The Science & Health Benefits of Deliberate Heat Exposure | Huberman Lab Podcast #69

TL;DR

Heat exposure, such as sauna use, can have profound effects on our biology and health, including improving metabolism, reducing cortisol levels, activating heat shock proteins, and increasing growth hormone.

Transcript

• 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. Today we are talking about the science of heat, and more specifically the science of heating, the verb, meaning how our body heats up fr... Read More

Key Insights

• 🥵 Heat exposure can have profound effects on our biology, including changes in metabolism, cortisol levels, heat shock proteins, and growth hormone.
• 😒 Sauna use has been shown to reduce cardiovascular mortality and improve risk prediction.
• 🥵 Heat exposure and cold water immersion can activate heat shock proteins, which protect proteins from misfolding and promote longevity.
• 😒 Sauna use can increase FOXO3 levels, which is associated with DNA repair and clearance of senescent cells.

Questions & Answers

Q: How does heat exposure affect our biology?

Heat exposure can improve metabolism, reduce cortisol levels, activate heat shock proteins, and increase growth hormone levels.

Q: What are the health benefits of sauna use?

Sauna use can decrease cardiovascular mortality, improve risk prediction, increase growth hormone, reduce cortisol, and activate heat shock proteins.

Q: What is the optimal temperature and duration for sauna sessions?

The optimal temperature range is between 80 and 100 degrees Celsius (176 to 212 degrees Fahrenheit), and the duration should be between 5 and 20 minutes per session.

Q: Can heat exposure be used to improve longevity?

Regular sauna use has been associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular events, all-cause mortality, and may have potential longevity benefits by activating heat shock proteins and increasing FOXO3.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Heat is a stimulus that can have profound effects on our biology, including our metabolism and cognition.

• Heating up from the outside or the inside can have various health benefits, such as improving metabolism, reducing cortisol levels, and activating heat shock proteins.

• Heat exposure, such as sauna use, can increase growth hormone levels, which is responsible for tissue repair and growth.