How to Optimize Your Water Quality & Intake for Health | Huberman Lab Podcast

In this episode, I discuss our body’s most vital and essential nutrient—water. I explain the structure of water and how it is used by the cells and tissues of our body, how much water we each need to drink and when in order to optimize our mental focus and physical performance; and I include how exercise, humidity, heat, and caffeine affect our hydration needs. I explain how temperature and pH influence water’s physical properties and if there is any scientific basis for drinking so-called “pH water” or “alkalized water” to improve health. I explain how to test your tap water for contaminants (e.g., endocrine disruptors) and the documented problems with fluoride in drinking water. I provide options for filtering drinking water and describe different water types (e.g., reverse osmosis, hydrogen-enriched, electrolyzed reduced, deuterium depleted, etc.). Since the human body is mostly water (55-80% depending on one’s age) and water has essential roles in health, disease and cellular function, everyone ought to benefit from understanding how best to clean our tap water, hydrate effectively and in some cases, adjust the type of water we drink to allow our brain and body to function optimally in regard to health and performance.

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Timestamps
00:00:00 Water
00:03:33 Tool Deliberate Cold Exposure, Immersion & Showers Mood & Fat Loss
00:15:26 Sponsors: LMNT, Thesis, HVMN, Momentous
00:19:27 Water: Physical Properties & Chemistry
00:26:32 Bonds & Water Phases, “Structured Water”
00:34:07 Body, Cells & Water
00:36:22 Sponsor: AG1 (Athletic Greens)
00:37:37 Water as a Solvent, Temperature & On the phone. I’ll respond soon.
00:41:49 Water Transport in Cells, Aquaporin Channels
00:49:46 Alkaline/pH Water; Temperature, pH & Water Transport
00:55:14 Water Cellular Function, Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) & Antioxidants
01:01:20 Sponsor: InsideTracker
01:02:38 Tool: Baseline Hydration
01:11:35 Tool: Hydration & Exercise, Galpin Equation
01:15:40 Tool: Hydration, Sauna, Humidity & Sweat; Thirst, Caffeine
01:19:15 Hydration; Cognitive & Physical Performance
01:23:53 Tool: Water Filtration; Nighttime Urination
01:29:35 Tap Water Tests, Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs), Fluoride & Thyroid Health
01:37:18 Tool: Water Filters
01:44:18 Tool: Resting Tap Water & Sediment
01:48:13 Tool: “Hard Water”; Magnesium, Calcium & Cardiovascular Health
01:53:40 Water Temperature
01:56:42 Water Types: Distilled, Reverse Osmosis, Hydrogen-Enriched
02:03:26 Hydrogen-Enriched Water, Magnesium, Optimize Hydration
02:11:13 Tool: Molecular Hydrogen Tablets, Water pH
02:14:05 Structured Water
02:16:39 Tool: Water Pipes, Faucet Filter
02:19:42 Zero-Cost Support, Spotify & Apple Reviews, YouTube Feedback, Sponsors, Momentous, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter

[hubermanlab]

Please note that there is some confusion: I stated covalent bonds for the bonds between Hydrogens & Oxygen of a single H2O, not the bonds between water molecules which, as many people pointed out are hydrogen bonds. I will post a clip to social media and elsewhere to further clarify.

[moatasim]

Yesterday my mom was looking at me watching one of your youtube podcasts and she went like: "this andrew guy feels like a part of our family now given the fact that you listen so much to him and advocate for all the behavioral tools he suggests to be incorporated in our family". Here in Pakistan I really wish more people had known about your work and I literally try my best to spread around the word about your podcast to all my friends since in my country not that many people are so educated about the importance of physical health and mental wellbeing. Thankyou Andrew for being a part of my family ❤️

[RyanKavoosi]

Only Andrew could talk about water for 2 hours & 22 mins😄

[MLeonardReel]

Thank you for all your work and generosity. It is the definition of what the internet was always supposed to be. 👏👏👏

[kingkold]

Im a water treatment plant operator, and a helpful tip for the low cost option is to shake the water a bit, as many of these are whats called volatiles, which "go away" when exposed to oxygen. This can actually help with the chlorine taste in water as well. On the topic of hard water and showers, taking showers with hard water can actually make your skin feel "tight" after a shower, which is actually just your skin being dry believe it or not, and this affects your hair, this can be why women won't wash their hair more than say twice a week sometimes. Just thought this was helpful information from my field of work.

