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Dr. Andrew Huberman’s

Supplement Recommendations
PodClips · Follow
15 min read · Aug 25, 2021

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This post is an ongoing document (last updated March 14, 2023) containing
everything ever mentioned about supplements from neuroscientist Andrew
Huberman, PhD — either from his podcast or one of his interviews. Relevant
audio clips containing full explanations are linked for each.

Sleep

Andrew’s Top Sleep-Enhancing Supplements: Magnesium, Theanine, &

Apigenin
“That cocktail of 50 mg of apigenin, 300–400 mg of magnesium threonate or
bisglycinate, and 200–400 mg of theanine, for me, has been the best way to
consistently fall asleep quickly and stay asleep most if not the entire night, which,
for me, is about 7–8 hours.”

One side note:

 Dr. Huberman Recommends Women Avoid Apigenin — It’s an Estrogen
Suppressor

Andrew Supplements With 2g of Glycine & 100mg of GABA Every 3–4

Days
“Every third or fourth night, I will take 2g of glycine and 100mg of GABA in
addition to the standard sleep stack that I talked about before… which I find
greatly enhances my ability to get into sleep.”

More on GABA & Glycine below. Sounds like Andrew recommends upping
the dose if you REALLY need to get to sleep…

1 g of GABA & 1 g Glycine Is a Potent Sleep Aid

“If you ever really need to sleep… 1 gram of GABA and 1 gram of glycine in
combination, that’s more of a heavy hit over the head, but if you’re having a hard
time getting to sleep, that can help. I don’t recommend people take those
chronically.”

Andrew Supplements With 900 mg of Myo-Inositol 30–60 Minutes Before

Bed Every Third Night
“I’ve been taking 900 mg of myo-inositol every third night or so as a test of its
ability to improve sleep, and I have to say, the depth and quality of sleep that I’ve
been obtaining on myo-inositol is pretty remarkable.”

One more benefit:

Myo-inositol can help shorten the amount of time that it takes to fall back
asleep if you wake up in the middle of the night

Why Andrew Avoids 5-HTP, Tryptophan, & Serotonin Precursors

“When I’ve taken tryptophan, the precursor to serotonin, or serotonin itself, I have
a horrendous night’s sleep. I fall asleep very easily, and I experience ridiculously
vivid dreams… and then I wake up, and I experience several days of insomnia …
For me, supplementing with serotonergic agents is a bad idea.”

Bonus quote from this clip:

“I stay away from 5-HTP and tryptophan. When I take those, I plummet into sleep,
and then, 3 hours later, I’m wide awake.”

But… you might reconsider this recommendation when you’re sick. Here’s
why:

5-HTP Supplementation Pre-Bed Increases Glymphatic System Activity

When Sick
“I am aware of some studies that are ongoing now where augmenting the
serotonin system through either supplementation of tryptophan or 5-HTP or even
serotonin itself… is being looked at for its capacity to increase the amount of
circulation in the glymphatic system. The ideas is that it might… potentially lead
to more rapid recovery from injury and illness and potentially ramp up, if you
will, the activity of the immune system.”

Why Andrew Doesn’t Recommend Supplementing With Melatonin

Melatonin Supplementation Only Increases Sleep Time By 3.9 Minutes &
Efficiency By 2.2%

Melatonin Supplements Often Contain 83% Less to 478% More Than

Advertised

Melatonin Suppresses Puberty in Kids

More Sleep Supplements:

 Despite What Many People Think, Valerian Root Doesn’t Improve Sleep

Tart Cherry Juice Reduces Sleep Fragmentation & Increases Total Sleep
Time

Kiwifruit Appears to Reduce Sleep Latency & Increase Sleep Duration

Testosterone

400 mg/day of Tongkat Ali & 425 mg/day of Fadogia Agrestis Increased
Andrew’s Testosterone
“In the supplementation space, there are two things that have worked very well for
me and I’ve recommended to a number of people… Those two things are Tongkat
Ali, which, at 400 mg/day, is thought to reduce sex hormone binding globulin …
Tongkat Ali, either through reducing sex hormone binding globulin or direct effects
on increasing androgen release, will increase your testosterone … 400 mg/day
taken once per day early in the day — because it can have a little bit of a stimulant
effect and make you more alert — that works well. It does need to be taken
chronically. It tends to work better as you get into the second and third month of
use. And I don’t see any reason to cycle it … The other supplement that is quite
useful is Fadogia Agrestis … Fadogia Agrestis acts as a luteinizing hormone
mimetic, so it actually stimulates the testes to produce more testosterone … One
425 mg capsule, I believe, is more than sufficient. Anecdotally, for me, what this
did is increase my total testosterone by about 200 points … I was hovering
somewhere around 600. These two supplements consistently bring it up into the
high 7s and low 8s.”

A few more details about Andrew’s Tongkat Ali regimen from this clip:

“I take 400mg of tongkat ali per day. I take it early in the day, because it has a bit
of a stimulant effect … I’ve been taking it for years … I’ve never cycled it … My
blood work tells me that it causes an increase in free testosterone for me and also
an increase in luteinizing hormone for me.”

Note that fadogia agrestis is toxic in high doses. Andrew had the below to say
in this clip:

“There’s a fairly extensive literature on the fact that fadogia agrestis can be toxic to
testicular cells and perhaps other cells when taken at very high dosages. So,
obeying the particular dosages of fadogia agrestis that are recommended on
various product labels and cycling fadogia agrestis can be important. Some people
need to cycle it 8 weeks on, 2 weeks off; other people opt for 12 weeks on, a month
off.”

Zinc Supplementation (120mg Twice Daily With Meals) Increases

Testosterone & Spermatogenesis
“Zinc dosages that are pretty high of about 120mg taken twice per day… with
meals can significantly increase testosterone … It seems that high levels of zinc can
increase spermatogenesis and testosterone levels very significantly.”

Because It’s a DHT Inhibitor, Excess Turmeric Can Harm Hormone Profiles
“Turmeric is a very potent DHT inhibitor … I think turmeric in moderate amounts
might be okay, but you don’t want DHT too low because DHT is the major
androgen in humans. It’s the one that’s going to have the most action in terms of
strength, recovery from exercise, libido, etc. … Things like melatonin and turmeric
you have to approach with some caution.”

Other Supplements for Boosting T:

Supplementing With Vitamin D & Boron (5–12 mg/Day) Can Increase
Testosterone
 Creatine Increases Total Testosterone & Conversion of Testosterone to
DHT

Ashwagandha Can Increase Testosterone & Lean Mass While Reducing

Cortisol

Nootropics

Andrew’s Preferred Nootropic: 300 mg of Alpha GPC

“On the pharmacologic side, I think Alpha GPC has real effects that are supported
by quality peer-reviewed studies, including studies looking at offsetting age-related
cognitive decline. Generally, it comes in capsule form, about 300 mg or so. I think,
taken occasionally or more than occasionally provided it’s fairly early in the day, it
does increase focus … I do think Alpha GPC is a useful supplement, and I use it
from time to time. If I’ve slept well, I don’t take it. If I really want to push a
workout hard, or a work session, a writing session, or data analysis session hard,
I’ll take 300 mg of [Alpha GPC].”

Some research indicates Alpha GPC can spike TMAO levels. Well…

Andrew Supplements With Garlic (600mg) to Prevent Alpha GPC-Associated

TMAO Spikes

“It turns out that ingestion of 600 mg of allicin alongside or even just same day as
Alpha GPC can really clamp those TMAO levels that would otherwise increase if
you’re taking Alpha GPC.”

Andrew Sometimes Supplements With 500 mg of L-Tyrosine as a

Nootropic
“Every once in a while, I will rely on 500 mg of L-tyrosine, which is the precursor
to dopamine and noradrenaline.”

Choline (500–1,000 mg/Day) Improves Focus (Eggs Are the Best Source)
“All of us are able to focus to some degree or not, or are able to be alert to some
degree or not, based on the amount of acetylcholine [choline is a precursor to
acetylcholine] that we have … In general, most people should probably strive to get
somewhere between 500 milligrams and a gram of choline per day, so 1,000
milligrams.”

Andrew Huberman Supplements With Glutamine Daily for Cognitive

Benefits
“I’ve been glutamine as a supplement, gosh, since I was in college — mostly
because I felt… that it protected me from various flus and colds because of the
reported immune-enhancing effects … Glutamine also seems to have cognitive
enhancing effects.”

