Huberman Lab
Dr. Kyle Gillett: How to Optimize Your Hormones for Health & Vitality
Episode guests
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
- Understand the interaction of behavior, nutrition, exercise, and hormone therapies in optimizing hormone health.
- The six pillars of hormone optimization are diet, exercise, stress management, sleep optimization, sunlight exposure, and spiritual health.
- Hormone levels change throughout different stages of life, emphasizing the need for optimization in both men and women.
- Regular blood tests and careful supplementation are recommended for managing hormone levels.
- Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) plays a role in hair loss, and strategies can be used to optimize its levels.
- Consideration of spirituality is crucial in addressing the interconnectedness of body, mind, and soul in overall health.
Deep dives
Key Point 1: The importance of hormone optimization
Doctor Kile Gallett discusses the significance of hormone optimization and emphasizes the need to understand how various factors such as behavior, nutrition, exercise, and hormone therapies interact to achieve optimal hormone health. He highlights the impact of hormones on mood, mental health, and physical well-being.
Key Point 2: The six pillars of hormone optimization
Doctor Gallett emphasizes the six pillars of hormone optimization, which include diet, exercise, stress management, sleep optimization, sunlight exposure, and spiritual health. These lifestyle factors play a vital role in maintaining optimal hormone levels and overall health.
Key Point 3: Impact of hormonal changes throughout life
Doctor Gallett explains how hormone levels change throughout different stages of life, emphasizing the importance of hormone optimization for both men and women. He discusses the role of hormones like testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone in various aspects of health, including libido, mood, and cognitive function.
Key Point 4: Considerations for hormone management
Doctor Gallett provides insights into the management of hormones, recommending regular blood tests and discussing the impact of certain supplements and medications on hormone levels. He also discusses the role of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in hair loss and suggests strategies to optimize DHT levels while minimizing negative effects.
Tonga Ali supplementation for hormonal balance
Tonga Ali is a natural herb that has been shown to have a positive effect on testosterone levels. It acts as an aromatase inhibitor, reducing the conversion of testosterone to estrogen. It is often used by both men and women to support hormonal balance. Tonga Ali can be taken continuously for a long period of time, but cycling off for one month every year is recommended for safety.
Phodosia Grestus for boosting testosterone
Phodosia grestus is another herb that has potential benefits for increasing testosterone levels. It acts by increasing luteinizing hormone (LH) release and sensitivity, leading to increased testosterone production. Cycling this supplement by taking it for three weeks and then stopping for one week is recommended. Phodosia grestus can be used by both men and women to support hormonal balance.
Boron for regulating SHBG
Boron is a natural element found in soil and can help regulate sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG). It can lower SHBG levels, which can result in increased free testosterone. Taking three to six milligrams of boron once or twice a day has been suggested as a dosage. Cycling boron intake may also be beneficial.
Individualized Approach
It's important to note that individual responses to supplementation may vary. Consulting with a healthcare professional and monitoring hormone levels through blood work are crucial to ensure optimal results and minimize potential risks.
The Significance of HC-G in Hormone Regulation
HC-G, or human chorionic gonadotropin, is similar to thyroid-stimulating hormone and plays various roles during pregnancy. It prevents hypothyroidism and aids in maintaining high free T4 levels. HC-G can potentially improve thyroid function and is often prescribed for fertility treatment in both men and women. However, it does suppress LH (luteinizing hormone) levels, and the dose-dependent suppression increases with higher HC-G doses. Some individuals use HC-G to maintain testicular function while on testosterone therapy, but it can also increase estrogen levels. Additionally, HC-G can enhance sensitivity in genitals for both men and women as it interacts with LH receptors in prostate and genital tissue.
The Benefits and Risks of HC-G
HC-G has multiple benefits, including preventing hypothyroidism, aiding in maintaining high free T4 levels, and increasing thyroid function. It is commonly prescribed for fertility treatment in both men and women, typically at a dose of 10,000 units. HC-G can be used alone or in combination with other hormone therapies. However, higher doses can suppress LH production. While HC-G is often considered a non-suppressive alternative to testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), it can suppress LH levels and potentiate estrogen production. HC-G can also improve sensitivity in the genitals for both men and women, enhancing sexual activity.
Understanding Peptides and Their Uses
Peptides are heterogeneous compounds with varying levels of safety and efficacy. Insulin is a peptide that requires medical prescription due to its potency. Other peptides, such as BPC-157 and melanotan, have potential benefits but should also be used with caution. BPC-157 is effective for injuries and inflammatory conditions, while melanotan has FDA approval for hypoactive sexual disorder and lipodystrophy. Peptide usage should be personalized and monitored by a healthcare professional. It is important to be aware of potential side effects and contraindications, particularly for individuals with a family history of melanoma.
