Huberman Lab

How Foods & Nutrients Control Our Moods

Mar 15, 2021

Discover the fascinating link between what we eat and how we feel. The vagus nerve plays a crucial role in regulating dopamine and serotonin levels, impacting our motivation and mood. Learn about the power of omega-3 fatty acids and how gut health can influence emotional well-being. Explore actionable dietary strategies, including fasting and plant-based diets, to enhance your mood. Plus, get insights on the surprising effects of specific supplements and the connection between beliefs and physiological responses.

01:40:34

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Quick takeaways

Dopamine plays a crucial role in motivation and can be increased by consuming l-tyrosine-rich foods and certain supplements.

Serotonin influences mood and well-being, and its synthesis primarily occurs in the brain, not the gut. Foods rich in tryptophan can increase serotonin levels.

Foods and supplements like l-tyrosine-rich foods, mucuna pruriens, tryptophan-rich foods, and 5-HTP can modulate dopamine and serotonin levels, but individual responses may vary.

Emotions are complex and context-dependent, with cultural factors and individual experiences influencing their interpretation. Recognizing the nuanced nature of emotions allows effective regulation.

Deep dives

Dopamine and its influence on motivation and desire

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays a crucial role in motivation, desire, and pursuit. It is released in response to pleasant or rewarding experiences. Foods rich in l-tyrosine, such as meats and nuts, can increase dopamine levels. Some drugs like Wellbutrin can also increase dopamine levels but can have side effects. Understanding the role of dopamine can help individuals regulate their emotions and motivation.

The Role of Dopamine and Reward Prediction Error in Brain Chemistry

02:09

- The Surprising Power of Gut Sensors: Craving Sugar Beyond Taste

00:52

The Effects of Fish Oil on Depression

02:30

The Role of Action in Attraction and Aversion

00:47

Intro

2min

The Emotional Influence of Nutrients on Mood

10min

The Vagus Nerve: Food, Mood, and Emotion

39min

The Impact of Nutrition on Emotional Well-Being

6min

Omega-3 and Mental Health: The Power of Nutrition

42min

Exploring the Mind-Body Connection Through Nutrition

3min

This episode explains the brain-body connections that allow the specific foods we eat to control our moods and motivation. I discuss the vagus nerve and its role in dopamine and serotonin release in the brain. I review Omega-3 fatty acids and the key role of the gut microbiome in supporting (or hindering) our mental and emotional states. Many actionable tools are reviewed and discussed related to fasting, ketogenic and plant-based diets, probiotics, fermented foods, fish oils, artificial sweeteners, specific supplements that promote dopamine and serotonin, and some remarkable behavioral (and belief) effects.

Read the full show notes for this episode at hubermanlab.com.

Thank you to our sponsors

AG1: https://athleticgreens.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab

Waking Up: https://www.wakingup.com/huberman

Timestamps

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:31 Sponsors: AG1, LMNT & Waking Up

00:05:00 Emotions: Aligning Mind & Body

00:06:41 Nutrients, Neurochemicals and Mood

00:08:39 Primitive Expressions and Actions

00:12:30 The Vagus Nerve: Truth, Fiction, Function

00:15:45 “Vagus Stimulation”: A Terrible Concept

00:16:35 Polyvagal Theory

00:18:27 Vagus Senses Many Things, & Moves Our Organs

00:19:35 Sugar Sensing Without Perception of Sweetness

00:23:00 Eating-Induced Anxiety

00:27:30 We Eat Until Our Brain Perceives “Amino Acid Threshold”

00:29:45 Reward Prediction Error: Buildup, Letdown and Wanting More

00:32:01 L-Tyrosine, Dopamine, Motivation, Mood, & Movement

00:34:04 Supplementing L-Tyrosine, Drugs of Abuse, Wellbutrin

00:38:29 Serotonin: Gut, Brain, Satiety and Prozac

00:43:38 Eating to Promote Dopamine (Daytime) & Serotonin (Night Time)

00:44:30 Supplementing Serotonin: Sleep, & Caution About Sleep Disruptions

00:46:40 Examine.com An Amazing Cost-Free Resource with Links to Science Papers

00:48:05 Mucuna Pruriens: The Dopamine Bean with a Serotonin Outer Shell

00:51:00 Emotional Context and Book Recommendation: “How Emotions Are Made”

00:54:55 Exercise: Powerful Mood Enhancer, But Lacks Specificity

00:56:45 Omega-3: Omega-6 Ratios, Fish Oil and Alleviating Depression

01:01:00 Fish Oil as Antidepressant

01:02:40 EPAs May Improve Mood via Heart Rate Variability: Gut-Heart-Brain

01:07:24 Alternatives to Fish Oil to Obtain Sufficient Omega-3/EPAs

01:09:05 L-Carnitine for Mood, Sperm and Ovary Quality, Autism, Fibromyalgia, Migraine

01:16:29 Gut-Microbiome: Myths, Truths & the Tubes Within Us

01:21:55 Probiotics, Brain Fog, Autism, Fermentation

01:25:20 Artificial Sweeteners & the Gut Microbiome: NOT All Bad; It Depends!

01:28:00 Ketogenic, Vegan, & Processed Food Effects, Individual Differences

01:33:20 Fasting-Based Depletion of Our Microbiome

01:35:20 How Mindset Effects Our Responses to Foods: Amazing (Ghrelin) Effects!

01:38:30 How Mindset Controls Our Metabolism

01:41:03 Closing Comments, Thanks, Support & Resources

Disclaimer & Disclosures

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Huberman Lab

How Foods & Nutrients Control Our Moods

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Dopamine and its influence on motivation and desire

Serotonin and its impact on mood and well-being

Using food as a tool to modulate neurotransmitters

Understanding the nuanced nature of emotions

The Impact of Beliefs on Physiology

The Gut Microbiome and Mood

Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Depression

The Power of Mindset

The Role of Dopamine and Reward Prediction Error in Brain Chemistry

- The Surprising Power of Gut Sensors: Craving Sugar Beyond Taste

The Effects of Fish Oil on Depression

The Role of Action in Attraction and Aversion

Thank you to our sponsors

Timestamps

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts