep optimization, and emotional regulation. 

They break down the science behind surgical vagus nerve implants, focused ultrasound, gamma entrainment, cytokine control, and real neuromodulation. They also explore why cold plunging, breath work, HRV training, nootropics, and consumer devices vary so widely in their effects, and how to evaluate these tools with practical biohacking frameworks. You will hear what actually works, what remains experimental, and what the next decade of nerve based therapies could unlock for brain optimization, longevity, ketosis, fasting, supplements, and AI guided interventions in human biology. 

You’ll Learn: 

• How vagus nerve stimulation reduces inflammation through the inflammatory reflex 

• Why bioelectronic medicine can replace drugs in autoimmune conditions 

• How nerve fibers relay electrical and chemical signals inside the body 

• Why cold immersion, breath work, and HRV training activate specific vagal pathways 

• How 40 hertz gamma entrainment may influence cognitive decline 

• Which stimulation methods have clinical validation and which do not 

• Why high vagal tone is linked to better metabolism, immunity, and emotional stability 

• What future nerve based technologies may unlock for human performance  

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: Kevin J. Tracey, vagus nerve stimulation, bioelectronic medicine, inflammatory reflex, SetPoint Medical, cytokine control, neuromodulation therapy, autonomic nervous system, HRV optimization, inflammation reduction, rheumatoid arthritis treatment, focused ultrasound therapy, gamma entrainment, mitochondrial signaling, anti-aging science, neural pathway hacking, functional medicine research, immune system regulation, brain and body performance, human longevity science 

Thank you to our sponsors! 

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Resources:  

• Learn More About Kevin’s Work: https://feinstein.northwell.edu/institutes-researchers/our-researchers/kevin-j-tracey-md 

• 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 

1:12 - Bioelectronic Medicine 

3:23 - FDA Approval 

6:48 - RA Treatment Explained 

11:35 - Vagus Nerve Function 

15:12 - External vs Implanted Stimulation 

18:06 - Focused Ultrasound 

26:11 - Ear Stimulation Science 

30:51 - Clinical Evidence 

37:10 - Alzheimer’s Link 

42:15 - Future Applications 

46:48 - Cold Exposure Effects 

53:51 - Common Misconceptions 

55:38 - Final Thoughts 

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