The Human Upgrade: Biohacking for Longevity & Performance

How to Reverse Cognitive Decline, Grow Your Hippocampus, and Protect Your Brain from Alzheimer's Disease with Nutrition, Exercise, Sleep, and Stress Reduction

Your brain is physically shrinking right now, and most people have no idea it's happening. In this episode, you will discover the exact mechanisms behind cognitive decline, why brain fog is always treatable, and the proven strategies to grow your brain back, protect your memory, and slash your Alzheimer's risk regardless of your genetics.

-Watch this episode on YouTube for the full video experience: https://www.youtube.com/@DaveAspreyBPR

Host Dave Asprey sits down with Dr. Majid Fotuhi, a neuroscientist and neurologist who earned his PhD from Johns Hopkins University and his medical degree from Harvard Medical School. He currently serves as an adjunct professor at the Mind/Brain Institute at Johns Hopkins while also teaching at George Washington University and Harvard Medical School. With 37 years of experience in clinical practice, teaching, and neuroscience research, Dr. Fotuhi pioneered the Brain Fitness Program, a multidisciplinary approach to cognitive performance and brain vitality at any age that has produced measurable results documented in peer-reviewed journals. He is the author of three books including the bestselling The Invincible Brain and one of the world's leading experts on neuroplasticity, hippocampus growth, and successful aging. If anyone has earned the right to tell you your brain can get better, it is him.

Dr. Fotuhi and Dave break down why Alzheimer's is not a single disease but a soup of modifiable problems, why your lab results can show "normal" while your brain is starving, and how the five pillars of brain health connect directly to longevity, mitochondria function, and human performance. They also get into the brain effects of GLP-1s, the therapeutic promise of psychedelics like psilocybin and ketamine, the role of nootropics and supplements like B12, lithium orotate, and CoQ10, and why your VO2 max may be the single most important number for brain aging. .

You'll Learn:
Why 97% of Alzheimer's cases involve multiple modifiable causes and what to do about each one
How to physically grow your hippocampus through exercise, meditation, and nutrition
Why "normal" lab ranges are actively harming millions of people and what optimal actually looks like
The 7 everyday things that are shrinking your brain right now
How stress, loneliness, and isolation cause measurable brain atrophy
Which supplements including B12, lithium orotate, CoQ10, and nootropics support long-term brain health
Why VO2 max predicts brain aging better than almost any other marker
What psychedelics like psilocybin and ketamine actually do to your brain according to a Johns Hopkins neurologist
How the APOE4 gene affects Alzheimer's risk and why exercise can erase that risk entirely
Why mitochondria health is the foundation of both brain function and longevity


Thank you to our sponsors!
- Viome | Check it out at viome.com and use code 10DAVE for 10% off. It’s time to stop guessing and start knowing your body.
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Dave Asprey is a four-time New York Times bestselling author, founder of Bulletproof Coffee, and the father of biohacking. With over 1,000 interviews and 1 million monthly listeners, The Human Upgrade brings you the knowledge to take control of your biology, extend your longevity, and optimize every system in your body and mind. Each episode delivers cutting-edge insights inhealth, performance, neuroscience, supplements, nutrition, biohacking, emotional intelligence, and conscious living.

New episodes are released every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday (BONUS). Dave asks the questions no one else will and gives you real tools to become stronger, smarter, and more resilient.

Keywords: Majid Fotuhi, Dr. Majid Fotuhi, The Invincible Brain, brain health, cognitive decline, Alzheimer's prevention, hippocampus, neuroplasticity, brain fog, memory loss, APOE4, brain shrinkage, B12 deficiency, lithium orotate, CoQ10, nootropics, VO2 max, mitochondria, longevity, anti-aging, biohacking, brain optimization, sleep optimization, stress reduction, functional medicine, human performance, psilocybin, ketamine, GLP-1, semaglutide, telomeres, BDNF, brain training, cognitive performance

