Huberman Lab: The Podcast That Makes Your Brain Make Sense

It’s not rocket science… if it’s with Andrew Huberman.

For those of you who say “trust the science” but hardly remember anything beyond the periodic table and secretly Google “what is a neuron?” Especially for those who studied French existentialist literature but still want or hope to biohack their REM cycles after all that trauma. And finally, for the ones who think the pineal gland is being targeted by 5G: science is making a huge comeback… not with lab coats, but with headphones and timestamps. And with the help of a charismatic Stanford University professor.

Millions of views. Millions of subscribers. Episodes lasting up to 2-3 hours. When did science become so mainstream? Once reserved for classrooms and crusty journals, it has been rebranded. Now it’s personal, it’s practical, and you can stream it on your way to your favourite coffee shop or on a morning run.

People are now realizing that brains do more than just keep them alive. They sabotage their sleep, focus, motivation, and overall physical health. And since science is becoming, dare we say, a part of pop culture, a sort of self-improvement tool - entertainment - it’s being consumed like any other trend. And Huberman Lab has capitalized on this momentum better than almost anyone. But let’s rewind: what exactly is this podcast doing that has everyone staring at the sun at dawn?

What Huberman Lab is Really About

The Huberman Lab podcast is a popular show hosted by Dr. Andrew Huberman, a neuroscientist and professor in the department of neurobiology at Stanford University. Launched back in 2021, the podcast delves into neuroscience and how the brain and its connections with the body’s organs influence perceptions, behaviours, and health.

Each episode is a long-form exploration, often featuring expert guests, from sleep researchers to athletes to psychiatrists, who help unpack complex topics like focus, hormones, mental health, gut health, relationships, and more. It’s science you can actually use, served in podcast episodes so long, you might need a snack break between neurotransmitters.

The mission of Huberman Lab podcast is to deliver research-based neuroscience and health tools to the public in an easily digestible manner. As already mentioned, the podcast is long-form with episodes lasting up to 2.5-3 hours. Huberman has recently started posting Huberman Lab Essentials for those with a short attention span. The Essentials clips summarize the main points of long-form episodes within 30 minutes. Huberman releases both solo episodes and expert interviews.

What are We Unpacking in the Lab?

Huberman’s remote public laboratory has a lot to offer. The man gets into the nitty-gritty of all things human and brain, along with his fellow experts. They often use scientific terminology but it comes wrapped in stories, analogies, and straight talk that make it all surprisingly digestible.

The most common topics include:

1) Brain Function

From describing the mysterious ways in which our brains work to discussing the impact of diet on brain function, Huberman gets as deep into the topic as it’s possible to do on a podcast.

2) Mental Health and Depression

Need help understanding, assessing, and improving your mental health? Maybe you could use a few actionable tools and protocols to balance your mood in the moment? Huberman, along with expert guest speakers, covers this and more on mental health: lifestyle and diet changes that can boost mental health, the impact of psychedelics on mental health, the science and treatment of OCD and bipolar disorder, how to heal from PTSD and grief, how to understand and conquer depression, and how to control stress and anxiety as well as your inner voice in order to build resilience.

3) Tools for Managing Stress and Anxiety

On this note, let’s say that stress and anxiety have come to be the daily companions of many of us. Huberman tackles these topics too, offering tools for understanding, managing, and reducing stress and anxiety, including physiological sigh, breathwork, and meditation techniques that can help you instantly. He also talks about a bitter truth that many are unaware of or just unwilling to accept: alcohol actually increases stress rather than relaxing you. He gives the kind of insight that can shift not just how you feel but how you choose to live your life.

4) Sleep

The good old insomnia. Can’t fall asleep? Can’t stay asleep? Tired of being tired? Huberman’s deep dives will help you improve your sleep, offering sleep protocols and detailing the biology of rest, the timing of light, and yes, the famous NSDR (non-sleep deep rest) method. The latter is a go-to technique to reboot your brain on days when sleep just didn’t show up.

5) Focus and Motivation

Mr. Huberman seems to have a toolkit for everything, even focus - even if you have ADHD. We all struggle with concentration issues, lack of motivation, and procrastination. Science appears to have just the right solutions to help you control your brain chemistry - and your dopamine, for better motivation and focus. Huberman explores all of this in his episodes, offering neuroscience-backed solutions. While it’s not a guaranteed fix for everyone, many find these insights genuinely helpful for building better habits and mental clarity.

