What Alcohol Does to Your Body, Brain & Health | Huberman Lab Podcast #86

54 hours sober at this moment. It seems pathetic, but that’s the longest in 2 years I’ve gone without having 6 to 10 drinks a a day. I was in the hospital twice in 2020 for alcohol withdrawal syndrome. I thought I was dying. I MUST quit or I’m going die an early death. God help me.

😄Hey, this was great! Very comprehensive in the physiology and neurology and especially the brain/body connections. TY for this, very informative lesson set, and all your condensing of research !

If you could, I'd like to see a podcast about how the body heals itself after medical testing such as:
X-ray involved testing,
fMRI,
CAT-scans, and how we can help the processes of the body by specific foods and exercises that pertain to better/quicker recoveries

Thank you so much for helping us with this valuable information. I recently managed to stay sober for a month, which was the longest i've been sober in 15 years. I felt many benefits, but started drinking a bit again after going to a birthday party. this video motivated me to restart my sobriety, and this time for good.

Been dealing with and trying to understand Wernike Korsakof Sydrome for the last year that a friend was diagnosed with when I realized her symptoms were way more than detoxing or inebriation… going through this has made me so much more aware and careful with my own intake. Heavy how many lives it destroys in the long run

All bullshit. It highly depends on the person consuming it and the circumstances. I watched so many of these videos and never one of the things he has researched apply in the real world.

Great lecture! Thank you. This should be part of all high school and college curriculums and in the military. It's so important to change the terrible culture around drinking in this country!!

Could you please explain the herb Kudzu. It has had studies showing those who took it drank 1/3 less than the placebo group. Many over 400 comments on Amazon say it works on alcohol and nicotine. I’m wondering why or how it works on the brain.

Way to many promos it’s gets super annoying

The anhedonia is what kills me everytime. I can’t enjoy anything and I think my family would rather I not be around them during that time cause I’m nothing but negative

Very nice and interesting… your work is exceptional as always. Unfortunately the systematic use of alcohol nowadays is excessive. However, I believe you unfairly and strictly presented only the one side of the coin. For example, in Blue Zones, areas where extended lifespan in parallel to health span has been observed, moderate wine drinking has been noted as a common denominator (Buettner et al., 2016). Moreover, the French paradox – despite being nowadays somehow controversial – has been attributed by many authors to red wine which is undoubtedly rich in polyphenols and may beneficially affect the cardiovascular system (Castaldo, L., et al.,2019). Light to moderate wine intake is also a part of the Mediterranean diet which is one of the healthiest diets one can follow, effective in reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases and overall mortality. In addition, despite the fact that broadly alcohol intake has detrimental effects to microbiota altering negatively its biodiversity, there is some evidence that red wine, can serve as a prebiotic agent as it may modulate the growth of specific gut microbiota (Queipo-Ortuño, M. I., et. al., 2012). Finally, it would be interesting to examine how wine in antiquity e.g., ancient Greece, Sino-Tibetan Pharmacopoeia, the Egyptian Medical Papyri and so forth, was used, apart from its recreational and/or ceremonial use, as a medicinal agent. Last but not least, as Paracelsus said "dosis sola facit venenum".. Thanks again for all the effort and the magnificent work you offer to all of us.

If you get ‘Asian Glow’ your body lacks the correct enzymes to digest alcohol correctly, thus potentially causing more damage to the body

Hello. I would like to know your opinion and facts about compulsive Epsilon type drinking. Thanks in advance!!!!

Please do a similar episode about Cannabis. Thanks for this episode

You should do a full episode on SSRI’s and mental health

Crazy coincidence or algorithm? Been a heavy drinker for many years. Like a good lot and not much sleep either. My hair turned white before my time. Got a lot of mood problems too and use alcohol to come down and reward myself. After all all the pretty and successful people do it too, right? And I'm sure it's unhealthy it's in every study after all.
It's now day five, don't real feel like opening a bottle of expensive vodka yet, no drop in the house. Got some more changes done for distraction or challenge, wish me luck.
And never ever be afraid to tell the truth because of folks not liking it. That's a false priority I think.

hello! what an amazing episode, thanks! what do you know about alcohol as a hidden ingredient, a 0.3% in a dessert? I would like to ask also about the effects of pesticides and herbicides that may remain in vegetables.. also about chlorine in tap water and in shower?

Can you post the list of alcoholic drinks that you referenced. Stay away from brandy. I got that but, I've already forgotten what the other things were. The food you mentioned is helpful if you a drinker or not. The electrolyte advice is helpful