Resources:
• Learn More About Dr. Fotuhi’s Work At: https://drfotuhi.com/
• Purchase Dr. Fotuhi’s New Book The Invincible Brain: https://a.co/d/0iHCgPpL
• Get My 2026 Clean Nicotine Roadmap | Enroll for free at https://daveasprey.com/2026-clean-nicotine-roadmap/
• Dave Asprey's Latest News | Go to https://daveasprey.com/ to join Inside Track today.
• Danger Coffee: https://dangercoffee.com/discount/dave15
• My Daily Supplements: SuppGrade Labs (15% Off)
• Favorite Blue Light Blocking Glasses: TrueDark (15% Off)
• Dave Asprey’s BEYOND Conference: https://beyondconference.com
• Dave Asprey’s New Book – Heavily Meditated: https://daveasprey.com/heavily-meditated
• Join My Substack (Live Access To Podcast Recordings): https://substack.daveasprey.com/
• Upgrade Labs: https://upgradelabs.com

Timestamps:
00:00 – Trailer
00:59 – Intro
03:00 – Cannabis & Nicotine
04:15 – Understanding Alzheimer's
05:38 – Five Pillars Explained
07:55 – Best Cognitive Training
09:08 – Brain Size & Growth
12:36 – B12 & Lab Ranges
17:48 – Head-to-Toe Evaluation
24:17 – Sex & Brain Health
25:43 – Loneliness & Isolation
33:59 – ApoE4 Genetics
35:28 – Alzheimer's Declining
48:44 – Lithium & Brain
59:38 – VO2 Max & Fitness
1:06:42 – Psychedelics
1:09:38 – GLP-1s & Brain
1:12:38 – Closing & Action Steps
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dr. William Li: Eat to Beat Disease, Extend Longevity, and Hack Your Vascular Health

Your body already has a built-in cancer defense system, and the foods you eat can rival prescription drugs at activating it. In this episode, you'll discover what 720,000 living centenarians reveal about longevity, why microplastics are reaching your brain through your nose, and how your blood vessels hold the real key to biological aging.

-Watch this episode on YouTube for the full video experience: https://www.youtube.com/@DaveAspreyBPR

Host Dave Asprey sits down with Dr. William Li, an internationally renowned physician, scientist, and two-time New York Times bestselling author of "Eat to Beat Disease" and "Eat to Beat Your Diet." As President and Medical Director of the Angiogenesis Foundation, Dr. Li's groundbreaking research has led to the development of more than 40 new medical treatments impacting care for over 70 diseases including diabetes, heart disease, blindness, and obesity. His TED Talk, "Can We Eat to Starve Cancer?", has surpassed 11 million views, making him one of the most trusted voices at the intersection of functional medicine and food as medicine science.

Together they dig into the biology of SuperAgers, the vascular markers that predict how long you'll live, and why flow-mediated dilation may be the most underrated biohacking measurement tool available today. Dave shares what happened after four separate gene therapies, including klotho and VEGF, and Dr. Li explains why your metabolism, mitochondria, and gut microbiome show up in the data on every centenarian ever studied. They also get into the microplastic crisis, the cribriform plate pathway that delivers airborne particles directly to your brain, and why your tongue is the first place your body quietly stores fat.

You'll Learn:
What centenarian research reveals about immune function, gut health, and vascular resilience
Why 50% of food extracts matched or outperformed cancer drugs in head-to-head angiogenesis testing
How microplastics travel through your nose directly to your central nervous system
What flow-mediated dilation and pulse wave velocity tell you about your true biological age
Why your hind-third tongue fat is an overlooked early warning sign for sleep apnea and metabolism problems
What Dave's four gene therapies (klotho, VEGF, follistatin) actually did to his body
How the vagus nerve connects gut health to brain optimization, stress resilience, and longevity
Why genetics now accounts for roughly half of longevity outcomes, and what that means for the future of gene therapy
How to use biohacking tools to compound your health the same way you compound financial returns


Thank you to our sponsors!
- Beyond Wonderland Conference | Oct 13 - 14, 2026. Get your ticket now at wonderlandconference.com.
- Amp | If you're ready to make fitness fit into your life, go to amp.ai to check it out
- Caldera + Lab | A small habit with big results. Go to CalderaLab.com/DAVE and use code DAVE for 20% off your first order.
- Calroy | Go to Calroy.com/DAVE for exclusive discounts on Arterosil HP, Vascanox HP and all Calroy products.