6) Hormones

Hormones run the show: energy, sleep, metabolism, mood, even aging. Huberman offers knowledge on this too: female hormone health and fertility, optimization of testosterone, estrogen, thyroid, and growth hormones - he covers the full spectrum.

7) Diet

Every other episode that comes out hits too close to home, doesn’t it? Another topic that may feel like it was what you needed is diet. It’s an extremely modern problem with all the fast food and refined sugar that comes our way on a daily basis. Huberman has rolled out a number of episodes on how to improve diet, control hunger, eating, and satiety, transform your mental health through better dieting habits, and lose fat with science-based tools.

He’s also discussed the impact of food choices on your health, mood, and longevity, and even covered the topic of female-specific nutrition. It already sounds like the full package, but somehow, there’s still more. From different types of diets and fasting to dietary cholesterol, stress eating, and food cravings - somewhere in all those episodes, there’s at least one diet tip that’ll stick; and probably more.

8) Overcoming Substance and Behavioural Addictions

Huberman breaks down how certain habits take hold, how dopamine influences our actions, and what can be done to regain balance. He covers everything from substance use to behavioural patterns, offering practical strategies that can help you reduce cravings, reshape your routine, and restore control over your lifestyle.

As he says, “Addiction may feel like a life sentence, but it’s actually a brain state, and brain states can change,” which means that you’re in control and the sooner you understand the biology behind your addictions, the sooner you’ll be able to overcome them.

9) Physical Training

A healthy, regular fitness routine can dramatically transform both your physical and mental health. Again, in his classic fashion, Huberman offers a fitness toolkit which includes protocols and tools that will help you improve your physical training routine. There are episodes where you can find out about the best ways of building strength and growing muscles and those that guide you through science-based tools that will improve your exercise program and recovery: practical, precise, and designed to help you train smarter, not just harder.

10) Relationships

“The Science of Love, Desire, and Attachment” - that’s right, Dr. Huberman didn’t shy away from this topic either, offering a whole 2.5-hour podcast about it. Moreover, in other episodes in this series, he brings on renowned psychiatrists and psychotherapists, who talk about finding, building, and maintaining healthy romantic relationships; and, most importantly, avoiding the toxic ones. Because let’s be honest: once your brain is balanced, your body’s trained, your dopamine’s in check, you’re sleeping like a baby, eating like a nutritionist, and not glued to bad habits then maybe you’re ready to text back and build something real.

Huberman Lab: Quick Stats

Let’s have a look at some numbers that emphasize the continuous success and worldwide prominence of the Huberman Lab podcast:

1. Number of Episodes: 290 as of May 2025
2. Average Episode Length: 2.5 hours (the longest - 4 hours)
3. Chart Rankings: Top 5 on Spotify and Apple Podcasts in Health & Fitness
4. Audience Size: Estimated millions of downloads (streams, plays, and saves) per episode across all channels.
5. YouTube Subscribers: 6.81M
6. Instagram Followers: 7.4M

Meet the Mind Behind the Mic: Dr. Andrew Huberman

Andrew David Huberman, Ph.D., is an American neuroscientist and an associate professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology, and by courtesy, of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Stanford University School of Medicine. He has been hosting the popular health and science-focused Huberman Lab podcast since 2021.

Starting from 2019, Huberman made appearances on some major podcasts, such as the ones hosted by Joe Rogan, Rich Roll, and Lex Fridman, which increased his social media following. Fridman was the one to encourage him to start his own podcast.

In 2025, the Huberman Lab podcast won the “Best Wellness and Fitness Podcast” award at the iHeartPodcast Awards.

Huberman is an interesting character, regardless of the occasional controversy that revolves around him. Still, he owns his lane with confidence, and like anyone operating in the public eye, he’s bound to stir things up now and then.

The Ultimate Huberman Lab Playlist

We have packed a selection of Huberman Lab episodes that are absolute gold - interesting, educational, and quite eye-opening. Let’s dive right in.