The Role of Spirituality in Health
Spirituality plays a vital role in overall health, encompassing physical, mental, and spiritual aspects. One's beliefs and spirituality can impact mental and physical well-being. While personal beliefs vary, it is crucial to recognize the interconnectedness of body, mind, and soul. Physicians should address patients' spiritual health alongside physical and mental health, as all these aspects are interconnected. Patients should have open conversations with their doctors about their spirituality, even if they hold different beliefs. A physician's role is not to pressure patients into any specific beliefs, but to support them in their personal journey.
My guest is Dr. Kyle Gillett, MD, a dual board-certified physician in family medicine and obesity medicine and an expert in optimizing hormone levels to improve overall health and well-being in both men and women. We discuss how to improve hormones using behavioral, nutritional, and exercise-based tools and safely and rationally approach supplementation and hormone therapies. We discuss testosterone and estrogen and how those hormones relate to fertility, mood, aging, relationships, disease pathologies, thyroid hormone, growth hormone, prolactin, dopamine and peptides that impact physical and mental health and vitality across the lifespan. The episode is rich with scientific mechanisms and tools for people to consider.
For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com.
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Timestamps
(00:00:00) Dr. Kyle Gillett, MD, Hormone Optimization
(00:03:28) Sponsors: AG1, LMNT
(00:08:24) Preventative Medicine & Hormone Health
(00:14:17) The Six Pillars of Hormone Health Optimization
(00:17:14) Diet for Hormone Health, Blood Testing
(00:20:21) Exercise for Hormone Health
(00:21:06) Caloric Restriction, Obesity & Testosterone
(00:23:55) Intermittent Fasting, Growth Hormone (GH), IGF-1
(00:29:08) Sleep Quality & Hormones
(00:35:03) Testosterone in Women
(00:38:55) Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), Hair Loss
(00:43:46) DHT in Men and Women, Turmeric/Curcumin, Creatine
(00:50:10) 5-Alpha Reductase, Finasteride, Saw Palmetto
(00:52:30) Hair loss, DHT, Creatine Monohydrate
(00:55:07) Hair Regrowth, Male Pattern Baldness
(00:58:12) Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), Inositol, DIM
(01:04:00) Oral Contraception, Perceived Attractiveness, Fertility
(01:10:31) Testosterone & Marijuana or Alcohol
(01:14:27) Sleep Supplement Frequency
(01:15:34) Testosterone Supplementation & Prostate Cancer
(01:20:24) Prostate Health, Dietary Fiber, Saw Palmetto, C-Reactive Protein
(01:24:05) Prostate Health & Pelvic Floor, Viagra, Tadalafil
(01:30:54) Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT)
(01:35:17) Estrogen & Aromatase Inhibitors, Calcium D-Glucarate, DIM
(01:39:28) Lifestyle Factors to Increase Testosterone/Estrogen Levels, Dietary Fats
(01:45:34) Aromatase Supplements: Ecdysterone, Turkesterone
(01:47:04) Tongkat Ali (Long Jack), Estrogen/Testosterone levels
(01:52:25) Fadogia Agrestis, Luteinizing Hormone (LH), Frequency
(01:56:44) Boron, Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG)
(01:58:13) Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG), Fertility
(02:04:18) Prolactin & Dopamine, Pituitary Damage
(02:08:34) Augmenting Dopamine Levels: Casein, Gluten, Vitamin E, Vitamin B6 (P5P)
(02:12:30) L-Carnitine & Fertility, TMAO & Allicin (Garlic)
(02:18:19) Blood Test Frequency
(02:19:41) Long-Term Relationships & Effects on Hormones
(02:25:33) Nesting Instincts: Prolactin, Childbirth & Relationships
(02:29:05) Cold & Hot Exposure, Hormones & Fertility
(02:32:34) Peptide Hormones: Insulin, Tesamorelin, Ghrelin
(02:37:24) Growth Hormone-Releasing Peptides (GHRPs)
(02:39:38) BPC-157 & Injury, Dosing Frequency
(02:45:23) Uses for Melanotan
(02:48:21) Spiritual Health Impact on Mental & Physical Health
(02:54:18) Caffeine & Hormones
(02:56:19) Neural Network Newsletter, Zero-Cost Support, YouTube Feedback, Spotify Review, Apple Reviews, Sponsors, Supplements, Instagram, Twitter
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