Dave Asprey is a four-time New York Times bestselling author, founder of Bulletproof Coffee, and the father of biohacking. With over 1,000 interviews and 1 million monthly listeners, The Human Upgrade brings you the knowledge to take control of your biology, extend your longevity, and optimize every system in your body and mind. Each episode delivers cutting-edge insights inhealth, performance, neuroscience, supplements, nutrition, biohacking, emotional intelligence, and conscious living.

New episodes are released every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday (BONUS). Dave asks the questions no one else will and gives you real tools to become stronger, smarter, and more resilient.

Keywords: William Li, Dr. William Li, Eat to Beat Disease, angiogenesis, food as medicine, centenarians, SuperAgers, longevity, anti-aging, biohacking, vascular health, flow-mediated dilation, pulse wave velocity, microplastics, cribriform plate, gene therapy, klotho, VEGF, follistatin, mitochondria, metabolism, gut health, vagus nerve, sleep apnea, functional medicine, human performance, brain optimization, cancer prevention, inflammation, immune system

Resources:
• Learn More About Dr. Li’s Work At: https://drwilliamli.com
• Get My 2026 Clean Nicotine Roadmap | Enroll for free at https://daveasprey.com/2026-clean-nicotine-roadmap/
• Dave Asprey's Latest News | Go to https://daveasprey.com/ to join Inside Track today.
• Danger Coffee: https://dangercoffee.com/discount/dave15
• My Daily Supplements: SuppGrade Labs (15% Off)
• Favorite Blue Light Blocking Glasses: TrueDark (15% Off)
• Dave Asprey’s BEYOND Conference: https://beyondconference.com
• Dave Asprey’s New Book – Heavily Meditated: https://daveasprey.com/heavily-meditated
• Join My Substack (Live Access To Podcast Recordings): https://substack.daveasprey.com/
• Upgrade Labs: https://upgradelabs.com

Timestamps:
00:00 – Trailer
02:33 – William's Background
06:21 – Food vs. Cancer Drugs
14:09 – Gene Therapy
23:50 – Centenarian Research
27:41 – Stress & the Vagus Nerve
37:31 – Vascular Health
42:34 – Microplastics
53:19 – Novel Biomarkers
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I used to weigh 300 pounds. I tried every restrictive diet, became a vegan, and trained 90 minutes a day for 18 months with absolute zero results. Everything changed when I drank a cup of yak butter tea at 18,300 feet in Tibet. Within 30 seconds, my severe brain fog lifted, and my metabolism completely shifted.

In this video, I break down exactly why adding sugar to your morning coffee is destroying your metabolism, spiking your insulin, and keeping you fat. I explain the hard science behind the alternative: blending "fat cubes" (grass-fed butter) and MCT oil into your coffee. I reveal how this specific combination of butyrate, CLA, and medium-chain triglycerides bypasses traditional digestion to go straight to your liver, instantly converting into ketones for pure brain fuel. You'll learn how eating more fat actually trains your body to burn its own stored fat, allowing me to hit 4.8% body fat at 50 years old with a biological age in my 30s—without hunger, without a 3 PM crash, and without living in the gym.

Thank you to our sponsors!
Suppgrade Labs | Grab your DAKE and Minerals 101 duo at shopsuppgradelabs.com and use code DAVEPOD for 15% off today
Viome | Check it out at viome.com and use code 10DAVE for 10% off. It’s time to stop guessing and start knowing your body.
iRestore | Reverse hair loss at www.irestore.com/DAVE and get exclusive savings on the iRestore Elite, use code DAVE

Timestamps:
0:00 – Intro
00:42 – Pancreatic Cancer Halted by Virus Injection
01:44 – Teens & AI Therapy Chatbots
03:13 – GLP-1 Drugs Cut Breast Cancer Risk
04:30 – Russia's $26B Longevity Program
06:18 – Sauna vs. Cold Plunge
09:10 – Closing

Connect with Dave Asprey!