#1 Dr. Chris Palmer: Diet & Nutrition for Mental Health

In this episode, Dr. Chris Palmer, a Harvard psychiatrist and expert in metabolic psychiatry discusses the profound impact of nutrition on mental health.

Key points include:

1. Ketogenic diet and its transformational effect on different mental health conditions, such as anxiety disorders, depression, psychosis, ADHD, OCD, and schizophrenia.
2. The interaction between the mind and metabolism, understanding which can help control obesity. Dr. Palmer introduces the idea that “obesity in many cases is the consequence of a brain dysfunction, as opposed to the consequence of a metabolic dysfunction that then impacts the brain.”
3. Ketogenic diet: an evidence-based and science-backed treatment for epilepsy and balancing out the cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s.
4. The key role of mitochondria in mental health and how mitochondrial dysfunction can lead to certain mental issues.
5. The positive impact of low-carb diet on the gut microbiome and weight loss.

Ketogenic diet is not necessarily for everyone, but listening to its real-life use cases in Dr. Palmer’s experience - where he helped treat or alleviate the symptoms of some of the serious mental health issues listed above - you might find it helpful for you or for someone you know who’s currently suffering. Sometimes, a new perspective is the first step toward hope and this one here starts with the brain.

Just keep in mind: a ketogenic diet (or any other specific diet, for that matter) isn’t a DIY project. They're best explored with a medical professional, especially if serious mental health issues are involved. So no need to toss out your toast just yet.

#2 What Alcohol Does to Your Body, Brain & Health

This episode features Dr. Huberman talking about the physiological effects that alcohol has on the brain and body over time.

Key points include:

1. Genetic differences that make certain individuals inclined to alcoholism, binge and habit-drinking.
2. Alcohol metabolism and its poisonous effects that lead to cellular stress and damage.
3. Its impact on neuronal function and the following changes in thinking and behaviour.
4. The influence of alcohol on inflammation, stress, neurodegeneration, cancer risk, as well as the gut microbiome, brain thickness, hormones, mood, and motivation.
5. The biology of hangovers and how to reduce their severity.

Alcohol is one of the most widely consumed substances in the world. It has even got its own aisle at the grocery store and a toast at celebrations. But there is more to alcohol consumption than you might think - a complex relationship with our brain and body. Huberman offers a sort of sobering science and practical takeaways that might make you rethink that “this is the last glass” moment. There is no judgement, just knowledge that is aimed at helping you improve your health.

#3 How Meditation Works & Science-Based Effective Meditations

Despite the abundance of information on meditation and its proven effectiveness, there’s still a lot of prejudice and conspiracy around it. In this session, Huberman takes us through the neuroscience behind meditation, i.e. what it does to your brain, how it influences stress, focus, and emotion, and why different techniques work for different goals.

Here is what you’ll get:

1. The biological mechanisms of the state changes occurring during different types of meditation.
2. Key meditation principles - breathwork patterns or adjusting perception to certain locations along the continuum between interoception, exteroception, and dissociation.
3. The long-term impact of meditation on your default mood, anxiety and depression, sleep, and happiness.
4. The concept behind the ‘third-eye center’ and the biological explanation of mindfulness practices, including ultra-brief meditations.

Science can help break all the stereotypes and overcome fears by shedding light on the topics that are distant to you, often helping you gain mental clarity and calm through tools you never knew existed.

#4 Dr. Matt Walker: The Science & Practice of Perfecting Your Sleep

“Sleep is the best meditation,” this Dalai Lama quote highlights the importance of sleep in preserving mental balance, and staying alert and focused during daytime. In this episode, Dr. Matt Walker, a renowned sleep scientist and professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, joins Dr. Huberman to unravel the science of sleep in all its fascinating detail.

Key points discussed are as follows:

1. The biology of sleep with its various stages and what happens when we don’t get enough sleep.
2. The impact of sunlight, caffeine, alcohol, naps, hormones, exercise, marijuana, sexual activity, and different supplements on sleep.
3. Naps and non-sleep deep rest (NSDR).
4. Compensating for lost sleep and other sleep tips.

Learn how to truly rest, recover, and recharge, and get your circadian rhythm back on track with science-backed tools.

