Explore every episode of the podcast The Neuro Experience

AI can write the essay, calculate the answer, summarize the book, and solve the problem before you have really had to think. Jim Kwik's concern is not just cognitive offloading. It's cognitive surrender. After 34 years teaching people how to learn, remember, read, and focus, he believes the real risk of AI is that technology starts doing so much of the mental work that we stop building the abilities we need most. In this episode, Louisa sits down with Jim to unpack what happens when we outsource memory, judgment, creativity, and critical thinking. He explains why learning requires effort, why the brain follows a "use it or lose it" principle, and what research comparing students using ChatGPT, search engines, or no assistance suggests about cognitive engagement and recall. They also explore cognitive reserve, metacognition, attention, reading, sleep, and why doing difficult things may be one of the best ways to protect the brain. Jim also shares the brain injury that shaped his life, the period when severe sleep apnea left him sleeping around 90 minutes a night, and the habits he now uses to protect his cognition. You'll hear why he says "mind before media," why reading is exercise for the brain, and how to use AI as augmented intelligence without giving up your own. The goal isn't to reject technology. It's to stay the pilot of your brain, not the passenger. 🤝 Sponsor The Neuro Experience: https://open.substack.com/pub/neuroat... Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+: https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/yout... Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for evidence-based conversations at the intersection of brain science, longevity, and performance. TOPICS DISCUSSED 00:00 Are We Raising the Dumbest Generation Because of AI? 01:06 What Happens When Technology Thinks for Us? 02:03 The ChatGPT Study: What Happened to Memory and Recall 03:00 Cognitive Offloading vs Cognitive Surrender 05:01 Brain Rot, Doomscrolling, and the Attention Crisis 08:19 Why Reading Is Training for Your Brain 09:30 Neuroplasticity and the London Taxi Driver Study 12:20 “Natural Intelligence Is Becoming Artificial” 13:06 Why Asking Good Questions Matters More Than Ever 16:50 How Weak Critical Thinking Makes You Easier to Manipulate 19:31 Cognitive Reserve: Your Brain’s Savings Account 22:52 Cognitive Antifragility: Why the Brain Needs Challenge 25:34 How to Stay Human in the Age of AI 29:15 Metacognition: Thinking About Your Thinking 34:46 Why High Performers Protect Their Attention 40:46 Jim Kwik’s Childhood Brain Injury 45:27 Five Years of Severe Sleep Apnea 49:48 What You Do First Thing in the Morning Matters 52:47 Jim’s 3 + 3 Morning Exercise 54:00 “Mind Before Media” 57:22 Where AI Is Going Next 58:31 Artificial Intelligence vs Augmented Intelligence 60:19 The AI Risk Nobody Talks About: Losing Purpose 62:15 Be the Pilot of Your Brain, Not the Passenger Thank you to our sponsors: Kinsyn: https://KINSYN.com/neuro and promo code neuro for 20% off Qualia Life: https://qualialife.com/NEURO - Get 50% off Jones Road Beauty: https://jonesroadbeauty.com - Use code LOUISA to get a free gift with your first purchase Timeline (Mitopure): https://timeline.com/NEURO I’m Louisa Nicola - clinical neurophysiologist - Alzheimer’s prevention specialist - founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain- reducing Alzheimer’s risk - and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Keith Rabois has built companies, backed some of Silicon Valley's biggest successes, and earned a reputation as one of the sharpest strategic minds in venture capital. But when Louisa sat down with him, they barely spoke about investing. Instead, they explored the system behind his decision-making: the daily habits he believes keep his brain performing at an elite level. From treating himself like a professional athlete to measuring every workout for more than two decades, Rabois argues that the strongest predictor of longevity isn't genetics or supplements, it's VO₂ max. He explains why every ambitious person should know their VO₂ max, why he believes improving it may have a greater impact than many of the world's biggest public health campaigns, and why he asks founders the same question before asking about their company. You'll hear why he wears a fitness tracker every day, why he hasn't missed more than seven workouts in seven years, and why he believes consistency, not intensity, is what compounds into extraordinary performance. The conversation then moves beyond fitness into the psychology of excellence. Keith explains why he reads for an hour every day, how reading the encyclopedia as a child shaped the way he thinks, and why nearly every world-class founder, politician, and investor he admires shares one habit: relentless curiosity. He reveals how he learned to assess people within minutes, what he looks for on a LinkedIn profile before an interview, why preparation matters far more than talent, and the invisible work that most people mistake for luck. They also dive into his longevity protocol: why creatine became a non-negotiable after reading the cognitive research, how he approaches blood work differently from traditional medicine, why he uses red light therapy and cryotherapy, the supplements he actually believes are worth taking, and why he refuses to use anything that could unnecessarily affect his brain. He explains why he would invest in brain-computer interfaces but never electively implant one himself, and why protecting the unique quirks of your brain may be more valuable than enhancing them. Finally, they unpack one of his most controversial beliefs: stress isn't something to eliminate, it's something to embrace. Drawing on the research behind *The Upside of Stress*, Keith explains why people who reframe stress consistently outperform those who fear it, why challenge drives growth from the cellular level to leadership, and how high-performing teams balance obsession, accountability, and psychological safety. 🤝 Sponsor The Neuro Experience: https://open.substack.com/pub/neuroat... Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+: https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/yout... Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for evidence-based conversations at the intersection of brain science, longevity, and performance. TOPICS DISCUSSED 00:00 Intro: Stress, VO₂ Max, and the Traits of Elite Performers 00:35 Why Keith Rabois Treats Himself Like a Professional Athlete 03:18 Why VO₂ Max Predicts How Long You'll Live 05:06 Performance Medicine vs Traditional Medicine 08:34 The Biomarker Every Founder Should Track 09:52 Creatine, Omega-3s, and the Supplements That Actually Matter 12:02 Red Light Therapy, Cryotherapy, and Recovery 13:45 Why Better Health Makes Better Investors 15:35 The Habits Shared by Elite Performers 18:15 Sleep, Resistance Training, and Cognitive Performance 22:44 Reading the Encyclopedia Cover to Cover 26:00 Why Every Successful Person Makes Time to Read 27:42 How Keith Evaluates Talent 29:30 Learning to Assess People in Minutes 33:02 Spotting the DoorDash Founder Early 36:15 What Makes Someone a "Barrel" 39:02 Why Exercise Improves Decision Making 42:04 The "No Days Off" Philosophy 43:46 Why Keith Refuses Elective Brain Implants 50:28 The Science Behind Embracing Stress 54:36 Building High-Performance Teams 57:08 Why Criticism Should Sometimes Be Public 59:00 Optimizing Time by Combining Work and Relationships 01:01:24 The Habit That Finally Made Him Quit Diet Coke 01:03:03 Why Luck Is Really Preparation Meeting Opportunity Thank you to our sponsors: Kinsyn: https://KINSYN.com/neuro and promo code neuro for 20% off BASED Bodyworks: https://basedbodyworks.com/ Use code NEURO for 20% off Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ask most people what a brain chip does and they will tell you it reads your mind. Dr. Michael Lawton implants these devices, and he says that is not what comes off them. He is President and CEO of Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, the hospital where Neuralink's first human implant was performed, and he has completed more than 10,000 brain operations and clipped around 5,500 aneurysms. Louisa sat down with him inside Barrow to find out what the electrodes actually pick up, how far the technology has come, and where it stops. He walks through the surgery itself. The device goes into the hand knob, one small lobule of the motor cortex, where 64 electrodes have already