From: hubermanlab
Supplementation for Hormone Health
In the recent episode featuring Dr. Kyle Gillett on the Huberman Lab podcast, the conversation delved deeply into various strategies for male hormone optimization, with a considerable focus on the role of supplementation. Supplements can play a crucial role in enhancing hormone health, especially when aligned with lifestyle changes like diet and exercise. Below is a summary of recommended supplements and their purported benefits as discussed in the episode.
Key Supplements for Hormone Optimization
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Creatine:
- Benefits: Enhances muscle mass, helps with energy storage in mitochondria, and can increase total testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) [01:01:05].
- Dosage: Typically, 5 grams per day. Creatine is well-regarded for its combined benefits for both muscle and cognitive enhancement muscle and cognitive enhancement[01:01:41].
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Betaine:
- Benefits: Often used to potentiate the effects of creatine, betaine assists in amino acid synthesis and energy metabolism.
- Dosage: 1-3 grams per day, especially for those who may not respond to creatine alone [01:06:03].
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L-Carnitine:
- Benefits: Functions as a shuttle for long-chain fatty acids into mitochondria for energy production. It is also suggested to increase androgen receptor density, thereby potentially increasing testosterone action testosterone action[01:10:05].
- Dosage: Oral l-carnitine supplementation can range between 1,000 and 4,000 milligrams per day [01:09:02].
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Vitamin D3:
- Benefits: Supports testosterone production and bone density. The immunomodulatory and overall health benefits make vitamin D3 crucial vitamin D3 crucial[01:12:36].
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Boron:
- Benefits: Particularly useful in lowering Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG), thus increasing active testosterone [01:12:47].
- Dosage: Between 5 and 12 milligrams per day [01:12:56].
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Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma longifolia):
- Benefits: Known to increase total and free testosterone and reduce SHBG in individuals with higher levels increase total and free testosterone[01:16:59].
- Dosage: Ranges from 300 to 1,200 milligrams per day depending on standardization.
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Fadogia Agrestis:
- Benefits: Increases luteinizing hormone (LH), which can lead to increased testosterone production [01:22:22].
- Dosage: Safe use is generally around 300 milligrams per day due to potential toxicity noted at higher dosages in animal models [01:24:04].
Considerations
Supplementation should always be coupled with proper lifestyle adjustments. It’s crucial to ensure you get adequate sleep, maintain a balanced diet rich in necessary macronutrients, and engage in regular exercise diet and exercise.
Conclusion
The insights provided by Dr. Gillett on the Huberman Lab podcast suggest that supplementation, when used correctly, can effectively complement other lifestyle interventions to optimize hormone health. It is essential, however, to approach supplementation with caution, ensuring you use evidence-based dosages and formulas standardized appropriately evidence-based dosages. Moreover, monitoring with healthcare professionals is advised to tailor these interventions to individual needs and health statuses [01:47:19].