#5 Dr. Robert Lustig: How Sugar & Processed Foods Impact Your Health

Finally, our last on this list, features Dr. Robert Lustig, a neuroendocrinologist, professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco, who talks about sugar and its not-so-sweet relationship with your brain, liver, and long-term health.

What to expect from this episode:

1. The ‘calories in - calories out’ (CICO) model of metabolism and weight regulation, and how protein, fat, carbs, fiber, and sugar change the CICO equation.
2. The impact of different types of sugars on insulin levels, liver, kidney, and metabolic health.
3. The addictive character of fructose in non-fruit sources and the ways sugar alters brain circuits related to food cravings and satisfaction.
4. The role of sugar in child and adult obesity, gut health, and mental health.
5. Refined sugars and the creation of pseudo foods.

In this episode, Lustig and Huberman will help you make better food choices for your mind and body. Warning: you might never look at a can of soda the same way again.

Huberman Lab Reviews

Huberman Lab scores big with listeners, rated 4.9 on Spotify (124,000+ reviews) and 4.8 on Apple Podcasts (25,000+ reviews). However, he has also caused some controversy with his podcasts, not just among ordinary listeners and laypeople, but also in the scientific community. Some admire him and his willingness to deliver zero-cost science tools to the public, others consider a lot of his claims ‘bad science’ backed by very little research and criticize the supplements Huberman keeps advertising on his podcast.

Let’s have a look at some of the reviews from Apple Podcasts:

What People Love About Hubermal Lab

Many people listen to Huberman Lab because it makes the science behind life advice feel useful. Andrew's format and information gives you things you can try today, like how to wake up with more energy or how light affects your mood. He’s serious about research, and it shows. You can tell he’s done the reading, and he explains things in a way that feels smart but still clear.

A lot of listeners say they’ve changed real habits because of this show. It’s long-form, which means he can actually get into the details, and it doesn’t feel rushed or dumbed down. For people who want to understand how their brain and body work, this podcast hits a sweet spot.

What People Dislike About Huberman Lab

Well, even the smartest brains need a second opinion from peer reviewers. let's take Dr. Andrea Love, a microbiologist, immunologist, and science communicator, as an example. She claims that Andrew Huberman’s podcast is based on pseudoscience, criticizing the studies Huberman refers to in his podcast notes, deeming them unreliable.

Here are the key points discussed by Dr. Andrea Love in her article “So, Should You Trust Andrew Huberman?”:

1. The author questions Huberman’s promotion of supplements which she calls an ‘unregulated’ sector.
2. The article argues Huberman often cites in vitro or animal studies to make recommendations for humans.
3. The article criticises Huberman’s stance on fluoride and flu vaccines.
4. A note on Huberman’s sponsorship by Athletic Greens, suggesting a conflict of interest.

The article has stirred up a heated debate on a Reddit thread where both laypeople and those with scientific expertise discuss its truthfulness, agreeing or disagreeing with the author.

So, Should You Trust Andrew Huberman?

While Andrew Huberman faces criticism regarding his scientific accuracy and interpretation of research, he and his guests undeniably provide health and neuroscience information in an accessible format that many find valuable. His academic background and ability to translate complex concepts have helped millions learn about topics they might otherwise never explore, even if experts question some of his specific claims or recommendations.

That said, his promotion of supplements has raised some eyebrows - and fair enough, it's not what you'd ideally expect from a science-focused podcast. But hey, microphones, editors, and coffee don’t pay for themselves. The podcast world runs on sponsorships, and those Athletic Greens ads help fund the free content he produces regularly. Listeners should approach his supplement recommendations with a grain of salt, consulting healthcare providers before using them, all the while still appreciating the general health principles and scientific discussions that form the core of his work. Like with any media, it's less about blind trust and more about thoughtful listening.

Parting Thoughts on Huberman Lab

Before we go, let’s break down the pros and cons of Huberman Lab.

Pros

1. Accessible science
2. Practical takeaways
3. Expert guests
4. Deep dives

Cons

1. Supplement promotion
2. Occasional leaning toward personal opinions

Still, Huberman Lab remains a goldmine of science-backed insights and at the very least, you’ll come away knowing more about your brain than you did an hour ago. Definitely worth a listen, even if you skip the supplement ads.