become 108. The threads carrying them are about a tenth the thickness of a hair, so a robot inserts them while avoiding every arteriole on the surface. You'll hear what Nolan Arbaugh, Neuralink's first patient, can now do with a cursor at world record speed, and why Lawton can't keep up with him in a head to head. Then the correction. The data coming off these electrodes is a train of spikes, the same electrical language every neuron in your head is already using, and decoding it tells you whether a person meant to move a cursor left or right. Reading an emotion, or what someone thinks of you, is nowhere close. The second half turns to the brain Lawton has spent 29 years operating inside. He describes cooling a patient to 15 degrees Celsius and stopping their circulation completely, which shrivels a giant aneurysm like a raisin and opens a short window to repair it. He explains why the hardest cases will still need a pair of human hands, and what he tells trainees who think their craft is disappearing. On brain aging he is direct about what works. He predicts alcohol will be viewed in 20 years the way cigarettes were viewed in the 60s, he takes zero supplements and no peptides, and he says exactly what he can and cannot see when he looks at a living brain on the table. You'll also hear about Barrow's Mindgenuity Labs and its six mysteries of the mind, why he ranks movement as the first one to fall and consciousness as the one that may never be solved, what he believes consciousness physically is inside 86 billion neurons, and the ground underneath all of it. His sister died of a brain tumor. Louisa's father had a stroke in 2019. Both of them have watched this from the other side of the table. *Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+:* https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/youtube-sales-page Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for evidence-based conversations at the intersection of brain science, longevity, and performance. _____ *TOPICS DISCUSSED* 00:00 Intro: The Brain Surgeon at Neuralink's First Hospital 00:39 The Guy Who Does the Cases Nobody Else Wants 02:17 A Day in the Life: 5:30am Starts and Three Surgeries 03:20 "Game Tape": Reviewing Every Operation Like an Athlete 04:24 The Surgeon Athlete and Why Surgery Is a Physical Skill 05:32 Fifty Years From Now: What Happens to Neurosurgery 06:11 The ROSA Robot and Mapping a Seizure Focus 08:16 Deep Brain Stimulation and Hitting an Exact Target 08:52 Will We All Be Operated On by Robots? 10:02 The Brain AVM: The One Case a Robot Can't Take 11:18 Why Bleeding Breaks a Robot: The Waymo Problem 13:15 What a Brain-Computer Interface Actually Does 14:49 The Hand Knob: 108 Electrodes in One Small Spot 15:50 Cursor Control at World Record Speed 16:31 Inside the Implant: Threads a Tenth the Width of a Hair 17:27 "No, the Chip Cannot Read Your Thoughts" 17:58 What the Device Really Reads: A Train of Spikes 19:18 From Movement to Sensation: What Comes Next 19:48 Why Restoring Sight Is So Much Harder 20:58 The 1943 Paper That Predicted All of This 22:37 Elon, Telepathy, and What's Actually Possible 23:00 Boosting Creativity and Intelligence in 50 Years 25:10 "When I Retire, We'll Be Treating Depression and Addiction" 26:04 Alzheimer's: Light Therapy and the Blood-Brain Barrier 27:11 Treating the Disease vs Preventing It 28:25 10,000 Operations: How He Feels About Robots Taking Over 29:54 Neuroplasticity: How Nolan's Brain Learned the Device 31:34 What Actually Changes at the Neuron Level 32:04 Patient Two and the Robotic Arm 32:42 5,500 Aneurysms: The Cases That Stay With Him 33:16 Cardiac Standstill: Cooling a Brain to 15 Degrees 35:46 What Separates a Great Surgeon From an Average One 36:17 Traits of Greatness: The Formula Nobody Has Cracked 37:21 The Phone Call in the Middle of a 16-Hour Surgery 39:35 "I Must Have Been Born for This" 41:26 Can You Tell How Old a Brain Is Just by Looking? 43:12 Why Alzheimer's Is Invisible in a Living Brain 44:14 What a Neurosurgeon Does to Protect His Own Brain 44:40 "Alcohol Will Be Viewed Like Cigarettes in the 60s" 45:13 Peptides, Injectables, and Zero Supplements 46:52 The Last Generation to Operate With Open Hands 48:10 How Louisa Found Him on Twitter in 2021 48:53 The Six Mysteries of the Mind 49:14 Which One Gets Solved First, and Which May Never 50:03 Is Consciousness in the Tissue? 51:39 Memory: The Circuitry We Still Can't Explain 53:18 Why Consciousness Is Harder Than Memory 55:12 Louisa's Father's Stroke 56:02 Advice for Anyone Watching a Parent Decline 56:21 His Sister's Brain Tumor and How He Carries It 57:38 A World Where Stroke Is an Outpatient Repair 58:40 Forty Years On, Finally at the Dawn _______ *Thank you to our sponsors* Timeline (Mitopure): https://timeline.com/neuro Mitopure now starts at $79 Ogee: https://ogee.com Use code XXXXX for a discount on the Crystal Contour Collection Kion (Kion Aminos): https://getkion.com/neuro Use code XXXXX for a discount Function Health: https://functionhealth.com/LouisaNicola Use code NEURO25 for a $25 credit _______ I'm Louisa Nicola - clinical neurophysiologist - Alzheimer's prevention specialist - founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain- reducing Alzheimer's risk - and staying mentally sharp for life, you're in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two out of three Alzheimer's patients are women, and for decades that gap was written off as a side effect of living longer. The newer neuroscience tells a more specific story: menopause is not a reproductive event, it's a neurological one, and the pathology begins 20 to 30 years before the first symptom. In this episode, Louisa breaks down why the female brain loses its primary protection around 40, what actually drives the disease, and the seven evidence-based protections that can change the trajectory. She starts with the estrogen shield, the four things estrogen does in the female brain that nothing else replicates: it drives mitochondrial biogenesis, suppresses amyloid plaque formation, upregulates antioxidant enzymes, and maintains white matter integrity. You'll hear why estrogen doesn't decline smoothly but swings wildly through perimenopause before dropping roughly 80% by postmenopause, what PET scans already show in women in midlife, and why a 2021 paper by Mosconi and colleagues named menopause the single strongest predictor of Alzheimer's brain changes, stronger than age, stronger than family history. Then she turns to what you can do about it. You'll learn why resistance training, not cardio, produces the irisin and BDNF cascade that targets the exact pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's, and why two sessions a week was enough to preserve the brain regions the disease hits first. She covers the glymphatic system that clears amyloid and tau only during deep sleep, and why 70 to 80% of women in perimenopause lose exactly that sleep at exactly the wrong moment. She walks through the HRT timing fork, 32% lower risk when therapy starts within five years of menopause versus 38% higher when it starts after 65, the MIND diet's 53% risk reduction, the omega-3 dose most women get wrong by a factor of five, and the cortisol crisis that runs like a thread through every mechanism in the episode. It's not a death sentence. It's a timeline, and there is a window where the right information changes the outcome. To sponsor an episode- https://open.substack.com/pub/neuroathletics/p/sponsor-tne *Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+:* https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/youtube-sales-page Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for evidence-based conversations at the intersection of brain science, longevity, and performance. _____ *TOPICS DISCUSSED* 00:00 Intro: Two Out of Three Alzheimer's Patients Are Women 00:37 The Estrogen Shield and the Four Things It Does in Your Brain 02:13 What Happens to the Brain When Estrogen Drops 03:01 The Reframe: Menopause Is a Neurological Event, Not a Reproductive One 03:31 Why Women Develop More Tau Than Men 04:15 The 20-Year Head Start: It Begins in Your 30s and 40s 05:02 When the Silent Window Collides With Perimenopause 05:44 The Symptoms Women Are Told to Dismiss 06:42 The Diagnostic Gap and the APOE4 Risk 08:59 Protection 1: Why Resistance Training Beats Cardio 09:31 Irisin, BDNF, and Fertilizer for Your Neurons 10:37 The Brain-Scan Proof: Two Sessions a Week 11:16 Why Chronic Cardio Can Work Against Your Brain 13:36 Protection 2: The Glymphatic System and Deep Sleep 14:53 How