The Best Nootropics for Social Anxiety

October 24, 2018 by Dave Asprey

[tldr]

Networking takes a lot of energy, and it can be stressful and exhausting.
Nootropics — aka “smart drugs” — can help you perform better in social situations, lowering anxiety and giving you the mental and physical energy you need.
The best nootropics for social anxiety are: aniracetam, l-theanine, nicotine, l-tyrosine, and theacrine.
Read on to discover why these nootropics for social anxiety work and the best dosage for each.
What about alcohol? Good networkers may appear to be drinking alcohol at social events, but find out what they’re really doing with that drink.

[/tldr]

My job requires me to speak and interact with a lot of people, whether that’s talking onstage to a big crowd, networking at events, discussing cutting-edge research on the Bulletproof Radio podcast, or managing hundreds of employees. So it might surprise you to learn that I used to have a lot of social anxiety. When I’d meet people, insecurities would overwhelm me, and anxious thoughts would crowd my mind: “People don’t like me” or “Should I shake their hand?” or “That was a dumb thing to say.”

So if you get nervous in social situations, know this — I’ve been there and it sucks. I feel your pain.

The problem with social anxiety is that it’s likely getting in the way of your performance. Networking takes a lot of energy. It requires you to pay attention, remember details, focus, hold your body in a certain way, monitor your talking (Are you talking too much? Too little?), ask the right questions, listen, and the list goes on. You’re dealing with a lot of variables. It’s inherently stressful and requires more electrons firing in your brain than watching “Breaking Bad.” Being anxious is not going to help you manage that stress very well.

That’s why I recommend certain nootropics to calm your nerves and bring out your natural charisma. Nootropics are compounds that can improve brain function — increasing your mental energy and sharpening your mind. Read on to discover the best nootropics for social anxiety — giving you the stamina to deal with any stressful social situation.

Best nootropics for social anxiety

Aniracetam

“Racetams” are some of the most widely used nootropics. Aniracetam is the only one of the racetam family that has potent anti-anxiety effects and increases memory I/O (gets things in and out of your brain),[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11412837″][ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22298538″] making it one of the best nootropics for social anxiety. A strong memory is key to being a good networker — you remember what a person has told you, either in the past or the present, and you can draw on that knowledge to add value to the conversation. When you’re able to meaningfully contribute to a discussion, you automatically feel more confident, and you leave a positive lasting impression. I’ve used aniracetam for years with great results.

Dose: Clinical trials use between 1,000 and 1,500mg a day. Take 500-750 mg twice a day, with food. Aniracetam is fat soluble, so take it with a bit of fat like Brain Octane to boost absorption.

L-theanine

There’s a reason why you feel calm yet alert after a cup of green tea. That’s thanks to l-theanine, a natural component of tea leaves that relaxes you and improves focus. [ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16930802″][ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18296328″] L-theanine works synergistically with caffeine, and together the two increase your reaction time (how quickly you recognize words, for instance), memory, and reduce mental fatigue.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18006208″] That’s a recipe for success when you’re talking to people — you’re chill but mentally with it.

Dose: Drink tea (green or black) for a gentle dose of l-theanine and caffeine. For a stronger boost, take 200mg of l-theanine, or 3 Zen Mode softgels, with your morning Bulletproof Coffee.

Nicotine

One of the best nootropics for social anxiety is nicotine. It may seem strange that I’m recommending it — isn’t nicotine bad for you? When you get it from cigarettes, then yes, absolutely — cigarettes are full of toxins like tar and carbon monoxide, and the high level of nicotine is addictive (and that’s just the start of a long laundry list of why cigarettes should be avoided at all costs). But a small amount of nicotine can be a good thing, and can give you mental energy to plow through any social situation. Nicotine improves short-term memory, sharpens reaction time, and make you more vigilant.[ref url=”https://academic.oup.com/ntr/article-abstract/4/2/185/1013235″][ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9888618″][ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12858319″]

Dose: To be clear — I don’t recommend getting your nicotine from cigarettes and tobacco. I’m talking very small microdoses, far less than what you would get from smoking. My favorite way to get the benefits of nicotine is with a spray. One spray gives you about 1mg of nicotine — enough for a nice jolt of lasting energy. Learn more here about the advantages and drawbacks of nicotine, and other safe ways to take it.

