Supplements for Longevity & Their Efficacy | Dr. Peter Attia

**Andrew Huberman** (0:00)
Welcome to the Huberman Lab podcast, where we discuss science and science-based tools for everyday life.
I'm Andrew Huberman, and I'm a professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine. My guest today is Dr. Peter Attia. Dr. Peter Attia is a medical doctor who did his training at Stanford University School of Medicine and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Dr. Attia is one of the world's most trusted voices on the topics of healthspan and lifespan. And with good reason. He is known to systematically review the research literature, the clinical trials, and he maintains an avid clinical practice. So when it comes to the topic of whether or not a particular molecule or supplement or prescription drug is indeed something that we should be thinking about and perhaps even taking in order to improve our healthspan and lifespan, Dr. Attia is the person that I choose to sit down with and discuss it. So today we are going to discuss the so called NAD pathway. This is a pathway that's received a lot of attention in recent years as a potential target for improving lifespan, that is for living longer. Today we discuss the various molecules in this pathway and the various approaches to increasing NAD, which is the end target goal of anyone that's trying to augment the NAD pathway, so to speak. So for instance, we talk about taking NR versus NMN versus direct infusions or even orally taking NAD. And we compare them in terms of both what's known and what is not known about their ability to get into cells and any efficacy they may have for either longevity or healthspan. Dr. Attia and I compare and contrast the literature on this, again, both research and clinical literature. And we discuss whether or not he or I take NAD, NMN or NR. And if so or if not, the reasons for that. We also each go through our own supplement regimen, which of course reflects what we do believe can potentially have an effect on healthspan and or lifespan. So by the end of today's episode, you'll learn a lot about NAD. You'll learn a lot about the biological pathway. You'll learn a lot about the delivery routes, the various supplements and why people think they may be useful, why others, perhaps even Dr. Attia and myself, think they may not be useful for longevity. You have to listen to find out what the answer is there. I should also mention that we give somewhat of an overview or a framework for thinking about approaches to longevity. So, if you're interested in things like rapamycin, metformin, and whether or not fasting can improve longevity, we get into that as well. Before we begin, I'd like to emphasize that this podcast is separate from my teaching and research roles at Stanford. It is, however, part of my desire and effort to bring zero cost to consumer information about science and science-related tools to the general public. In keeping with that theme, I'd like to thank the sponsors of today's podcast. Our first sponsor is Element. Element is an electrolyte drink that has everything you need and nothing you don't. That means the electrolytes, sodium, magnesium, and potassium, in the correct ratios but no sugar. Proper hydration is critical for the optimal functioning of all the cells in your body, and that's especially true for the neurons, the nerve cells. In fact, we know that even a slight degree of dehydration can diminish both cognitive and physical performance. So to make sure that I'm getting proper hydration and electrolytes, I personally dissolve one packet of Element in about 16 to 32 ounces of water when I first wake up in the morning and I drink that or sip that across the first half hour of the day or so. And then I also make it a point to drink another packet of Element dissolved in an equal amount of water, so 16 to 32 ounces, at some other point during the day, and maybe even a third if I'm exercising and or sweating a lot. I should mention that Element tastes absolutely delicious. My favorite flavor is watermelon. Although I also confess I like the raspberry flavor, the citrus flavor. Basically, I like all the flavors. If you'd like to try Element, you can go to drinklmnt.com/huberman to claim a free Element sample pack with the purchase of any Element drink mix. Again, that's drinklmnt.com/huberman to claim a free sample pack. Today's episode is also brought to us by Levels. Levels is a program that lets you see how different foods impact your health by giving you real-time feedback on your diet using a continuous glucose monitor. One of the most important factors in both short and long-term health is your body's ability to manage blood glucose. To maintain optimal energy and focus throughout the day, you want to keep your blood glucose levels steady without big spikes or crashes. I first started using Levels about three years ago as a way to try and understand how different foods impact in my blood glucose levels. And it's proven incredibly useful for determining what food choices I should make, when best to eat certain foods, especially around things like workouts, and when and what to eat relative to when I go to sleep in order to allow for the best possible night's sleep and stable blood sugar throughout the night and when I wake up in the morning. So, if you're interested in learning more about levels and trying a CGM yourself, go to levels.link slash Huberman. Levels recently launched a new CGM sensor that's even smaller and has even better tracking than their previous version. Right now, they're also offering an additional two free months of membership. Again, that's levels.link spelled L-I-N-K slash Huberman to try the new sensor and two free months of membership. 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