Website: https://daveasprey.com
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@daveaspreyofficial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dave.asprey/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Daveaspreyofficial/
X: https://x.com/daveasprey
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/daveaspreybpr

The Human Upgrade Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/TheHumanUpgradePodcast/ https://m.facebook.com/Thehumanupgrade/

Danger Coffee: https://dangercoffee.com/DAVE15
Dave Asprey’s BEYOND Conference: https://beyondconference.com/
Dave Asprey’s New Book - Heavily Meditated: https://daveasprey.com/heavily-meditated/
Dave's favorite supplements: https://www.shopsuppgradelabs.com/discount/DAVE15
Upgrade Labs: https://upgradelabs.com
40 Years of Zen: https://40yearsofzen.com
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Pancreatic Cancer Halted by Virus Injection
Researchers injected an engineered virus directly into pancreatic tumors in three patients — the virus replicated inside malignant cells, triggered an immune response, and stopped tumor growth and spread at an intentionally low early dose. Host Dave Asprey breaks down why oncolytic viruses can do what chemotherapy can't, how the tumor's dense biological wall becomes less of an advantage when a virus can replicate inside it directly, and why a measurable response at a safety dose is the kind of early signal that changes how he's watching this field.
Sources:
https://www.newscientist.com


AI Chatbots and Teen Mental Health
A new survey shows roughly one in five adolescents and young adults are now going to AI chatbots when they feel sad, anxious, nervous, or stressed, with usage heaviest in the 18–21 range. Host Dave Asprey explains why general-purpose language models designed to be engaging are dangerous as a substitute for real mental health support, why false reassurance from a chatbot may make the pipeline to real care harder to reach, and why this is a health systems story masquerading as a tech adoption story — and what parents need to do about it.
Sources:
https://www.nbcnews.com



GLP-1 Drugs Cut Breast Cancer Risk
Penn Medicine published a retrospective analysis of over 111,000 women finding GLP-1 exposure associated with about 35% lower odds of breast cancer in the full cohort and around 30% lower in a matched comparison group. Host Dave Asprey breaks down why this isn't just a weight loss story — it's a metabolic dysfunction story — explains the insulin resistance, inflammation, and hormonal environment mechanisms that may be driving the signal, and makes the case that this finding should be reshaping how oncologists and OBGYNs think about high-risk patients right now.
Sources:
https://www.pennmedicine.org


Putin's $26 Billion Longevity Program
The Wall Street Journal reports that Russia has made anti-aging research a Kremlin-level national priority through a $26 billion program including gene therapy, organ bioprinting, and xenotransplantation, led by Putin's daughter Maria Vorontsova and physicist Mikhail Kovalchuk. Host Dave Asprey breaks down what's geopolitical theater, what's legitimately frontier science, and why the real question is whether any findings will make it out to the broader research community or get locked inside a state program.
Sources:
https://www.wsj.com https://www.france24.com


Sauna vs. Cold Plunge
A landmark Finnish study tracked over 2,300 men for nearly 21 years and found increasing sauna frequency associated with dramatically lower cardiovascular and all-cause mortality — strongest at four or more sessions per week. Host Dave Asprey settles the debate with the actual data, explains what heat shock proteins and cold shock proteins actually are and why the evidence base behind them is nowhere near equivalent, and calls out the wellness marketing presenting early-stage mouse model research as the cold water equivalent of two decades of human mortality outcomes.
Sources:
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2521522


This episode is designed for biohackers, longevity seekers, and high-performance listeners who want mechanism-level clarity on cancer treatment breakthroughs, adolescent mental health and AI, metabolic drivers of disease, geopolitical longevity science, and the real evidence behind popular recovery modalities. Host Dave Asprey connects emerging clinical research, objective epidemiological data, and real-world optimization protocols into actionable frameworks for extending healthspan, sharpening performance, and staying ahead of the science.