L-tyrosine

Talking to people, especially at a work function or an all-day conference, can be stressful — l-tyrosine helps your brain stay the course without getting burned out. Here’s how it works: Stress depletes your neurotransmitter stores (neurotransmitters are your brain’s chemical messengers), particularly norepinethrine. Low levels of norepinethrine can leave you feeling mentally exhausted and scattered, and emotionally down — not a great combo when you’re looking to make an impression. L-tyrosine is an amino acid that helps your brain create neurotransmitters,[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26424423″] easing stress and improving focus during taxing mental tasks.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26424423″]

Dose: 500mg a day of a high-quality supplement like Jarrow Formulas L-tyrosine.

Theacrine

Theacrine is an alkaloid (aka a plant chemical) found in a Chinese tea plant that wakes up your brain and gives you mental clarity, much like coffee. It has a similar chemical structure to caffeine, and studies show it may impact the brain in the same way — by binding to adenosine receptors. Adenosine is a chemical that makes you feel sleepy. Like caffeine, theacrine fools your nerve cells into thinking it’s adenosine, but instead of making you feel drowsy, it causes your nerve cells to fire up more quickly, increasing your alertness.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22579816″] Note that’s at high levels (48mg/kg in rats). Low levels (3mg/kg) of theacrine have shown the opposite effect, increasing the amount of adenosine in the brain.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28864241″]

So why not just drink coffee instead? While I’m a big proponent of drinking a Bulletproof Coffee in the morning, too much caffeine can leave you jittery. You can also build up a tolerance to caffeine over time, which means you need more coffee to get the same jolt of energy. Theacrine may not lead to the same tolerance build-up. In one study, 60 men who took 300 mg of theacrine a day for 8 weeks showed no signs of tolerance, measured by their energy levels, focus, and concentration.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26766930″]

Dose: Studies show that caffeine helps your body better absorb theacrine and boosts its effects.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26610558″] Take three Bulletproof Smart Mode softgels (each serving contains 100mg of theacrine) with your morning coffee.

A note on alcohol and social anxiety

Alcohol may seem like a great balm for social anxiety, but it’s going to impair your cognitive functioning — you won’t remember your conversations as clearly and you may end up saying something you regret. The fact is, people who are good networkers don’t drink alcohol. They may look like they’re drinking, but if you look closely you’ll notice they only hold their glass, but never drink from it. Instead, they throw their drink into plants when no one’s looking (true story). If you are going to drink, take a glutathione supplement — this “master antioxidant” helps your liver process the alcohol quickly. And check out this Bulletproof alcohol roadmap to learn what types of alcohol are the least harmful.

Remember, the goal here isn’t to be perfect — you want to show vulnerability and be authentic, and not be some superhuman distant person. That’s not going to make you any friends. So do what you can to be as energized and mentally alert as possible, but leave room for the real you to come out. That’s the sweet spot where true charisma lies.

Are RFID Chip Implants the Future? What You Should Know About This Biohacking Trend

October 23, 2018 by Team Asprey

People are installing RFID chips into their hands to open doors, store contact information, and pay for goods.
It sounds sci-fi, but this is the same technology that you use when you microchip your pet or use a wireless key card.
The problem? It’s too early to tell whether this technology is safe for humans. There are privacy concerns in the short-term — and serious questions about toxicity in the long-run.
Unless you want to be a human guinea pig, science says you can (safely) biohack your way to a better you by improving your diet and sleep.

Thousands of people in Sweden are adopting microchip technology that puts the convenience of a credit card in their hands — literally.

Every time you use a key card to open a door or swipe your credit card, you use RFID (radio frequency identification) technology. It’s a ubiquitous and convenient part of everyday life. But what if you could leave your keys at home and ditch your card altogether?

NPR reports that more than 4,000 Swedes have implanted RFID chips into their hands. It’s an idea that’s gaining steam in other parts of the world, including the US. In 2017, Wisconsin-based vending machine company Three Square Market made headlines when 50 employees voluntarily opted to install microchips into their left hands.

Microchipping is also a topic of interest in biohacking circles, including the Biohackers subreddit and Biohack.me.

Right now, the chips can perform basic tasks like storing emergency contact details, opening office doors, and storing e-tickets for events. Someday soon, they may help lost children find their way home and notify your doctor if you’re at risk of heart attack.

But are implantable microchips truly safe for your health, your privacy, and your future?

What are RFID chips?

Almost any device that communicates wirelessly uses RF (radio frequency) technology. When people think about implantable RFID chips, they’re generally referring to a microchip encased in a small bioglass tube.

Picture a long grain of rice. Now, imagine that grain of rice inserted into the top of your hand, nestled under your skin between your thumb and index finger. Voila — you’re a cyborg.

RFID chips don’t have a battery or power source. Instead, they’re passive microchips, which means they won’t do anything until they interact with a reader device. It’s the same reason your office key card won’t open every single door in your workplace: It only works with certain readers.

Seattle-based company Dangerous Things sells both implantable RFID chips and NFC (near-field communication) tags. RFID chips are ideal for tasks like opening doors and unlocking computers. NFC tags can store user information like Bitcoin wallet addresses and contact details.

You can buy your own chip pre-loaded in a sterile needle. On its FAQ page, Dangerous Things says that customers can work with one of the company’s professional body piercing or body modification partners to safely install the chip. Or, for the truly savage at heart, you can install it on your own.

More than just a trend

Implantable microchips sound distinctly sci-fi, but they’re not completely new. If you’ve ever microchipped a pet, you already have experience with the benefits of implantable RFID technology.

But is there any significant benefit to this technology for humans? Not yet.

Take the example of Three Square Market. The company’s microchips gave employees the ability to open doors, log into computers, and pay for snacks. Nothing groundbreaking or superhuman — but pretty convenient.

For Three Square Market, this is just one step toward a more connected future. The company says it is developing a GPS-enabled microchip. In theory, the device could help people track their loved ones, like children and aging parents. Patrick McMullan, president of Three Square Market, told The Hustle earlier this month that he envisions a future where the company’s RFID chips can help doctors screen for heart attacks, protect children with GPS monitoring, and track wandering Alzheimer’s patients.

In short, inserting RFID chips into humans is new territory with big potential for data sharing — and that’s a serious case of buyer beware.

Are RFID chip implants safe?

Microchipping has its roots in transhumanism, the idea that humans can enhance their capabilities with the use of technology. But in the case of RFID chips, those capabilities might do more harm than good by opening people up to security risks, privacy concerns, and long-term toxicity.

Security risks

Many key cards that businesses use are vulnerable to cloning, which means that it’s possible for hackers to clone badge access and impersonate employee credentials. You can minimize your risk by leaving your physical access card at home or using an RFID-blocking sleeve.

But that’s a major problem with implantable RFID chips for access control: You can’t turn off an implant in your hand, which increases your risk of getting hacked.

It’s also too early to tell whether implantable RFID chips offer adequate security protection. In a conversation with global security adviser and futurist Marc Goodman on the Bulletproof Radio podcast, Bulletproof Founder Dave Asprey says, “There’s no way anything is going into my body unless I can look at the firmware code, and I can look at all of the other code there, and I know it has appropriate security stuff in it.”

Chips like those offered by Dangerous Things are programmable, so you have a measure of control over your code. But as RFID chip technology advances and companies like Three Square Market offer turnkey systems, there’s no telling whether that capability will change.

Privacy concerns

There’s also the question of where all this information will be stored, especially as RFID chips evolve and can hold more sensitive information. McMullan’s vision of a microchip that helps parents monitor their child’s location might sound like a life-saving advancement. But once the company’s app collects consumer data, there’s no telling how that information will be used.

It might be safely stored on secure servers in the cloud — or it might be shared with subsidiaries and partners. This is unregulated territory. That means you have to do your due diligence and decide how much of your sensitive data you’re willing to share — and whether you trust the company you’re sharing it with.

Long-term toxicity

In the world of microchipping, buyers have to take active steps to make sure they’re buying from reputable companies that monitor and control their materials. You shouldn’t insert anything in your body that isn’t biomedical grade, period.

Companies like Sweden-based Biohax International coat their chips in biosafe glass, and Dangerous Things rigorously tests the safety of its devices. Unfortunately, this isn’t the norm — not all companies hold themselves to high standards, which means you could expose yourself to metal toxicity. In one test of another vendor’s product, Dangerous Things found that the glass tested positive for lead contamination.

Heavy metals are bad for your body. They mess with your thyroid function, which contributes to hormone disruption, fatigue, and brain fog, among other problems. You can learn more about the dangers of heavy metals in this episode of the Bulletproof Radio podcast with Joseph Pizzorno, a leading naturopathic physician.