[bernicehopkins]

My son has been strongly advising me to watch/listen to you. Finally, I'm doing that and I'm very happy to see an actual academic, a scientist present info. If I see one more so called Dr., where they throw a white jacket on some one and give them a stethoscope, I will lose my mind. Thank you. I'm going to be 70 in September. You wouldn't know it looking at me, but I have multiple health issues that I am trying to address. I have a PCP, hematologist, neurologist, orthopedist, GI doc, and a sleep specialist. I have good genes but I am in recovery from alcohol addiction, 16 years. I know I did damage. I can't reverse a lot of it, but I want to do what I can to mitigate some of it.

[stormiebrooks]

A huge thank you to you, sir. My kids have a huge exposure to science in my home (mostly musculoskeletal anatomy & biology) but it was finding you that inspired my son, a 16 yr old junior IB diploma student, to want to pursue neuroscience for optimal health in young athletes. He mentioned applying to a specific college for the first time the other day - it was Stanford, so he could study under you. I appreciate your mission and the joy it brings. 🧬

[jopo]

This podcast helps quench my thirst for knowledge.

[tvylyt]

Dr. Huberman, thanks for your interest in our health.

[MrHappy]

May this binge never end. I've been battling with a lot of issues recently, mostly related to prolonged drug use. You're helping me climb out of the hole I've been in for over a decade, thanks so much. YouTube is a wonderful place and your content is amongst the most valuable out there, thanks again and again

[PhilMMorton]

Love your podcast. You're an amazing guy. I'm a 37-year-old CHF patient with an LVAD and in need of a heart transplant. Your podcast gives so much detail and has really helped me to understand the function of my body and heart beyond what a medical doctor would ever have time to explain. This podcast has changed how I do so much in my life. You're literally saving my life every day.

[MindNow]

2 Things I can't live without at the moment: Water and Andrew Huberman

As always, thank you Andrew for changing my life <3

[metemad]

Andrew puts a great deal of effort for these podcasts. Thank you for all you do.

[AmirYuldashevv]

Instant like! Thank you Andrew! You probably saved 10-15 years of my life. I have used a continuous glucose monitor that you recommended, and it turned out I'm pre-diabetic. I am 27yo, 6`2 and 160lbs, very lean, very sporty don't do any drugs, alcohol, smoking, I eat only whole foods foods and fish, low sugar consumption, and still it turned out I am pre diabetic. I appreciate your work and your study. Keep doing it, man! We have to be healthy and strong together as a community!

[davidyeoman]

I lived in Flint, Michigan during the water crisis - when lead was leaching into the drinking water from municipal lines so this topic is very near and dear to my heart. My family and pets were negatively affected. I was part of a research team with the University of Michigan that looked into how much lead was leached from the pipes, and we also looked at microbial communities associated with the different types of water service lines. Municipal water leaves much to be desired.

[annarake]

I have been waiting for this video to come into my life for 10 years! Praise God for you Dr. Huberman! Thank you 😊

[fsfx]

I’m a PT - and the amount of people I have helped just by recommending this podcast is crazy. Thank you Andrew for the positive impact you’ve had on me and so many others🙏🏼

[whatup]

The amount of value you deliver for free always leaves me in awe. Thank you for your dedication.

[a_l_e_k_sandra]

Gardening and Huberman lab podcast ❤️ awesome combo! Happy Monday, happy learning everyone!

[rileymckenna]

I’m an undergrad studying environmental engineering, one thing to note about disinfection byproducts is that they should decay at a pretty fast rate depending on where you are relative to the water treatment facility. Like mentioned if you leave your water stagnant, even sitting in a pitcher for a day or two a great amount of them should decay out even without having to pour off the top. However, if it is about to rain most treatment facilities will ramp up their addition of disinfectants depending on the plant’s source, so it is a good idea if you’re trying to avoid DBP to not draw water for a half a day during that rain or snow event. Another variable is where your house is in comparison to the treatment plant called “water age” that would be interesting to look into if you all have time.