Your Brain Cleans Itself Overnight 15:56 The Sleep Collision That's Specific to Women 16:37 Why Deep Sleep Beats Total Hours 18:41 Protection 3: The HRT Timing Window 18:56 32% Lower vs 38% Higher: Same Therapy, Opposite Outcomes 20:56 The 2002 Data Still Driving the Wrong Advice 21:05 APOE4 Carriers and the Largest HRT Benefit 23:19 Protection 4: The MIND Diet and a 53% Lower Risk 24:20 The Omega-3 Dose Most Women Get Wrong 25:17 Berries, Anthocyanins, and the Foods to Cut 27:38 The Cortisol Crisis: The Thread Through Everything 28:58 The Estrogen and Cortisol Feedback Loop 30:18 The "Healthy" Routine That's Quietly Hurting Your Brain 31:08 Seven Layers, One Message: This Is Preventable _______ *Thank you to our sponsors* Function Health: https://functionhealth.com/LouisaNicola - Use code NEURO25 for a $25 credit Timeline (Mitopure): https://timeline.com/neuro - Use code NEURO for a discount IQBAR: Text NEURO to 64000 for 20% off all IQBAR products plus FREE shipping (Message and data rates may apply) Cozy Earth: https://cozyearth.com - Use code NEURO for 20% off _______ I’m Louisa Nicola - clinical neurophysiologist - Alzheimer’s prevention specialist - founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain- reducing Alzheimer’s risk - and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Six days before he sat down for this conversation, he ran a marathon. Then he explained what the race did to his brain. When you run 26 miles and your glycogen runs out, your brain still needs energy, so it starts stripping the fatty myelin off its own neurons and burning it for fuel. MRI scans caught a 20% drop in myelin up to two months after a marathon, and cognitive testing showed real impairment for about a month. In this episode, Louisa sits down with Brady Holmer, exercise physiologist, 2:24 marathoner, and author of VO2 Max Essentials, for one of the most practical conversations on aerobic fitness, brain health, and longevity the show has recorded. They cover why "marathon brain" is real but temporary, the menopause parallel where a starved brain catabolizes its own white matter, and whether pre-loading ketones or omega-3s can protect your myelin through a hard endurance effort. Then Brady breaks down VO2 max the way almost nobody does: not as a heart-and-lung number, but as a five-step oxygen cascade running from your lungs to your mitochondria, and why the bottleneck moves from your heart to your muscles as you age. You will learn the exact VO2 max floor below which everything becomes a maximal effort, the "50 at 50" target, and why women should aim for 40 to 50. Brady also lays out how the brain itself gates your fitness through myokine signaling, why the one to two hours after training may matter more than sleep for adaptation, and the truth about "non-responders" and the IGF binding protein biology behind trainability. Then the protocols: why the Norwegian 4x4 beats Tabata for VO2 max, how sauna and post-exercise ketones amplify the same session, why sleep consistency beats sleep duration, and the single weekly workout Brady says everyone should be doing for both VO2 max and brain health over the next decade. Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+: https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/youtube-sales-page Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for evidence-based conversations at the intersection of brain science, longevity, and performance. TOPICS DISCUSSED 00:00 Intro: Marathon Brain and the Number That Predicts How Long You Live 00:40 Does Running a Marathon Really Damage Your Brain? 01:04 The Study: 20% Myelin Loss on MRI After a Marathon 02:16 Impaired Cognition for a Month, Then Full Recovery 03:28 Why It Happens: The Brain Burns Its Own Myelin for Fuel 04:44 The Menopause Parallel: Brain Glucose Starvation and White Matter 05:57 Can Ketones and BHB Protect the Brain During a Marathon? 06:42 How Marathon Runners Should Fuel to Protect Cognition 08:22 VO2 Max: The Strongest Predictor of Mortality and Longevity 09:00 The Oxygen Cascade: What VO2 Max Actually Measures 11:08 Why VO2 Max Matters More As You Age 12:10 The VO2 Max Floor for Frailty and Daily Living 13:11 VO2 Max as a Brain Metric: Averages by Age and Sex 14:20 The "50 at 50" Target and What Women Should Aim For 15:09 The Female Masters Athlete Study and the VO2 Max Bank Account 16:01 How Your Brain Knows It Is Getting Fitter: Myokines 17:41 Mouse Studies: Block the Brain Signal, Lose the Adaptation 18:37 The Post-Workout Recovery Window That Drives Adaptation 19:53 What Kind of Rest Actually Works After Training 20:50 KetoneIQ: Clean Fuel for the Brain 21:50 Qualia Magnesium: Recovery and Deep Sleep 22:45 The Mission: Why Science Is the New Breaking News 27:25 Attacking VO2 Max From a Different Angle: What Is Your Bottleneck? 28:06 Central vs Peripheral: Heart, Muscle, and Mitochondria 30:20 Spotting Mitochondrial Dysfunction With a Simple Lactate Test 33:18 Training Each Link in the Oxygen Cascade 34:41 Targeting the Lungs: Inspiratory Muscle Training 36:19 Iron, Hemoglobin, and Heat as an Altitude Mimic 38:56 Exercise Hemolysis: Why Runners Break Down Red Blood Cells 39:59 Why Investors and CEOs Are Chasing VO2 Max 40:42 What Is Good for the Heart Is Good for the Brain 42:02 Exercise Snacks vs Deliberate Training as You Age 44:41 HIIT for Stroke Volume: Why the Norwegian 4x4 Works 45:43 4x4 vs Tabata and the 2 to 8 Minute Interval Sweet Spot 46:57 Using Heart Rate and Exertion to Train VO2 Max 48:02 Where AI Is Entering Endurance Coaching 49:14 Timeline Mitopure: Powering Your Mitochondria 50:16 Cozy Earth: Better Bedding, Better Sleep 51:04 Responders vs Non-Responders and the IGFBP Biology 55:35 How to Amplify Adaptation From the Same Training Load 56:39 Heat, Post-Exercise Ketones, and Getting the Basics Right 58:14 Sleep Consistency Beats Sleep Duration 01:00:24 The One Weekly Workout for VO2 Max and Brain Health Thank you to our sponsors KetoneIQ: https://ketone.com/NEURO for 30% OFF Qualia: https://qualialife.com/NEURO for 50% off Timeline: https://timeline.com/NEURO for Mitopure Cozy Earth: https://cozyearth.com use code NEURO for 20% off I’m Louisa Nicola - clinical neurophysiologist - Alzheimer’s prevention specialist - founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain- reducing Alzheimer’s risk - and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/  Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Everyone gets cancer five times a day — your body already knows how to take care of it." Sam Bertram is the co-founder and CEO of OnePointOne, the vertical-farming company behind the Willo brand. With his brother John (CTO), Sam is building fully automated indoor farms — powered by AutoStore robotics, AI, and precision LED light — that grow nutrient-dense produce in about 15 days, with no soil and no sunlight. But the vision goes far beyond salad: using plants as living factories to manufacture pharmaceutical-grade molecules (like monoclonal antibodies) at a fraction of today's cost, and eventually "closing the loop" on human nutrition — food grown to your own blood work. *Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+: * https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/yout... Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for evidence-based conversations at the intersection of brain science, longevity, and performance. _____ TOPICS DISCUSSED 00:00 – Cold open: bold claims & who is Sam Bertram 00:51 – Why vertical farms collapse (Bowery) & how OnePointOne survived 05:49 – The number that started it all: 1.1 billion malnourished 07:30 – Why micronutrient deficiency is the real killer 08:21 – What OnePointOne actually is: "a box that grows plants" 10:03 – Training plants with light & water to boost nutrients 11:00 – Closing the loop: food matched to your body's data 12:28 – The plan for 1,000 farms & the AutoStore partnership 15:46 – Plant biology 101: growing with no soil, no sun 18:11 – The robots — and why humans are still essential 21:27 – Pesticides, washing produce & disease clusters 23:53 – Beet greens for cancer patients & the Whole Foods deal 24:42 – A 13-person company run on AI 25:15 – The 15-day crop & cracking the cost code 27:11 – Biology vs. software: what really makes it work 28:01 – Humanoid robots, ~5 years away 30:27 – Why raise $80M and not $500M 33:56 – What they do to a plant that nature never would 36:28 – Expanding crops: strawberries, cannabis, mushrooms 38:05 – Growing food & materials in space (Elon, text back) 39:38 – Personalized food grown from your blood test 40:24 – Food as medicine & the truth about Western medicine 41:11 – Sam's mystery illness: 8 years without exercise 44:23 – Plants as medicine — who "fed and dosed" the world? 