The other drawback? Although RFID chips are encased in glass, there’s no telling whether that barrier provide adequate protection against the metal in the microchips long-term. It’s hard to tell until these chips have been in humans for at least 20 to 40 years, minimum.

In short, it’s new tech, so the early adopters are guinea pigs. Microchips are convenient, and they have lots of future potential — but there are easier and safer ways to biohack your way to a better you.

Biohack your body, the Bulletproof way

Want to feel like a superhuman without having to stab yourself with a giant microchipping needle? Reduce inflammation by cleaning up your diet, improve your sleep, and get a better read on your body.

The Bulletproof Diet is a realistic way to boost your energy levels by eating nutrient-dense foods, cutting out foods that are harsh on your gut, and eating tasty, good-for-you fats. You’ll learn when to eat, what to eat, and how to cook it — and you’ll burn fat along the way. Win, win.

Part of being Bulletproof is optimizing your body to perform at its peak. Biohacking your sleep is part of the equation. You can also protect your body and learn more about your genes with a home DNA test — here’s a great guide to get started.

Technology is an important part of the biohacker’s toolkit, but it’s important to weigh your risk against reward. Cutting out inflammatory foods and listening to your body’s needs is science-backed and effective, and it’ll make you feel great. Shooting yourself with an RFID chip — not so much (yet).

Special Edition: Aerobic Exercise May Be Destroying Your Body – Charles Poliquin #537

October 23, 2018 by Dave Asprey

This episode is a special edition of Bulletproof Radio because a good friend and mentor, Charles Poliquin, a man who has helped elite professional athletes and Olympians win hundreds of medals, passed away unexpectedly.

Charles was a knowledgeable biohacker, possesed a wealth of knowledge, and was always eager and willing to share it. We lost an amazing biohacker when he passed, but I am grateful to be able to share his amazing wisdom one more time in this episode.

During this episode, we discuss how too much aerobic exercise may be destroying your body, but weightlifting can save it!

Enjoy the show!

Listen

Follow Along with the Transcript!

Special Edition: Aerobic exercise may be destroying your body – Charles Poliquin #537

Watch the Original Interview

Are Statin Side Effects Worth the Risk? What Cholesterol Meds Are Doing to Your Brain

October 22, 2018 by Dave Asprey

Statins are drugs that lower your cholesterol. They work by blocking an enzyme called HMG-CoA reductase, which makes your body much slower at synthesizing cholesterol.
When statins lower HMG-CoA reductase, they disrupt a lot more than cholesterol synthesis, causing less than desirable side effects. Blocking HMG-CoA reductase messes with energy production, brain function, metabolism, and hormone balance.
Statin side effects aren’t worth the risk, especially because lowering your cholesterol doesn’t actually make much of a difference when it comes to heart disease. You’re better off focusing on lowering inflammation.

You may have heard of statins before. They’re some of the most-prescribed drugs in North America. And to be fair, they’re great at what they do: statins are very good at lowering cholesterol. If you want to decrease your cholesterol numbers without exercising or changing what you eat, statins can help — but their side effects might not be worth it.

The question is: do you want to lower your cholesterol? Cholesterol is not the artery-clogging problem doctors thought it to be. The link between cholesterol and heart disease is weak at best. To keep your arteries strong, you’d do better to focus on lowering your inflammation, which looks like the real culprit behind heart disease.

And even if you do want to lower your cholesterol, statins are not a good way to do it, because of statins’ side effects. The mechanism that makes statins lower your cholesterol also impairs your mitochondria, brain, hormones, and metabolism.

Let’s take a look at how statins work, their side effects, and why you’re better off avoiding them.

Statins interfere with your mitochondria

Statins make your mitochondria — the powerhouses of your cells — struggle to produce energy.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3096178/”] Here’s why:

Statins lower your cholesterol by blocking HMG-CoA reductase, an enzyme that’s essential to cholesterol synthesis. In other words, statins work by making your cholesterol production tank.
HMG-CoA reductase is a crucial part of several other pathways in your body, including CoQ10 synthesis.
Your mitochondria need CoQ10 to make energy, and they also get protection from it. CoQ10 is a powerful antioxidant and the main one in your mitochondria. Without enough CoQ10, your mitochondria take on lots of oxidative damage and become much less efficient at making energy.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3824651/”]

Mitochondria are so important that I wrote an entire book about making your mitochondria stronger. Your brain is packed with them, which means it’s the first place you feel any change in your mitochondrial function — good or bad. That could explain why statins cause side effects like brain fog and memory loss that usually stop when people get off them,[ref url=”https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1592/phco.23.7.871.32720″] [ref url=”https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1592/phco.30.6.625″] and why statins cause significant fatigue, especially for women.[ref url=”https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/1183454″]

Statins weaken your mitochondria, which contributes to fatigue and brain fog. That’s the first reason to avoid them.

