Dr. Robert Sapolsky: Science of Stress, Testosterone & Free Will

In this episode, I interview Dr. Robert Sapolsky, Ph.D., Professor of Biology, Neurology & Neurosurgery at Stanford University. We discuss stress, what defines short-term versus long-term stress, and how stress can be beneficial or detrimental, depending on the context. We also discuss stress mitigation and how our sense of control over stress mitigation techniques, including exercise, determine health outcomes. Dr. Sapolsky explains some of the key effects of the hormone testosterone — how it can amplify pre-existing tendencies for aggression or sexual behavior, but that it does not produce those behaviors per se. He also explains how testosterone impacts our social hierarchies, sense of confidence, and willingness to embrace challenges of different kinds. He also explains how our behaviors and perceptions shape testosterone levels. And we discuss estrogen and the powerful role it plays in brain development, health and longevity. Finally, we discuss free will, what it means to have free will, and if we have any free will, including how knowledge alone might allow us to make better decisions for ourselves and society.

Social & Website

Links

Timestamps
00:00:00 Introduction: Dr. Robert Sapolsky
00:02:26 Sponsors: Roka, InsideTracker
00:06:30 Stress: Short & Long-Term, Good & Bad
00:09:11 Valence & Amygdala
00:11:00 Testosterone: Common Myths vs. Actual Truths
00:15:15 Behaviors that Affect Testosterone
00:17:20 Mindsets & Contexts that Affect Testosterone
00:20:28 How Finger Length Ratios Reflect Prenatal Hormone Levels
00:22:30 Aggression: Male-Female, Female-Male, & Female-Female
00:24:05 Testosterone: The Challenge Hypothesis
00:29:20 How Dopamine Impacts Testosterone & Motivation
00:32:32 Estrogen: Improves Brain & Longevity BUT TIMING IS KEY
00:39:40 Are Testosterone & Sperm Counts in Males Really Dropping?
00:42:15 Stress Mitigation & Our Sense of Control
00:51:35 How Best to Buffer Stress
00:57:04 Power of Perception, Choice & Individual Differences
01:00:32 Context-Setting, Prefrontal Cortex & Hierarchy
01:11:20 How Dr. Sapolsky Accomplishes Deep Thinking
01:13:17 Do We Have Free Will?
01:20:50 How to Apply Knowledge & Learning
01:23:44 Robert’s New Book: “Determined: The Science of Life Without Free Will”
01:28:27 Reflections, Support of Podcast, & Supporting Stress Research

#HubermanLab #Testosterone #Stress

Photo credit: Linda A. Cicero (used with permission from Stanford Medicine Media)

[streetspirits]

My love for neuroscience started watching Sapolsky's free lectures on youtube. Watching both of you together gives me a level of happiness that words cannot describe. Also reading Behave has made me a better human and one that's more compassionate with others (or at least that's what I try). Just thank you.

[lucasfigueroa]

Sapolsky is one of the most interesting guest this podcast could've ever have. Thrill to see this

[seanyounk]

1:22:28 "The knowledge of the knowledge is an effector in and of itself". The absolute most powerful statement here!

[jackjack-xwci]

Omg, i swallowed every single word from Prof Sapolsky' lectures on Human Behavioral Biology from 11 years ago. A pleasure to see Prof Sapolsky and Prof Huberman together here.

[Weston]

I never realized how many people have watched Sapolsky's lectures. I too admire his work and was excited to see this. Love the genuine effort behind this channel. 👏

[BorisAmar]

I took his college class on YouTube. Saved tons of money and learned so much. He truly is a gift to humankind.

[dantemawji]

i jumped out of bed like never before to run to my pc and watch this episode. SO STOKED THANKS HUBERMAN AND SAPOLSKY <3

[jessiepower]

I can not believe how lucky we are to get such amazing educational resources close to free now days!! Both your podcast and Robert Sapolskys published lectures have given me an invaluable amount of insight into the biology of being human. Thankyou both for all the usefull mechanisms, explanations and potential explorations in finding our best selves, and overcoming our hardest selfs.

[utasantos-konig]

i have rarely laughed so loudly and heartily in andrew huberman's episodes. Robert Sapolsky's humor is subtle and familiar, I love it. Laughing is my favorite way to learn

[Khodalyr]

This is the biggest neuroscience crossover episode ever

[oldgymrat]

For the past 13 years I have watched everything Sapolsky on YouTube and am very appreciative!

[snipe]

I am fangirl screaming so loud. Sapolsky is my hero! I binged his entire lecture series

[Crashoverall]

Sapolsky is an absolute scientist. Very gifted and one of the most amazing contributors to good thought of all time.

[juvetb]

Thank you for this, Dr Huberman. I feel super fortunate that I live in this era, where despite not living in the states, I got to listen to Dr Sapolsky's lectures online, and read the terrific books he had written. It was through his lectures I developed such a deep interest, and some understanding of human behaviour, which would simply not have been possible in a different era.

Behave, in particular, has almost been the equivalent of a bible for me (an atheist), and even if some parts of it have been overwritten by new science, Sapolsky's structure of thinking about behaviour (1 sec before, seconds before, minutes before, hours and days before....) that combines all the different branches of science is simply unparalleled

[breehogg]

This was an absolutely brilliant episode. Hormones, ‘free will’ and the meaning of existence. Please bring Dr Robert Sapolsky back for more discussions. Knowledge of knowledge is indeed changing Thank you.

[Alistair_Spence]

Sapolsky's Stanford lecture series, available on YouTube, is legendary (in my opinion anyway). I watched it about a year ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. I only wish I could have had access to that kind of information earlier in life, but better late than never I guess.

[siemore]

You don't believe the shivers that went through my whole body from just seeing the thumbnail with Robert Sapolski. It's crazy! Behave was one of the best books that have ever been written. Never expected him to be on the show.

[ensokim]

Robert Sapolsky is a legend. I've read a few of his books and his passion, humor, and ability to explain things both in depth and simply in his subject are unmatched. Thank you Andrew and the Huberman Lab!

[bethany]

Starting TRT 3 years ago was best choice ever. Finding a good doctor trained in it is important. I was depressed, tired, in constant joint and muscular pain, anxious and unmotivated before. Bloodwork showed my super low T and we fixed it. It was crazy how it helped me feel like myself again and continues to today 3-3.5 years later. Can’t stress importance of trained HRT doctors because endocrinologists just go more by the book and the books lack this research. My husband is in med school and wants to get into HRT because it is a field we feel is growing and truly helps people. And I’m sure if I went to a psychologist they would’ve just had me on antidepressants and antianxieties for the rest of my life instead which wouldn’t fix the problem and long term problems of low t. Thank you for this discussion, it needs to be spread. 👍🏻

[niklaswerner]

Thank you so much for bringing Robert Sapolsky on the show. Both of you are truly inspiring science educators