A few more benefits of glutamine:

Glutamine Offsets Cognitive Deficits Associated With Reduced Brain

Oxygenation

Glutamine, an Amino Acid, Alleviates Sugar Cravings & Improve Gut

Health

Andrew Sometimes Supplements With 500 mg of Phenylethylamine for

Focus
“There is one compound… that increase dopamine, and that’s something called
PEA [Phenylethylamine] … I personally take PEA from time to time as a focus and
work aid in order to do intense bouts of work. Again, I don’t do that too often.
That might be once a week or once every two weeks.”
Huperzine A Increases Dopamine & Acetylcholine Transmission,
Enhancing Focus
“One of the lesser talked about compounds that’s out there but that’s gaining
popularity for increasing dopamine and as a so-called nootropic is something
called Huperzine A. Huperzine A is a compound sold over-the-counter, at least in
the United States, that can increase acetylcholine transmission … What’s
interesting is that Huperzine A, somehow, by way of interactions between the
cholinergic system and the dopaminergic system leads to increases in dopamine in
the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus — hippocampus, of course, being
an area of the brain associated with learning & memory and prefrontal cortex
being associated with the mesolimbic pathway, decision-making, focus, etc.”

Although It Increases Dopamine, Andrew Doesn’t Recommend Mucuna

Pruriens
“I don’t recommend mucuna pruriens. I’m not saying that no one should take it,
but I don’t take it, and I don’t recommend it, because it tends to so potently and
acutely increase dopamine that there’s a substantial crash afterwards.”

200 mg/Day of Phosphatidylserine Reduces ADHD Symptoms in Children

“It appears that phosphatidylserine — taken for two months, 200 milligrams per
day — was able to reduce the symptoms of ADHD in children. It has not been
looked at in adults yet … This effect was greatly enhanced by the consumption of
omega-3 fatty acids.”

Also: 300 mg/Day of Phosphatidylserine, Abundant in Meat & Fish, Improves

Cognition

Caffeine & Fat-Burning

100–200 mg of Theanine Blunt Caffeine’s Effects

“100–200 mg of theanine will take the jitters out of a caffeine experience, and in
fact, so much so that a lot of energy drinks are starting to include theanine as an
attempt to get you to ingest more of those energy drinks.”

Wait 90 Minutes to 2 Hours After Waking to Ingest Caffeine

“Most people would benefit from waiting 90 minutes to 2 hours after waking to
ingest their caffeine. The way caffeine interacts with the adenosine receptor…
Remember, you get sleepy because of time of day because of the whole circadian
clock mechanism but also because of the build up of adenosine in your system …
When you wake up in the morning, if you immediately compete out any residual
adenosine, you lose the benefit of that cortisol pulse essentially clearing out the rest
of the adenosine.”
Caffeine Upregulates Dopamine Receptors, Amplifying Its Effects
“Regular ingestion of caffeine, whether or it’s through coffee or otherwise,
increases upregulation of certain dopamine receptors. So, caffeine actually makes
you able to experience more of dopamine’s effects.”

As a side effect of this: Because It Upregulates Dopamine Receptors, Caffeine

Increases MDMA Toxicity

By Increasing GLP-1, Yerba Mate & Guayusa Teas Accelerate Fat Burning
“One interesting fact about yerba mate and guayusa teas is that they increase
release of something called GLP-1. GLP-1 is related to glucagon. Glucagon is a
hormone that you can sort of think about as opposite to insulin and blood sugar …
GLP-1 has a couple of positive properties. One is it increases lipolysis and
mobilization of body fat stores — the burning of fat.”

100–400 mg of Caffeine 30–40 Minutes Pre-Exercise Increases Fat

Oxidation
“The bottom line is, if you like caffeine and you can use it safely, ingesting
somewhere between 100 and 400 milligrams of caffeine prior to exercise,
somewhere between 30 to 40 minutes before exercise, can be beneficial if we’re
talking about fat oxidation, burning more body fat.”

That said, if you’re trying to cut your caffeine consumption…

Rhodiola Rosea Reduces the Negative Side Effects of Caffeine Withdrawal

Berberine & Metformin Reduce Insulin, Increasing Fat Oxidation

“There are going to be a number of things that impact insulin and glucagon that
are going to shift the body toward more fat-buring … Berberine, which comes from
a plant, or metformin are compounds that are in growing use for reducing blood
glucose. They are very potent for reducing blood glucose, which will reduce
insulin… and thereby increase fat oxidation.”

Supplementing With Acetyl-L-Carnitine Increases Fat Loss

“After fat is mobilized and makes it into cells and needs to be oxidized — the
burning of fat and the conversion of it into energy, that is accomplished and
facilitated by the presence of glucagon being elevated … L-Carnitine and Acetyl-L-
Carnitine, in particular, facilitate fat oxidation — it helps convert fatty acids into
ATP. And indeed, supplementing with L-Carnitine can increase fat loss.”