New episodes every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday.


Keywords: oncolytic virus pancreatic cancer, engineered virus tumor treatment, AI chatbot teen mental health, adolescent AI emotional support, GLP-1 breast cancer risk, semaglutide cancer prevention, metabolic dysfunction root cause disease, Putin longevity program Russia, New Health Preservation Technologies, anti-aging biotech geopolitics, sauna longevity mortality data, cold plunge cold shock proteins, RBM3 heat shock proteins, sauna vs cold plunge evidence, biohacking news 2026, longevity research, Dave Asprey, The Human Upgrade


Thank you to our sponsors!
- Suppgrade Labs | Grab your DAKE and Minerals 101 duo at shopsuppgradelabs.com and use code DAVEPOD for 15% off today
- Essentia | Go to https://myessentia.com/dave and use code DAVE for $100 off The Dave Asprey Upgrade.
- iRestore | Reverse hair loss at www.irestore.com/DAVE and get exclusive savings on the iRestore Elite, use code DAVE


Resources:
• Get My 2026 Clean Nicotine Roadmap | Enroll for free at https://daveasprey.com/2026-clean-nicotine-roadmap/
• Get My 2026 Biohacking Trends Report: https://daveasprey.com/2026-biohacking-trends-report/
• Dave Asprey's Latest News | Go to https://daveasprey.com/ to join Inside Track today.
• Danger Coffee: https://dangercoffee.com/discount/dave15
• My Daily Supplements: SuppGrade Labs (15% Off)
• Favorite Blue Light Blocking Glasses: TrueDark (15% Off)
• Dave Asprey’s BEYOND Conference: https://beyondconference.com
• Dave Asprey’s New Book – Heavily Meditated: https://daveasprey.com/heavily-meditated
• Join My Substack (Live Access To Podcast Recordings): https://substack.daveasprey.com/
• Upgrade Labs: https://upgradelabs.com


Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro
00:42 – Pancreatic Cancer Halted by Virus Injection
01:44 – Teens & AI Therapy Chatbots
03:13 – GLP-1 Drugs Cut Breast Cancer Risk
04:30 – Russia's $26B Longevity Program
06:18 – Sauna vs. Cold Plunge
09:10 – Closing
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sulforaphane, Detox Pathways, and the Science of Microplastic Removal

Microplastics are building up inside your brain, blood, and reproductive tissue, and most detox protocols do nothing to remove them. This episode gives you the cellular science behind why toxins accumulate, which three detox pathways control your ability to excrete them, and what the latest research shows actually moves microplastics, heavy metals, BPA, and benzene out of your body..

-Watch this episode on YouTube for the full video experience: https://www.youtube.com/@DaveAspreyBPR
-For next week, 25% off all Mara Labs products when you go to www.mara-labs.com/DAVE and use code DAVE at checkout. After June 11th, the code will return to the standard 15% off.

Host Dave Asprey sits down with Dr. John Gildea, a Johns Hopkins-trained PhD with 60 scientific publications and over 20 NIH-funded studies, and David Roberts, co-founder of Mara Labs and co-creator of BrocElite, the only naturally derived stable form of sulforaphane available in a capsule. Together they bring decades of research-backed biohacking and functional medicine insight into one of the most pressing longevity conversations of our time.

They break down the lysosome, your cell's built-in incinerator, and explain exactly why it gets clogged with microplastics, advanced glycation end products, and other toxins that won't break down. New research shows that sulforaphane triggers a process called lysosomal surface translocation, which releases those trapped particles so your body can finally excrete them. An in-house Mara Labs study confirmed the excretion pathway: microplastics come out in feces. In the original study, the individual measured the highest microplastic levels ever recorded, and a repeat study a year later showed dramatically lower baseline microplastic levels, suggesting consistent use compounds the benefit over time.