Another side effect of statins: They make your brain weaker

Your neurons (brain cells) are surrounded by support cells called glia. Whenever your neurons get damaged or stressed, glia come in and repair them. Glia also insulate pathways between neurons so that information travels through them quickly and your brain works faster.

Glia produce a fatty coating to insulate your cells that’s made mostly of cholesterol. Statins block your glia from producing cholesterol, which makes your brain slower and destroys brain cells.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16998865″] This is another possible explanation for why statins’ side effects include memory loss.

Statins lower your testosterone

Cholesterol is the precursor to testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, and all other sex hormones. When you take a statin and it blocks cholesterol synthesis, it slows down your testosterone synthesis as well.

The difference is meaningful, too. Several studies have found that statins lowered men’s testosterone levels by 10-15%.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20141585″][ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12510011″] [ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11016911″]

The average testosterone level in men has been steadily declining by about 1% per year since the 1970s.[ref url=”http://press.endocrine.org/doi/abs/10.1210/jc.2006-1375″] Low testosterone contributes to weight gain, depression, low energy, and brain fog. You want to do everything you can to boost your testosterone, and statins won’t do you any favors.

Statins destabilize blood sugar and increase risk of diabetes

Another important side effect of statins: they impair your glucose tolerance and spike blood sugar and insulin.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16685502″] That’s the perfect combination to cause diabetes. With high blood sugar, high insulin, and an inability to clear glucose, you’d expect statins to increase risk of diabetes.

And, as it turns out, that’s exactly what research says. A recent review of over a dozen studies and more than 100,000 people concluded that statins increase risk of diabetes, and the longer you’re on statins, the more your diabetes risk goes up.[ref url=”https://www.bmj.com/content/348/bmj.g3244″][ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23352266″][ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3741277/”]

Statins mess with your mitochondria, brain, hormones, and metabolism. Those side effects just aren’t worth it to lower your cholesterol — especially since cholesterol isn’t really bad for you. Instead, work on lowering inflammation to protect your heart.

If you still want to lower your cholesterol, there are better ways to do it. Start working out, or eat more veggies and cut out sugar. There’s no reason to risk taking statins. You — and your heart — deserve better.

For more kickass ways to keep your brain and heart going strong, sign up for the Bulletproof newsletter below.

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How to Clean Your Coffee Maker — and Why You Really Need To

October 19, 2018 by Team Asprey

If you’re not cleaning your coffee maker regularly, it could be growing mold, yeast, and bacteria.
Letting mold, yeast, and bacteria accumulate in your coffee maker could have consequences for your health, such as exacerbating existing respiratory problems or spreading gastrointestinal illnesses.
You should be washing your coffee maker after each use, as well as doing a deep clean once a month (Skip ahead to learn how to clean your coffee maker).

You may see your coffee maker as your ultimate ally — after all it is the dependable vehicle that delivers your daily cup(s) of Bulletproof Coffee. But if you’re neglecting to clean your coffee maker regularly or properly, it could be more foe than friend.

While the boiling water you use to make coffee does help kill germs, at the same time, the reservoir inside coffee makers is a dream breeding ground for unwanted microorganisms. A 2011 study by NSF International, a public health and safety organization, found mold and yeast were found in 50 percent of coffee reservoirs[ref url=”http://www.nsf.org/newsroom_pdf/2011_NSF_Household_Germ_Study_exec-summary.pdf”] — making them a dirtier spot than the bathroom faucet handle, countertop or cutting board. Nine percent of coffee reservoirs also tested positive for coliform, a type of bacteria commonly found in fecal matter.

“Coffee makers are one of the top five places NSF International discovered unfriendly bacteria in our germ study, thanks largely to the presence of two conditions germs love: moisture and warmth,” says Lisa Yakas, Senior Certification Project Manager of Consumer Products for NSF International. “Also, people may not be aware of the need to clean their coffee makers regularly, which allows more time for growth.”