General Well-Being & Brain Health

Consuming 1,000 mg of EPA Daily Acts as an Antidepressant

“Ingesting sufficient levels of omega-3 fatty acids is going to support healthy mood
and even can act as an antidepressant. More than a dozen studies have shown that
ingesting at least 1,000 mg per day of the EPA form of essential fatty acid is as
effective as prescription antidepressants in relieving depression.”

Further explanation:

Selenium in Brazil Nuts Improves Thyroid Health

“One of the best ways to support the thyroid system and metabolism in general is to
make sure you’re getting enough selenium … A simple way to do that is to ingest
the highest concentration of selenium food that I’m aware of, which is Brazil nuts.
One or two or three of those per day, you’ll have more than enough selenium to
meet the thyroid needs.”

Creatine Supplementation Improves Mood By Altering NMDA Receptor

Function
“There are now several studies… pointing to the fact that creatine supplementation
doesn’t just have these positive effects on physical performance but can also be used
as a way to increase mood and to improve the symptoms of major depression.”

Anthocyanins, Found in Dark Berries & Blueberry Extract, Improve Brain

Function
“It appears that, if one is going to supplement with blueberry extract to get the
anthocyanin effect on cognition, dosages of somewhere between 5.5 and about 11
grams seem optimal with the higher-end, closer to 10 or 11 grams, being more
beneficial. The blueberry-eaters out there, like me, who prefer to get their
anthocyanins from the actual berries — it appears that somewhere between 60 to
120 grams of fresh blueberries each day is the way that you can get sufficient
anthocyanins to shift your system or bias your brain toward these enhanced
cognitive effects.”

Fasting Supplements

Berberine Speeds Glucose Disposal, Accelerating the Transition from Fed

to Fasted State
“There are other ways to clear out blood glucose that involve supplements or
prescription drugs. These are so-called ‘glucose disposal agents.’ Glucose disposal
agents, such as metformin (which is a prescription drug) or berberine (which is an
over-the-counter substance) will lead to very dramatic reductions in blood glucose.
So, they shift you from a fed to a fasted state.”
1/2 Teaspoon of Salt Offsets Fasting-Induced Shakiness &
Lightheadedness
“Many people find that the kind of lightheadedness, the shakiness, that’s
accustomed with having slightly low blood sugar can be offset by taking a half-
teaspoon or so of sea salt, or even just a tiny pinch of salt, and putting into some
water and drinking it.”

Adaptogens

300 mg of Ashwagandha 2x Daily Causes ‘Enormous’ Changes in Serum

Cortisol
“There are a number of studies now including several excellent ones in humans
that report that taking two doses of 300 mg of ashwagandha per day can vary
dramatically buffer cortisol … Taking 300 mg of ashwagandha twice a day led to
enormous — I mean, just enormous — changes in serum cortisol … This was
dramatic reductions in stress as perceived by people — so, subjective stress — and
cortisol level.”

A few important points on ashwagandha:

Andrew Recommends Taking Ashwagandha in the Early

Afternoon/Evening & Never Before Exercise

Andrew Recommends Only Taking Ashwagandha During Stressful

Periods for 30 Days Max

Lion’s Mane (1000 mg) & Chaga (500–1500 mg) Reduce Inflammatory
Cytokines When Stressed
“There are good data showing that 1000 mg… of lion’s mane per day and/or…
chaga mushroom at 500–1500 mg per day can act as adaptogens in, again,
reducing cortisol but also in mainly reducing some of the anti-inflammatory
cytokines that are known to circulate in high abundance when you’re under a lot
of psychological and/or physical stress … Do you need to cycle on and off lion’s
mane and chaga? I’m not aware of any data showing that you do. If, however,
you’re taking them every day, I recommend that you cycle off them after a period of
30 days or so.”

Cortisol-Lowering Supplements: Ashwagandha, Rhodiola Rosea, &

Phosphatidylserine (a great discussion from the podcast with Dr. Sara
Gottfried)
“There’s one supplement that I found to be incredibly helpful for people who tend
to have high cortisol at night, and that’s called Cortisol Manager by Integrative
Therapeutics … It’s a combination of phosphatidylserine and ashwagandha.”
Andrew Huberman Started Supplementing With Rhodiola Pre-Workout for
Fatigue Benefits
“I’ve started taking rhodiola before workouts, and found that I could push much
harder much longer through the workout. … What I’ve noticed is I can complete
the entire 60 minutes with minimal fatigue.”