You'll Learn:
Why microplastics accumulate inside lysosomes and what sulforaphane does to release them
How the three detox pathways, glutathione, glucuronidation, and sulfation, work together to remove every major class of toxin
What an in-house study revealed about how and where microplastics actually leave the body
How toxic estrogen metabolites form and why sulforaphane is the most effective natural tool to reroute them
Why berberine supports sleep optimization, ketosis, and blocks a cancer growth pathway most drugs cannot touch
How sulforaphane boosts BDNF and neuroplasticity at the cellular level
What microplastic sources in your home, including your dryer, rugs, and receipts, are doing to your toxin load daily
Why losing weight releases stored toxins and what to take to protect your brain and metabolism during fat loss
How sulforaphane activates the same AMPK longevity pathways triggered by fasting without restricting food

Thank you to our sponsors!
- iRestore | Reverse hair loss at www.irestore.com/DAVE and get exclusive savings on the iRestore Elite, use code DAVE
- HeartMath | Go to https://www.heartmath.com/dave to save 15% off.
- Timeline | Go to timeline.com/dave and you’ll get an additional 20% off your first month
- Our Place | Stop cooking with toxic cookware and upgrade to Our Place today. With a 100-day risk-free trial, plus free shipping and returns, you can experience this game-changing cookware with zero risk. Visit: fromourplace.com/DAVE Use code: DAVE for 10% off sitewide

Dave Asprey is a four-time New York Times bestselling author, founder of Bulletproof Coffee, and the father of biohacking. With over 1,000 interviews and 1 million monthly listeners, The Human Upgrade brings you the knowledge to take control of your biology, extend your longevity, and optimize every system in your body and mind. Each episode delivers cutting-edge insights inhealth, performance, neuroscience, supplements, nutrition, biohacking, emotional intelligence, and conscious living.

New episodes are released every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday (BONUS). Dave asks the questions no one else will and gives you real tools to become stronger, smarter, and more resilient.

Keywords: Dr. John Gildea, David Roberts, Mara Labs, BrocElite, sulforaphane, microplastics, microplastic removal, lysosome, lysosomal surface translocation, detox pathways, glutathione, glucuronidation, sulfation, Nrf2 pathway, AMPK, TFEB1, BDNF, neuroplasticity, heavy metals, BPA, benzene, estrogen metabolism, toxic estrogen, xenoestrogens, berberine, BerbaLite, ResveraLite, c-Myc, cancer and estrogen, sleep optimization, ketosis, broccoli sprouts, isothiocyanates, PEITC, watercress, phase two detox, microplastic excretion, indoor air quality, HEPA filter, dryer lint microplastics, BPA receipts, endocrine disruptors, fat loss and toxins, autism and sulforaphane, ADHD and focus, vivid dreams and BDNF, fasting mimicry, anti-aging, biohacking, longevity, functional medicine, supplements, human performance, brain optimization, metabolism, cellular detox

Resources:
• For next week, 25% off all Mara Labs products when you go to www.mara-labs.com/DAVE and use code DAVE at checkout. After June 11th, the code will return to the standard 15% off.
• Get My 2026 Clean Nicotine Roadmap | Enroll for free at https://daveasprey.com/2026-clean-nicotine-roadmap/
• Dave Asprey's Latest News | Go to https://daveasprey.com/ to join Inside Track today.
• Danger Coffee: https://dangercoffee.com/discount/dave15
• My Daily Supplements: SuppGrade Labs (15% Off)
• Favorite Blue Light Blocking Glasses: TrueDark (15% Off)
• Dave Asprey’s BEYOND Conference: https://beyondconference.com
• Dave Asprey’s New Book – Heavily Meditated: https://daveasprey.com/heavily-meditated
• Join My Substack (Live Access To Podcast Recordings): https://substack.daveasprey.com/
• Upgrade Labs: https://upgradelabs.com

Timestamps:
0:00 – Trailer
1:55 – Intro & Context
4:48 – Microplastics & Sulforaphane
12:39 – Broccoli Sprouts Formulation
15:20 – Lab Origin Story
26:01 – Reducing Toxin Exposure
37:06 – Estrogen, Hormones & Berberine
52:46 – Autism, ADHD & Brain Health
59:01 – Wrap-Up
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.