And the nasties that are developing might not be immediately apparent to your naked eye. “There are a lot of crevices to clean that can be hard see, so they tend to be hot spots for bacteria and molds that are water-loving,” according to Kelly Reynolds, PhD, Director of the Environment, Exposure Science and Risk Assessment Center at the University of Arizona. When you neglect to clean your coffee maker, you may see biofilms manifest like a layer of slime over time. Or eventually you could find black mold, similar to what’s found in showers and toilets (yuck) — develop in those hard-to-see nooks and crannies, she says.

How to clean your coffee maker

Clean after every use

Because biofilm can grow in as little as two days, says Reynolds, it’s important to do a quick wash of your coffee maker following each use.

“Regular cleaning is the best way to avoid the growth of unfriendly bacteria in your coffee maker,” Yakas says. “Clean all removable parts, including the carafe, after every use. You can hand wash in the sink with warm, soapy water, but usually the parts are dishwasher safe. Clean all the parts, and dry thoroughly before re-assembling.”

Do a deep clean every month

You’ll also want to do a deeper clean monthly using vinegar, which is not only a solid cleaning solution, but it’s also perfectly safe to ingest. Here’s how to clean your coffee maker with vinegar:

Add up to four cups of undiluted vinegar to the reservoir.
Let it it stand for 30 minutes before running the vinegar through the unit.
Run two to three cycles of fresh water through the unit until the vinegar odor is gone.

In addition to your daily and monthly wash routine, you’ll want to adopt other hygienic coffee habits. “Empty out any unused water from your coffee maker after each use,” Yakas says. “And leave the lid to your coffee maker reservoir open in between uses. This helps dry it out, which in turn can help prevent the growth of germs.”

What happens if you don’t clean your coffee maker?

In addition to just being gross to think about, the mold, yeast, and germs that can accumulate in an unwashed coffee maker may have consequences for your health. Though there’s not currently data about the health effects of growth specifically in coffee makers, the types of dirt and mold growing in coffee makers can make people sick, according to Reynolds. If you set up a condition where a biofilm is growing, pathogenic organisms, such as salmonella, E. coli, or other gastrointestinal illness spread by water, can sustain themselves, she says.

“You can breathe in organisms like mold if they’re growing in high concentrations,” Reynolds says. “If you breathe it in and are susceptible to infection, this can have respiratory effects.”

For compromised people, such as those with asthma or allergies, it’s extra-important to be vigilant about mold growth (research has linked mold exposure to allergies and asthma).[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3114807/”] Same goes for young children and pregnant people. One study has even indicated that prenatal mold exposure can lead to atopic dermatitis in infants.[ref url=”https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021755718303735?via%3Dihub”]

And the negative outcomes of mold exposure may extend beyond that, thanks to mycotoxins,[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC164220/”] which are disease-causing metabolites produced by molds. For example, Ochratoxin A, one mycotoxin, has been associated with kidney[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3255309/”] and neurodegenerative[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3179161/”] disease. (You can read more about why mycotoxins are kryptonite and how to hack them here.) Other toxic mold exposure effects may include, fatigue, brain fog, and muscle aches (here’s a full list of symptoms). And these effects can be especially acute for the approximately one in four people who are particularly sensitive to mold exposure). If you think you’re affected by mold, check out these ways to detox your home and your body.

Get more biohacking tips and tricks by signing up for the Bulletproof newsletter below.

Why Hair Loss Happens and How to Regrow Hair Naturally

October 19, 2018 by Team Asprey

Hair loss is more common than you might think. It affects about half of men under 50, and around 20 percent of women under 50.
The three most common reasons you lose your hair are stress, hormone imbalances (particularly testosterone and thyroid hormones), and chronic inflammation.
Minodoxil and Finasteride are the two FDA-approved drugs to treat hair loss, but they both come with significant side effects, and you’re better off avoiding them.
Fortunately, you can regrow your hair without drugs. Read below to find out how.

If you’re losing your hair, you’re not alone. Hair loss is more common than you might think: Eighteen percent of men under 29 have moderate to advanced hair loss, and that number jumps to 53 percent for men in their 40s. Between 15 and 20 percent of women under 50 experience hair loss.

On a recent Bulletproof Radio [iTunes] podcast episode, hair loss expert Sophia Kogan, MD, explains why hair loss is so pervasive:

“The top three variables are stress, inflammation, and hormones,” Kogan says. All are more prevalent than ever in modern Western society.

