Controlling Your Dopamine For Motivation, Focus & Satisfaction | Episode 39

Huberman Lab

Podcast Notes What Is Dopamine? Dopamine lies at the heart of all addictionsWe can increase dopamine through behaviors, with rapid and long-lasting results“Dopamine is a currency and it’s the way that you track pleasure, track success, track whether or not you are doing well or poorly.” – Dr. Andrew HubermanExperience of life and motivation or drive is relative to how much dopamine you have at any given momentThe ability to experience motivation and pleasure next is dictated by how much motivation and pleasure you experienced in the pastLearn to spike dopamine from effort itself: focusing only on the reward at the end of effort can undermine the process, making the process feel more painful and time feel longerCold plunge (water temperature depends on cold adaptation) can increase dopamine levels 2.5x for longer periods of time, up to three hours post-exposure

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This episode serves as a sort of “Dopamine Masterclass”. I discuss the immensely powerful chemical that we all make in our brain and body: dopamine. I describe what it does and the neural circuits involved. I explain dopamine peaks and baselines, and the cell biology of dopamine depletion. I include 14 tools for how to control your dopamine release for sake of motivation, focus, avoiding and combating addiction and depression, and I explain why dopamine stacking with chemicals and behaviors inevitably leads to states of underwhelm and poor performance. I explain how to achieve sustained increases in baseline dopamine, compounds that injure and protect dopamine neurons including caffeine from specific sources. I describe non-prescription supplements for increasing dopamine—both their benefits and risks—and synergy of pro-dopamine supplements with those that increase acetylcholine. 

 

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Links:

Review on Dopamine: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41583-021-00455-7 Cold Exposure & Dopamine: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs004210050065 

 

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Introduction & Tool 1 to Induce Lasting Dopamine 00:04:48 Sponsors: Roka, InsideTracker, Headspace 00:09:10 Upcoming (Zero-Cost) Neuroplasticity Seminar for Educators 00:09:58 What Dopamine (Really) Does 00:15:30 Two Main Neural Circuits for Dopamine  00:18:14 How Dopamine Is Released: Locally and Broadly 00:22:03 Fast and Slow Effects of Dopamine 00:25:03 Dopamine Neurons Co-Release Glutamate 00:28:00 Your Dopamine History Really Matters  00:30:30 Parkinson’s & Drugs That Kill Dopamine Neurons. My Dopamine Experience  00:36:58 Tool 3 Controlling Dopamine Peaks & Baselines 00:40:06 Chocolate, Sex (Pursuit & Behavior), Nicotine, Cocaine, Amphetamine, Exercise 00:46:46 Tool 4 Caffeine Increases Dopamine Receptors 00:49:54 Pursuit, Excitement & Your “Dopamine Setpoint” 00:56:46 Your Pleasure-Pain Balance & Defining “Pain” 01:00:00 Addiction, Dopamine Depletion, & Replenishing Dopamine 01:07:50 Tool 5 Ensure Your Best (Healthy) Dopamine Release 01:15:28 Smart Phones: How They Alter Our Dopamine Circuits 01:19:45 Stimulants & Spiking Dopamine: Counterproductive for Work, Exercise & Attention 01:22:20 Caffeine Sources Matter: Yerba Mate & Dopamine Neuron Protection 01:24:20 Caffeine & Neurotoxicity of MDMA 01:26:15 Amphetamine, Cocaine & Detrimental Rewiring of Dopamine Circuits 01:27:57 Ritalin, Adderall, (Ar)Modafinil: ADHD versus non-Prescription Uses 01:28:45 Tool 6 Stimulating Long-Lasting Increases in Baseline Dopamine  01:37:55 Tool 7 Tuning Your Dopamine for Ongoing Motivation 01:47:40 Tool 8 Intermittent Fasting: Effects on Dopamine  01:53:09 Validation of Your Pre-Existing Beliefs Increases Dopamine 01:53:50 Tool 9 Quitting Sugar & Highly Palatable Foods: 48 Hours 01:55:36 Pornography 01:56:50 Wellbutrin & Depression & Anxiety 01:58:30 Tool 10 Mucuna Pruriens, Prolactin, Sperm, Crash Warning 02:01:45 Tool 11 L-Tyrosine: Dosages, Duration of Effects & Specificity 02:05:20 Tool 12 Avoiding Melatonin Supplementation, & Avoiding Light 10pm-4am 02:07:00 Tool 13 Phenylethylamine (with Alpha-GPC) For Dopamine Focus/Energy 02:08:20 Tool 14 Huperzine A 02:10:02 Social Connections, Oxytocin & Dopamine Release 02:12:20 Direct & Indirect Effects: e.g., Maca; Synthesis & Application 02:14:22 Zero-Cost & Other Ways To Support Podcast & Research

 

Please note that The Huberman Lab Podcast is distinct from Dr. Huberman's teaching and research roles at Stanford University School of Medicine. The information provided in this show is not medical advice, nor should it be taken or applied as a replacement for medical advice. The Huberman Lab Podcast, its employees, guests and affiliates assume no liability for the application of the information discussed.

 

Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac - https://www.blabacphoto.com