Using Cortisol & Adrenaline to Boost Our Energy & Immune System Function | Huberman Lab Podcast #18

Stress & Immunity

Controlled stress, through the release of adrenaline and cortisol, can enhance immune response. Andrew Huberman explains that short-term stress, lasting one to four days, can boost immune function by signaling the nervous system to activate immune cells like B cells and T cells 1. This process is facilitated by adrenaline, which primes the body to resist infections.

The point is you can control your immune system by finding a way that you can increase adrenaline.

--- Andrew Huberman

Huberman highlights that techniques such as cyclic breathing and cold exposure can increase adrenaline levels, thereby enhancing immune resistance 2.

   

Cold & Breathing

Cold exposure and specific breathing techniques can be harnessed to influence immunity via adrenaline. Andrew Huberman suggests that practices like cold showers or breathing protocols can increase adrenaline, enhancing alertness and immune function 3. The key is to maintain calmness in the mind while the body experiences heightened stress levels.

You're trying to move through this calmly while maintaining alertness.

--- Andrew Huberman

This approach not only boosts energy but also aids in learning and memory by separating the adrenaline release in the body from that in the brain 4.