The good news is, there are tools to manage hair loss, and even to regrow hair. Here’s why hair loss happens, and what you can do about it.

Stress, cortisol, and hair loss

According to Kogan, “stress is a huge, huge, huge component of [hair loss].”

Stress nowadays is different from the stress your ancestors faced. Thanks to technology like smartphones, internet, email, and social media, your nervous system is in a more-or-less constant state of stimulation.

“We’re no longer able to disconnect from anyone, even ourselves,” Kogan says. “We never put that phone down… that’s what we call the 21st-century conundrum.

Statistics back up what Kogan says: 59 percent of working-age people report feeling significantly stressed.Most of them also report burnout, exhaustion, anxiety, and depression.

Constantly high cortisol, your body’s stress hormone, causes a 40 percent drop in hyaluronic acid and proteoglycan synthesis. These two compounds protect your hair follicles and help them grow; when they’re depleted, your hair begins falling out — and it doesn’t growing back.

Thyroid and testosterone imbalances can cause hair loss

Thyroid hormone and testosterone imbalances also cause hair loss.

Your thyroid hormones bind directly to receptors in the base of your hair follicles, controlling hair growth and color. Thyroid hormones regulate hair stem cells too, meaning they can start and stop new hair growth.

The two main thyroid issues people have are over-producing thyroid hormones (hyperthyroidism) or under-producing them (hypothyroidism) — both cause your hair to fall out. A thyroid imbalance is a common issue — thyroid medication is the second most prescribed drug in the U.S. (the first is opiate painkillers).

Testosterone and its cousin, dihydrotestosterone (DHT), also drive hair loss. Enzymes in your hair follicles convert testosterone to DHT, and high DHT in your hair follicles causes them to shed.

Inflammation may cause hair loss, too

The link between chronic inflammation and hair loss is less clear. There haven’t been any causal studies, but a large percentage of people who seek hair loss treatment have signs of chronic inflammation, and stopping the inflammation often reverses hair loss.

Drugs that regrow hair (and why you should think twice about them)

There are two FDA-approved pharmaceuticals that can regrow hair.

Minoxidil can reverse hair loss for both men and women, although researchers don’t fully understand how it works. Chemists discovered it by accident when they were trying to make a drug to decrease high blood pressure. Minoxidil can cause heart palpitations in rare cases, but the bigger issues are minodoxil’s unpleasant texture and inflammatory properties. Minoxidil leaves a greasy residue in your hair, which is particularly challenging for women, and one of the leading reasons they stop using it.

“Compliance is a huge issue with minoxidil,” Kogan says. “A lot of people also experience scalp irritation or inflammation as a result of it.”

Another downside? Minoxidil sometimes makes your hair fall out, and faster, although researchers don’t know why.

Finasteride is the second FDA-approved drug for hair loss, specifically for men. It blocks 5-alpha reductase, the enzyme in your hair follicles that converts testosterone to DHT. Finasteride decreases DHT levels by about 60 percent, which is great for reversing hair loss, but blocking sex hormone synthesis has a lot of side effects. The biggest ones with finasteride are erectile dysfunction, low sex drive, and trouble ejaculating, likely because it interferes with circulating testosterone and DHT beyond just your hair follicles.

How to regrow hair without drugs

Minoxidil and finasteride are both subpar choices for regrowing your hair. You’re better off addressing the underlying cause of hair loss instead of treating the symptoms. Here’s what you can do:

1) Manage stress. Stress-related hair loss is called telogen effluvium. It usually happens within 6 months of chronic stress or a severely stressful event.

Fortunately, stress-induced hair loss is reversible. You just have to calm your nervous system. Stress management is a skill like anything else. Make it a point to add a couple of the following stress hacks to your daily habits:

2) Balance your thyroid and sex hormones. Check out this guide to balancing your thyroid and this guide to balancing your sex hormones. Easing stress will also help your hormones stay in balance.

Nutrition is the best way to balance your hormones. The Bulletproof Diet specifically removes hormone-disrupting foods and emphasizes healthy fats, which provide your cells with the building blocks to make plenty of sex hormones.

3) Decrease inflammation. Again, nutrition is your friend here. Make your food more flavorful with plenty of anti-inflammatory herbs and spices and eat lots of colorful antioxidant-rich veggies. Avoid sugar and simple carbs above all else. The Bulletproof Diet Roadmap is a full guide to what foods you should eat and what foods you should avoid.

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