Andrew also had the below to say during his second appearance on The Tim
Ferriss Show (clip here):

“Rhodiola rosea is very interesting compound because it’s an adaptogen in that it

greatly reduces perceived effort and allows for greater power output and endurance
output.. but it does not do that by suppressing cortisol. So, 200mg of rhodiola rosea
prior to, say, a resistance training workout… You will notice you have more vigor
— you can just go longer, and you’re perceived effort is much lower … Rhodiola
rosea is probably the best addition to my physical performance stack that I’ve
added in a long time, and it’s really striking. I think so much so that people could
try it, and it really does seem to work the first time and every time for me.”

Increasing Sex Drive

Andrew recommends 4 supplements for boosting libido:

1. 2–3 Grams/Day of Maca Increases Libido, Offsetting SSRI-Induced

Sexual Dysfunction

2. Tongkat Ali (400 mg/Day) Can Increase Libido in Addition to Free

Testosterone

3. Tribulus Terrestris Seems to Increase Libido, Particularly in Females

4. Shilajit Increases FSH, Improving Fertility & Libido in Males & Females
More info here:

Increasing Fertility
Andrew discussed several supplements during his episode on increasing
fertility:

1. 1–3g/Day of Capsule-Form L-Carnitine Improves Egg & Sperm Quality

2. 100–400mg/Day of Coenzyme Q10 Benefits Mitochondria, Improving

Fertility

3. By Increasing Insulin Sensitivity, Myo-Inositol (1–5g/Day) Improves Egg

& Sperm Quality
 4. By Increasing Free Testosterone, Tongkat Ali (400mg/Day) Increases
Spermatogenesis & Improves Fertility

5. 250mg of Shilajit Twice Daily Increases Testosterone & FSH, Improving

Sperm & Egg Quality

6. Zinc Supplementation (120mg Twice Daily With Meals) Increases

Testosterone & Spermatogenesis

Probiotics

Excessive Probiotic Intake Can Cause Brain Fog; More Microbial Diversity
Isn’t Always Better
“Excessive microbiota brought about by excessive intake of probiotics can lead to
things like brain fog. There’s actually some good studies that point to the fact that
certain metabolites of the microbiome, certain chemicals produced in the gut and
in the body, can actually lead to brain fog states.”

Only Take Probiotics Under Dysbiosis Conditions — When Stressed,

Traveling, or Post-Antibiotics
“When there are a number of different converging events that are stressing or
depleting microbial diversity, that’s when — at least, I believe — it can be useful to
support the gut microbiome through the ingestion of quality probiotics or
prebiotics.”

Reducing Sugar Cravings

Supplementing With Glutamine Reduces Sugar Cravings Via Neuropod

Cell Effects
“There’s an interesting literature around the amino acid glutamine — in
particular, supplementing with the amino acid glutamine — as it relates to sugar
cravings and certainly as it relates to other aspects of the gut … There are many
people who are experimenting with supplementing with glutamine, several grams
per day — often even 5 grams distributed through 3 or 4 different servings
throughout the day — as a way to blunt their sugar cravings.”

Reducing Blood Sugar Spikes

On Par With Metformin, Berberine Is a Potent Substance for Decreasing

Blood Glucose
“Berberine is a derivative of tree bark and is a very, very potent substance for
reducing blood glucose — so much so that it is on par with metformin or
glibenclamide, which are prescription drugs specifically used to reduce blood
glucose.”

Cinnamon Blunts Blood Glucose Spikes By Slowing Gastric Emptying

“You have probably heard that cinnamon can be a useful tool for controlling blood
sugar, and indeed that’s the case. It’s very clear that cinnamon can adjust the rate
of glucose entry into the bloodstream, possibly by changing the rate of gastric
emptying. It might slow the rate of gastric emptying and thereby also reduce the
glycemic index of particular foods.”

Lemon & Lime Juice Reduce Blood Glucose Spikes from High-Carb Meals
“There are now data pointing to the fact that lemon juice and lime juice, a couple
tablespoons or so, if ingested before or even during or even after consumption of
sugary foods — or I should say foods that sharply increase blood glucose or large
carbohydrate meals — can actually blunt the blood glucose response.”

How About Athletic Greens?

Andrew did have this to say here:
“This is one reason why if people say, ‘Well, if I can only take 1 supplement, what
should I take?’ I say, well, what’s your budget? If they say they can meet that $100
threshold per month, then my recommendation would be Athletic Greens or
something like it.”

Click here for more of Andrew’s best podcast clips & quotes

Andrew Huberman Supplements Testosterone Sleep Melatonin

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