49:32 – Manufacturing pharmaceutical molecules inside plants 50:18 – Replicating $30–40k drugs cheaply (Rituximab, Lecanemab) 54:21 – Why the Middle East may beat the US, RFK Jr & MAHA 55:11 – Genetics, cancer & the healthy 80–90% 57:35 – Taste: beating junk food at its own game 58:27 – Why good food got so expensive (money printing) 59:14 – A world without hunger — how far away? 1:00:24 – Tasting the farm: microgreens, bok choy, mizuna & kale _______ Thank you to our sponsors Jones Road Beauty: https://jonesroadbeauty.com Use code LOUISA for a free full-size mascara with your purchase (and mention The Neuro Experience podcast when they ask where you heard about them) Qualia: https://www.qualialife.com/neuro Use code NEURO for 50% off Qualia Magnesium+ Cure Hydration: https://curehydration.com Use code NEURO for 20% off (also available on Amazon) _______ I’m Louisa Nicola - clinical neurophysiologist - Alzheimer’s prevention specialist - founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain- reducing Alzheimer’s risk - and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram:   / louisanicola_   Twitter :   / louisanicola_   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fifty years ago the U.S. government classified it alongside heroin: no accepted medical use, high potential for abuse, illegal in most of the world. The peer-reviewed data now coming out of Johns Hopkins, Imperial College, and Nature tells a different story, one that has some of the most credentialled neuroscientists alive rethinking how the brain heals. In this episode, Louisa breaks down exactly what psilocybin does to your neurons, why it works where antidepressants stall for decades, and where the research is heading right now. She walks through the default mode network, the self-referential system that turns rigid and hyperactive in depression, and the 2024 Nature study that described psilocybin's effect on it as "massive" disruption. You'll hear how a single dose drove a measurable jump in dendritic spine density within 24 hours, why psilocin binds the TRKB receptor 300 times more strongly than any conventional antidepressant, and how Robin Carhart-Harris's head-to-head trial against escitalopram produced more than double the remission rate. Then she turns to addiction, where psilocybin-assisted therapy reached an 80% smoking abstinence rate at six months in the Johns Hopkins pilot, more than double the best medication available today. She covers the risks the drug-war narrative leaves out, the hard contraindications around psychosis and cardiac history, the April 2026 executive order that accelerated federal review, and why the quality of the subjective experience, measured on the Mystical Experience Questionnaire, may matter to the outcome as much as the molecule itself. You'll also hear about the desynchronization event and what fills the space when the network goes offline, BDNF and how it stacks up against high-intensity exercise, the alcohol and opioid data, HPPD, Australia's 2023 reclassification, Oregon and Colorado's state access frameworks, and why set and setting may be active ingredients in how the treatment works. Fifty years ago the U.S. government classified it alongside heroin: no accepted medical use, high potential for abuse, illegal in most of the world. The peer-reviewed data now coming out of Johns Hopkins, Imperial College, and Nature tells a different story, one that has some of the most credentialled neuroscientists alive rethinking how the brain heals. In this episode, Louisa breaks down exactly what psilocybin does to your neurons, why it works where antidepressants stall for decades, and where the research is heading right now. She walks through the default mode network, the self-referential system that turns rigid and hyperactive in depression, and the 2024 Nature study that described psilocybin's effect on it as "massive" disruption. You'll hear how a single dose drove a measurable jump in dendritic spine density within 24 hours, why psilocin binds the TRKB receptor 300 times more strongly than any conventional antidepressant, and how Robin Carhart-Harris's head-to-head trial against escitalopram produced more than double the remission rate. Then she turns to addiction, where psilocybin-assisted therapy reached an 80% smoking abstinence rate at six months in the Johns Hopkins pilot, more than double the best medication available today. She covers the risks the drug-war narrative leaves out, the hard contraindications around psychosis and cardiac history, the April 2026 executive order that accelerated federal review, and why the quality of the subjective experience, measured on the Mystical Experience Questionnaire, may matter to the outcome as much as the molecule itself. You'll also hear about the desynchronization event and what fills the space when the network goes offline, BDNF and how it stacks up against high-intensity exercise, the alcohol and opioid data, HPPD, Australia's 2023 reclassification, Oregon and Colorado's state access frameworks, and why set and setting may be active ingredients in how the treatment works. *Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+: * https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/youtube-sales-page Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for evidence-based conversations at the intersection of brain science, longevity, and performance. _____ *TOPICS DISCUSSED* 00:00 Intro: A Schedule I Drug That's Making Neuroscientists Rethink the Brain 00:39 The Default Mode Network and Your Sense of Self 02:49 How Depression Locks the Brain Into a Rigid Loop 03:23 Where SSRIs Stop Short of the Problem 04:44 The Brain Imaging Data: "Massive" DMN Disruption and Reorganization 06:58 Confirming It in Drug-Naive Brains 08:04 The Rewiring: How Psilocybin Changes Neural Architecture 08:35 Dendritic Spines and Synaptic Density 09:39 How Chronic Stress Shrinks Your Neural Connections 10:16 One Dose, More Connections in 24 Hours (Neuron 2021) 11:02 BDNF, TRKB, and a Signal 300x Stronger Than Antidepressants 13:21 Psilocybin vs the Gold-Standard SSRI 14:37 Double the Remission Rate: The Numbers That Matter 15:53 Side Effects, Durability, and Treatment-Resistant Depression 16:39 The Addiction Breaker: 80% Smoking Abstinence at Six Months 17:36 Alcohol, Opioids, and the Shared Architecture of Addiction 19:10 The Dark Side: Real Risks and Hard Contraindications 22:35 The Policy Earthquake: Executive Orders and FDA Breakthrough Status 24:37 Why It Actually Works: Set, Setting, and the Mystical Experience 26:57 Bringing It All Together _______ *Thank you to our sponsors* Function Health: https://functionhealth.com/LouisaNicola Use code NEURO25 for a $25 credit BASED Bodyworks: https://basedbodyworks.com/ Use code NEURO for 20% off (plus a free toiletry bag with any set) BioOptimizers: https://www.bioptimizers.com/neuro Use code NEURO for 15% off IQBAR: Text NEURO to 64000 for 20% off all IQBAR products plus FREE shipping (Message and data rates may apply) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

He carried two copies of ApoE4, the highest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, went through medical school knowing exactly what his LDL of 700 meant, decided the experts were wrong, and then published the case report to prove it. In this episode, Louisa sits down with Dr. Nick Norwitz, PhD researcher and metabolic scientist, for one of the most scientifically dense conversations on brain health, cholesterol biology, and Alzheimer's prevention ever recorded on this show. They cover why the phospholipid form of DHA reaches the brain more effectively than standard fish oil, how ApoE4 carriers burn through omega-3s differently and what to do about it, the lithium orotate data that sold out supplement shelves worldwide, and why GSK-3 beta, the enzyme that phosphorylates tau, may be the most under appreciated target in Alzheimer's research today. Then Nick lays out the case that challenges the "LDL is always the enemy" consensus: why metabolically healthy individuals may not benefit from aggressive lipid-lowering therapy, what his viral coronary CT angiogram showed after seven years of 700+ cholesterol, why the EZPAVE trial headlines don't hold up under scrutiny, and what GLP-1s are doing inside the brain completely independent of weight loss. You'll also hear about the sardine diet experiment, the omega-3 thermogenesis connection, ketones as misfolded protein clearance agents, creatine for depression, retatrutide and PCSK9, BPC-157 risks, and what Nick believes is coming in Alzheimer's gene therapy within the next decade. Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+:https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/youtube-sales-page Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for evidence-based conversations at the intersection of brain science, longevity, and performance. _____ TOPICS DISCUSSED 00:00 Intro: The ApoE4 Paradox and the Case Report That Broke the Internet 00:57 Why Standard Omega-3 Supplements Fail and What to Take Instead 05:13 DHA and the Phospholipid Carrier: How It Crosses the Blood-Brain Barrier 10:19 ApoE4 Explained: Risk, Genetics, and Why Nick Is Optimistic 17:38 Why ApoE4 Carriers Burn Through DHA Faster and Need More 20:31 Women, Omega-3s, Menopause, and Brain Insulin Resistance 21:41 Statins, Sex Differences, and the DHA-Blood Sugar Connection 26:01 Statins and Dementia: What the Data Actually Say 32:24 Tau, GSK-3 Beta, Lithium Orotate, and Targeting Alzheimer's Pathology 42:19 The Glymphatic System, 40Hz Devices, and Sleep as Brain Clearance 45:21 Gene Editing, Prime Editing, and the Future of ApoE4 Therapy 49:33 Nick's Case Report: 700 LDL, Zero Plaque, and Seven Years of Data 55:10 The EZPAVE Trial: Why the Headlines Don't Hold Up 01:00:33 KetoneIQ: Ketones for Brain Energy and Focus 01:01:29 Cheers Health: Supporting Liver Function and Cognitive Recovery 01:03:54 If Not LDL, What Causes Heart Disease in Metabolically Healthy People? 01:12:05 The Oreo Experiment and the Sardine Diet: Self-Experiments in Metabolism 01:19:10 Ketones, Women's Brains, and Clearing Misfolded Proteins 01:21:08 The Full Brain Health Protocol: Omega-3s, Creatine, NAD, Lithium, and More 01:24:01 GLP-1s for the Brain: Independent of Weight, Targeting Amyloid and Tau 01:25:28 Peptides: BPC-157 Risks, Retatrutide, MOTS-c, and What's Worth Watching 01:29:02 Why Nick Is Controversial And Why He Doesn't Mind _______ Thank you to our sponsors Fenix Health Science: fenixhealthscience.com Use code NEUROEXP Pulsetto: https://pulsetto.tech/pages/NEURO or use Code NEURO for some off your order Function Health: https://www.functionhealth.com/louisanicola BASED Bodyworks: https://basedbodyworks.com/ and use code NEURO for 20% off KetoneIQ: https://ketone.com/NEURO for 30% OFF Cheers Health: https://CheersHealth.com/NEURO or use code NEURO for 20% off _______ I’m Louisa Nicola - clinical neurophysiologist - Alzheimer’s prevention specialist - founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain- reducing Alzheimer’s risk - and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every AI breakthrough you've heard of, ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, traces back to a single 1943 paper, and its co-author was a homeless teenage runaway who never finished high school. Walter Pitts taught himself Greek, Latin, and the foundations of modern logic in a Detroit public library, corrected Bertrand Russell's math by letter at age 12, and was taken in by a 45 year old scientist who treated him like a son. He helped found the architecture behind every neural network in existence at 19, and then a single lie destroyed every relationship he had, sending him into a 17 year drinking spiral that ended in a Cambridge boarding house in 1969. In this solo episode, I tell the full story of how Pitts' partnership with neurophysiologist Warren McCulloch produced the unbroken ancestor of the perceptron, backpropagation, and the transformer architecture behind today's large language models, and what happened when a fabricated accusation cut him off from every mentor he had. I lay out the specific conditions, free public libraries, mentors willing to take prodigies seriously, intellectual communities small enough to recognize raw talent, that made a mind like his possible, why those conditions have been dismantled, and what I call the cognitive class war: the widening gap between the small number of people capable of directing artificial intelligence and everyone else whose future it will shape. Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+: https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/youtube-sales-page Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for evidence-based conversations at the intersection of brain science, longevity, and performance. _____ TOPICS DISCUSSED 00:00 Intro: The 1943 Paper Behind Every AI Model Today 02:53 Walter Pitts Childhood in Depression-Era Detroit 03:17 Hiding From Bullies, He Finds Principia Mathematica 03:40 A 12-Year-Old Writes to Correct Bertrand Russell 06:35 Walter Pitts Meets Warren McCulloch in 1942 08:32 Inside the 1943 Paper That Founded Neural Networks 11:17 From the Perceptron to ChatGPT and Claude 13:43 Norbert Wiener, MIT, and the Macy Conferences 15:05 The 1952 Lie That Destroyed Walter Pitts 19:11 Pitts Dies Alone in a Boarding House, 1969 21:46 Five Conditions That Made a Genius Possible 24:16 Why Those Conditions No Longer Exist Today 33:53 The Cognitive Class War and Who Will Govern AI _______ Thank you to our sponsors Cure Hydration: https://www.curehydration.com/ Use code NEURO for 20% off Jones Road Beauty: https://www.jonesroadbeauty.com Use code NEURO for a free gift with your order Momentum: https://momentumshake.com/neuro Get a free Welcome Kit + Travel Collection ($70 value) IQ Bar: https://www.eatiqbar.com/ Text NEURO to 64000 for 20% off plus free shipping _______ I’m Louisa Nicola - clinical neurophysiologist - Alzheimer’s prevention specialist - founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain- reducing Alzheimer’s risk - and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

70% of what American children eat today is ultra processed food and the regulatory system that's supposed to protect them has been asleep for decades. In this episode, I sit down with Nick Green, co-founder and CEO of Thrive Market, the membership-based online grocery platform that built a $700 million business by treating healthy food access as an infrastructure problem, not a willpower problem. Nick grew up watching his mother drive across Minnesota to find organic options before the internet existed and 20 years later, built the company meant to make that struggle obsolete. We get into the GRAS self-certification loophole that lets food companies rubber stamp their own ingredients as safe, why synthetic dyes and preservatives banned across Europe remain standard in the US, and how Thrive goes beyond EU standards to vet every single product on its platform. We also cover what the GLP-1 trend is actually revealing about the deeper food system failure, why the American healthcare model was built for infectious disease and is fundamentally unprepared for chronic disease prevention, and the shared metabolic roots of cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer's. Nick breaks down how AI is now personalizing the grocery experience for 1.7 million members, why becoming a public benefit corporation was a legal commitment to the mission not just a branding decision and what it actually takes to keep a company anchored to its Northstar when investors, scale, and short-term incentives are all pulling in the opposite direction. Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+: https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/youtube-sales-page Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for evidence-based conversations at the intersection of brain science, longevity, and performance. _____ TOPICS DISCUSSED 00:00 Intro: The Ultra Processed Food Crisis Nobody Is Talking About Honestly 01:06 Nick Green and the Mission Behind Thrive Market 01:27 Growing Up in Minnesota: How a Mom's Grocery Struggle Built a Billion-Dollar Insight 07:24 70% of Kids' Diets Are Ultra Processed — and It's Not a Willpower Problem 08:38 The Membership Model: How Thrive Makes Organic Cheaper Than Conventional 09:31 AI-Personalized Grocery Shopping: Building Your Cart Around Your Health Goals 13:47 The Food System Is Rigged: MAHA, the FDA, and the GRAS Loophole 16:13 Synthetic Dyes, Preservatives, and Why the EU Bans What America Allows 20:43 The Most Unregulated Food Category: Supplements and Ultra Processed Crossover 22:04 How Thrive Vets Every Product: Auditing Manufacturers Up the Supply Chain 23:13 Thrive's Own Brand: 25% of Sales and a Mission-Driven Private Label Model 25:09 Gives Memberships, Free Access, and Building a Community Around the Mission 27:25 The Regulatory Gap and Its Cost: Metabolic Syndrome, Diabetes, and Chronic Disease 29:44 GLP-1s Are Not Enough: Why Pharmacology Alone Can't Fix the Food System 32:41 Thrive vs. Whole Foods: The Key Structural Differences 35:43 Alzheimer's Risk, Ultra Processed Food, and the Framingham Heart Study 36:48 Why the Healthcare System Was Built for Infectious Disease — Not Chronic Prevention 38:05 Metabolism Is Upstream of Everything: Cancer, Heart Disease, Alzheimer's 40:03 MAHA, Government Regulation, and Why Consumer Empowerment Is the Real Solution 45:58 1.7 Million Members and Less Than 1.5% Market Penetration: The Scale of What's Left 47:23 The Un-Everything Store: Curation as a Competitive Advantage 49:16 What Keeps Nick Going: Mission as Decision Filter 51:31 Why Authenticity Always Wins — and What Thrive Wants to Prove to Every Founder _______ Thank you to our sponsors Timeline: https://www.timeline.com/partners/neuro-athletics Honey Love: https://www.honeylove.com/NEURO — Save 20% Off Honeylove #honeylovepod BASED Bodyworks: https://basedbodyworks.com/ — Use code NEURO for 20% off BiOptimizers: https://bioptimizers.com/neuro — 15% off with code NEURO Qualia Life: https://qualialife.com/NEURO — 50% off + extra 15% with code NEURO _______ I’m Louisa Nicola - clinical neurophysiologist - Alzheimer’s prevention specialist founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain- reducing Alzheimer’s risk and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you think you need to train to failure to build muscle, you've been operating on outdated science. Dr. Brad Schoenfeld has nearly 400 peer-reviewed papers on hypertrophy and he's done a complete 180 on some of his most firmly held beliefs. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Brad Schoenfeld, PhD, professor of exercise science and one of the world's most cited researchers in muscle hypertrophy. We break down the training myths that are still circulating online including why training to failure isn't necessary, why light weights can build as much muscle as heavy ones, and why two 30-minute sessions a week is genuinely enough for most people. Brad also explains the science of type one versus type two fiber loss with age, how GLP-1s are complicating muscle retention, and what the research actually says about rest intervals, cold plunges, and post-exercise heat. We also go deep into the cutting edge of hypertrophy science: lengthened partials, electro-stimulation, the overlooked connection between muscle and metabolic health, and the key additions in the third edition of his landmark textbook. This episode is for anyone who trains, wants to train, or wants to understand what science actually says about building a body that performs and lasts. *Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+:*https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/youtube-sales-page Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for evidence-based conversations at the intersection of brain science, longevity, and performance. _____ *TOPICS DISCUSSED*(00:00:00) Intro: The Belief Brad Held in the 90s That Science Has Since Overturned (00:01:08) Meet Dr. Brad Schoenfeld: 400 Papers and What We Still Don't Know About Muscle Growth (00:06:13) Light Weights vs. Heavy Weights: The Study That Changed Everything (00:09:10) Type I vs. Type II Muscle Fibers and Why Type II Atrophies With Age (00:11:43) Muscle, Brain Health, and the Two-Days-a-Week Resistance Training Protocol (00:17:26) Strength vs. Power: Why Explosive Training Matters More Than You Think (00:21:32) The Biggest Lie in Fitness: There Is No Single Best Way to Build Muscle (00:23:15) Two 30-Minute Sessions a Week Is Enough (00:27:01) Protein Requirements for Muscle Growth: Where the Research Actually Lands (00:31:18) GLP-1s and Muscle Loss: What the Evidence Says (00:38:36) Aerobic Training, Step Count, and Where Cardio Fits In (00:40:47) How Muscle Improves Every Organ System in Your Body (00:44:35) Research Gaps in Advanced Training Techniques (00:49:00) Mechanical Tension as the Primary Driver of Hypertrophy (00:53:37) Rest Intervals: How Long You Actually Need Between Sets (00:58:20) Lengthened Partials: The Training Insight That Surprised the Field (01:02:10) Electrostimulation and At-Home Resistance Technology: Does It Work? (01:05:41) Cold Plunges After Lifting: Why Brad Says Avoid Them (01:07:52) Sleep and Muscle Building: What the Evidence Does and Doesn't Show (01:11:30) The Third Edition: Evidence-Based Practice and How to Use Research _______ *Thank you to our sponsors* KetoneIQ: https://ketone.com/NEURO for 30% OFFFunction Health: https://www.functionhealth.com/louisanicolaIQBARS: https://www.eatiqbar.com/Biologica: https://biologica.com/NEURO Up to 32% off first subscription order _______ I’m Louisa Nicola - clinical neurophysiologist - Alzheimer’s prevention specialist - founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention.If you're committed to optimizing your brain- reducing Alzheimer’s risk - and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most people think tracking their protein is enough. The science says what your body actually craves is something far more specific and the person making that argument spent 23 years inside legacy media watching the wellness industry sell women everything from "bikini body in two weeks" to canned protein soda. In this episode, I sit down with Liz Plosser, former Editor in Chief of Women's Health, where she oversaw brands reaching 44 million women. We break down why the nine essential amino acids are what your body is really after when you chase protein, why BCAAs are only a fraction of the picture, and why a study found four of the top six creatine gummies on Amazon contained zero creatine. Liz also opens up about her own supplement stack, her shift from endurance running to heavy lifting, and makes the case that testing instead of guessing is one of the most empowering moves you can make for your health. Then we go deep on the science most people get wrong: why aging women struggle to pull amino acids from food, how essential aminos protect lean muscle even on rest days and for those on GLP-1s, the new research on high-dose creatine for sleep deprivation and Alzheimer's, and why collagen may not deserve the hype. We also cover the menopause misinformation epidemic, the 2002 hormone study that terrified the world, and what Liz puts in her own morning protocol. This conversation will completely change how you think about protein, what you supplement, and how you fuel your brain and body. Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+: https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/youtube-sales-page Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for evidence-based conversations at the intersection of brain science, longevity, and performance. _____ TOPICS DISCUSSED 00:00 Intro: The Protein Myth and Why Amino Acids Are What Your Body Really Wants 00:56 Protein, Amino Acids, and How Much You Actually Need 03:23 The Nine Essential Amino Acids: The Real Building Blocks 06:03 BCAAs vs EAAs: Why a Subset Isn't Enough 11:50 23 Years in Wellness Media: What Liz Saw Change 14:18 The Menopause Conversation and Why It Exploded 23:17 Kion Aminos, Timing, and Whether It Counts Toward Your 100g 26:46 Liz's Daily Routine: Aminos, Creatine, and the Morning Glass of Water 27:42 Can You Take Aminos While Fasting? 29:50 Do Aminos Preserve Lean Mass on Rest Days and on GLP-1s? 36:19 Leaving Legacy Media and Finding a New Mission 39:14 The New Creatine Research: Sleep, Dosing, and Alzheimer's 43:24 How Creatine Reaches the Brain and the Case for 10 Grams 44:48 Creatine for Mood and Depression 46:12 Collagen: Does It Actually Deserve the Hype? 49:40 The Creatine Gummy Scandal: Four of Six With Zero Creatine 51:27 Coffee, Cans, and Why Bioavailability Matters 54:50 Creatine, Electrolytes, and the 1990s Bodybuilding Hack 57:54 Liz's Morning Protocol and Owning Your AM _______ Thank you to our sponsors Kion: visit http://getkion.com/neuro for 20% off Function Health: https://www.functionhealth.com/louisanicola Timeline: https://www.timeline.com/partners/neuro-athletics AirDoctor: https://www.AirDoctorPro.com use promo code NEURO for up to $300 off Qualia Life: https://www.qualialife.com/Neuro for an additional 15% off on top of the 50% BASED Bodyworks: https://basedbodyworks.com/ and use code NEURO for 20% off _______ I’m Louisa Nicola - clinical neurophysiologist - Alzheimer’s prevention specialist - founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain- reducing Alzheimer’s risk - and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most people think breast cancer treatment ends when the tumor is gone. Science says that's where the real damage often begins, and the woman making that argument was diagnosed at 28, lost her mother to ovarian cancer the same year, and turned her own dismissal by the medical system into a specialization that now treats women nobody else will touch. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Corinne Menn Board Certified OBGYN, breast cancer survivor, and one of the few specialists in the world treating menopause in cancer survivors. We break down why 80% of women diagnosed with breast cancer have no strong family history, why tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors quietly devastate brain, bone, and sexual health, and why telling a woman with severe vaginal atrophy to use coconut oil is not evidence-based medicine. Dr. Corinne also opens up about her own diagnosis, her premature menopause at 28, the truth about hormone replacement therapy after breast cancer, and the BRCA, ApoE4, and surgical menopause snowball nobody is putting together for patients. This conversation will completely change how you think about breast cancer, menopause, and the women's health crisis hiding in plain sight. Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+: https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/youtube-sales-page Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for evidence-based conversations at the intersection of brain science, longevity, and performance. _____ TOPICS DISCUSSED 00:00 Intro: Why Nobody Is Coming to Save Breast Cancer Survivors 01:05 Karin's Origin Story: Diagnosed at 28, Losing Her Mom, and Premature Menopause 03:06 The 85% Cure Rate Lie: Why Survival Comes at a Brutal Cost 06:13 Breast Cancer Is Not One Disease: Why 80% Have No Family History 08:14 BRCA1, BRCA2, and the Genetic Mutations Most Women Never Get Tested For 13:14 Karin's Own Genetic Test Story and Why 23andMe Is Not Enough 15:07 BRCA1 vs BRCA2: Age of Onset and When to Remove Ovaries 17:30 The Biology of Estrogen: Why Estrogen Does Not Cause Breast Cancer 23:40 Birth Control, Breastfeeding, and the Real Risk Factors 26:17 Alcohol, Inflammation, and the Toxins Driving Cancer Rates 27:46 Tamoxifen Explained: What It Does to Your Brain, Bones, and Body 34:23 Aromatase Inhibitors: Putting Your Estrogen in the Basement 37:15 Where Women Go When No Doctor Will Help Them 41:17 Oophorectomy, Early Menopause, and the 6 to 12% of Women Affected 44:26 Why Black Women Face the Highest Risk and the Least Care 46:20 The ApoE4, BRCA, and Surgical Menopause Snowball 48:02 Coconut Oil Is Not Medicine: The Vaginal Estrogen Truth 50:35 HRT Denial and the Myths Keeping Women From Treatment 51:13 Who Owns the Breast Cancer Survivor After Treatment Ends 54:18 Why the System Fails: Reimbursement, Resources, and Survivorship Gaps 01:00:07 Can You Be on Tamoxifen and Hormone Replacement Therapy? 01:03:26 Three Neurologists, One Tau Test, and the Dementia Dismissal 01:06:26 Positive Stories: Women Who Took Back Their Health and Won 01:09:16 The One Wish: Valuing Ovarian Function Beyond Reproduction _______ Thank you to our sponsors KetoneIQ: https://ketone.com/NEURO for 30% OFF DailyBasis: https://www.dailybasislife.com/NEURO for 50% off first month IQBARS: https://www.eatiqbar.com/ Biologica: https://biologica.com/NEURO Up to 32% off first subscription order Cure Hydration: https://www.curehydration.com/ Use code NEURO gets 20% off Honey Love: https://www.honeylove.com/NEURO Save 20% Off Honeylove #honeylovepod _______ I’m Louisa Nicola - clinical neurophysiologist - Alzheimer’s prevention specialist - founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain- reducing Alzheimer’s risk - and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

*Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+:*https://tinyurl.com/55c24w66 Most people think tracking your brain is science fiction. The truth is, the technology to measure your brainwaves, train your focus, and deepen your deep sleep already fits inside a sleek little headband and the woman who built it has been studying neuroplasticity since long before consumer neurotech existed. In this episode, I sit down with Ariel Garten, neuroscientist, psychotherapist, and co-founder of Muse, the brain-sensing wearable backed by the world's largest consumer EEG data set. We break down what brainwaves actually are, why your individual alpha peak frequency is one of the most underrated markers of cognitive aging, and how just five minutes of focused attention meditation per day can make your brain look 7.5 years younger. Ariel walks me through sleep spindles as the single greatest predictor of brain age, how the glymphatic system clears amyloid beta during deep sleep, and why hemispheric specialization shows up so differently in male and female anxiety. We also get into Muse's foundation brain model, novel biomarkers for Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, the digital sleeping pill, and her mission to make sure no one is jailed by the prison of their own mind. This conversation will change how you think about your brain, your sleep, and what cognitive longevity actually requires. Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for evidence-based conversations at the intersection of brain science, longevity, and performance. _____ *TOPICS DISCUSSED*(00:00:00) Intro: Inside the Brain Sensing Headband Changing Neuroscience (00:05:17) What an EEG Actually Measures and Your Brainwaves Explained (00:13:20) Alpha Waves, Flow State, and Why It's Easier to Reach Than You Think (00:23:11) Peak Alpha Frequency: The Refresh Rate of Your Brain (00:29:25) The Meditation Study That Made Brains Look 7.5 Years Younger (00:38:30) Sleep Spindles: The Single Greatest Predictor of Brain Age (00:43:30) Deep Sleep, Delta Waves, and the Glymphatic Power Wash (00:48:11) Muse's Digital Sleeping Pill and Deep Sleep Boost (01:01:21) fNIRS, Blood Flow Training, and the Athena Owl Experience (01:04:23) The Foundation Brain Model and Novel Biomarkers for Alzheimer's _______ *Thank you to our sponsors*Function Health: https://www.functionhealth.com/louisanicolaTimeline: https://www.timeline.com/partners/neuro-athleticsJones Road Beauty: https://www.jonesroadbeauty.com and use code NEUROLifeboost Coffee: https://lifeboostcoffee.com/ and use code NEURO for 10% offMomentum: https://momentumshake.com/neuro Get Free Welcome Kit + Travel Collection — $70 valueIQBARS: https://www.eatiqbar.com/ _______ I’m Louisa Nicola - clinical neurophysiologist - Alzheimer’s prevention specialist - founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention.If you're committed to optimizing your brain- reducing Alzheimer’s risk - and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most people think building a billion-dollar consumer brand requires a Stanford MBA, a celebrity co-sign, and a war chest of venture capital. The reality is messier. The person making that case mixed nootropics in his college dorm room, helped his paralyzed best friend find his edge again with the same compounds, and turned a piece of gum into one of the fastest-growing functional brands in America. In this episode, I sit down with Kent Yoshimura, neuroscientist, martial artist, muralist, and co-founder of Neuro Gum. We break down why the founder's identity matters more than the ingredient list, why cold compression makes most creatine gummies a scam, and why nano-influencers will quietly outperform every Kardashian-tier post by 2027. Kent also opens up about the trademark lawsuit that nearly killed the company, the Daniel Lubetzky DM that ended a war of attrition in a single message, the 25,000-creator Discord running Neuro's TikTok flywheel, the $10 million raise that built the team, and what he would do with $10,000 if he had to start a brand over today. This conversation will completely change how you think about cognitive performance, founder credibility, and what it takes to build a brand people trust over an algorithm. Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+: https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/youtube-sales-page Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for evidence-based conversations at the intersection of brain science, longevity, and performance. _____ TOPICS DISCUSSED 00:00 Intro: Mixing Supplements in a Dorm Room and the Birth of Neuro Gum 04:27 Martial Arts, Triathlon, and What Elite Sport Teaches You About Business 14:08 Ryan's Snowboarding Accident and the Accessibility Mission 24:03 Cold Compression, Why Creatine Gummies Are a Scam, and the Melatonin Myth 30:23 The 2020 Inflection Point: CVS, Shark Tank, and Joe Rogan 31:23 The TikTok Playbook: Posting Every Day for a Year With No Agency 42:19 The 25,000-Creator Community and Paying Out a Quarter Million a Month 46:27 The $300 Million Lawsuit and the Daniel Lubetzky DM That Saved Neuro Gum 53:11 Why Red Bull's Dietrich Mateschitz Is Kent's Hero 1:00:17 AI, One-Person Billionaires, and Why Humanity Is the New Commodity 1:03:44 First Principles for Anyone Starting a Brand Today 1:08:40 The End of Mega-Influencers and the Rise of Nano Trust 1:09:49 What He Would Do With 10,000 Dollars to Start a Brand Today _______ Thank you to our sponsors Pulsetto: https://pulsetto.tech/pages/NEURO or use Code NEURO for some off your order Huel: https://www.huel.com/neuro use promo code NEURO for 15% OFF (New Customers, Min. $75 purchase) KetoneIQ: https://ketone.com/NEURO for 30% OFF DailyBasis: https://www.dailybasislife.com/NEURO for 50% off first month _______ I’m Louisa Nicola - clinical neurophysiologist - Alzheimer’s prevention specialist - founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain- reducing Alzheimer’s risk - and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most people think their kitchen is the safest place in their home. The truth is the opposite. The cookware you use every day, the cutting boards you trust, the utensils you stir with, even the coffee maker on your counter, may be quietly leaching forever chemicals, microplastics, and heavy metals into your food and into your brain. In this episode, I sit down with Jordan Nathan, founder and CEO of Caraway, the brand redefining what nontoxic actually means in the modern home. Jordan walks me through the night he called poison control after overheating a Teflon pan, the 2-year journey to launch a cookware line free of PFAS, and why six U.S. states have now banned forever chemicals in cookware. We unpack what PFAS, PFOA, and PTFE actually are, why they accumulate in fat tissue and cross the blood brain barrier, and why scratched pans, plastic cutting boards, and black nylon utensils are some of the most dangerous things in your kitchen. Then we go deep on the science. I break down the Nature Medicine 2025 study showing microplastics in human brain tissue at higher concentrations than the liver or kidney, with the highest accumulation found in dementia brains. We cover the rise of autoimmune disease, the credit card's worth of plastic the average person consumes every week, Caraway's third party testing for over 600 PFAS chemicals, and a full kitchen audit on a $1,000 budget covering induction vs gas, dishwasher dangers, and what's coming next as Caraway expands into the broader nontoxic home. This conversation will completely change how you think about what is in your kitchen, what is in your body, and what you can actually do about it. Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+: https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/youtube-sales-page Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for evidence-based conversations at the intersection of brain science, longevity, and performance. _____ TOPICS DISCUSSED 00:00 Intro: Plastic Is Hiding in Plain Sight in Your Kitchen 01:36 The Night Jordan Called Poison Control Over a Teflon Pan 05:06 PFAS, PFOA, and PTFE: What Forever Chemicals Actually Are 09:35 Why PFAS Accumulate in Fat Tissue and Cross the Blood Brain Barrier 13:31 The Birth of Caraway and What the Name Actually Means 17:50 Why 6 States Have Banned PFAS in Cookware 19:22 Third Party Testing: How Caraway Tests for 600+ PFAS Chemicals 23:10 The Steve Jobs Mentality: Industry Standards Aren't Our Standards 29:31 Scratched Pans, Plastic Cutting Boards, and the Hidden Risks 33:18 Microplastics Found in Human Brain Tissue: The 2025 Study 37:28 Caraway's Bestsellers and the Expansion Into the Whole Home 40:20 Cast Iron, Stainless Steel, and How to Choose Cookware 41:29 Why You Should Never Put Cookware in the Dishwasher 43:02 Gas vs Induction Stoves: Which One Is Actually Safer 44:30 The Full $1,000 Kitchen Audit: Where to Start 49:21 Black Plastic, Nylon Utensils, and the Truth About Takeout Containers 51:00 One Thing Jordan Wishes He Knew About the Average Kitchen _______ Thank you to our sponsors DailyBasis: https://www.dailybasislife.com/NEURO for 50% off first month JSHealth: https://jshealthvitamins.com and use code NEURO for 20% off BASED Bodyworks: https://basedbodyworks.com/ and use code NEURO for 20% off _______ I’m Louisa Nicola - clinical neurophysiologist - Alzheimer’s prevention specialist - founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain- reducing Alzheimer’s risk - and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elon Musk is widely regarded as the benchmark of elite human performance. From a neuroscience perspective, he is something else entirely: by his own self-documentation across interviews and social media, he has become the most thoroughly traceable case of elite cognitive deterioration ever observed in real time. The same biology eroding his decision-making carries categorically different, and far more dangerous, consequences for a specific hormonal architecture, with a 15 year delay on the damage. In this solo episode, I conduct a forensic neuroscience breakdown of what chronic, extreme output actually does to the brain. I examine why the 100 hour workweek punishes rather than rewards the prefrontal cortex, how the glymphatic system clears neurotoxic byproducts like amyloid beta only during deep sleep, and what chronic cortisol does to the hippocampus, including measurable volumetric reduction visible on MRI. I walk through the 2025 Framingham Heart Study showing that elevated midlife cortisol predicted increased amyloid deposition 15 years later, but only in postmenopausal women, then break down the biomarker blueprint for sustained cognition (morning cortisol, HRV, fasting insulin), the three inputs that build a real cortisol buffer, and the first principles operating system that lets Musk run six companies without the context switching cost that would break most executives. Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+: https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/youtube-sales-page Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for evidence-based conversations at the intersection of brain science, longevity, and performance. _____ TOPICS DISCUSSED 00:00 Intro: The Most Documented Case of Cognitive Deterioration in Real Time 07:18 The Prefrontal Cortex: How High Performing Brains Hit a Biological Ceiling 14:06 The Amygdala Handoff: When Your Threat System Takes Over 15:16 The Glymphatic System: Why Your Brain Only Cleans Itself in Deep Sleep 21:49 Cortisol: The Molecule That Makes or Breaks the 100 Hour Workweek 24:00 What Chronic Cortisol Actually Does to the Hippocampus 29:09 The Framingham Data: Cortisol Predicts Alzheimer's in Women 15 Years Later 37:01 The Biomarker Blueprint: Morning Cortisol, HRV, and Fasting Insulin 43:59 Sleep Architecture: Why Duration Alone Will Not Save You 49:27 The Cortisol Buffer: VO2 Max, Resistance Training, and Morning Light 54:13 The Dopamine Architecture of Obsession and the Science of Flow 59:01 The Longitudinal Verdict: Greatness Without Biological Debt 01:01:49 The Three Non-Negotiables for Operating at Your A Phase _______ Thank you to our sponsors Function Health: https://www.functionhealth.com/louisanicola Timeline: http://timeline.com/NEURO AirDoctor: https://www.AirDoctorPro.com use promo code NEURO for up to $300 off _______ I’m Louisa Nicola - clinical neurophysiologist - Alzheimer’s prevention specialist - founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain- reducing Alzheimer’s risk - and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most people think a brain scan is just a snapshot of what is wrong right now. Dr. Mistry has spent twenty years reading over 300,000 neuroimaging studies and what he has found is that your brain scan does not just show you the present. It reveals your past and with the right tools, it predicts your future. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Mistry, a neuroradiologist and neuroimaging specialist, to break down exactly how AI is transforming what we can detect in the brain and why the window to intervene is decades earlier than anyone tells you. We cover the F1 car analogy that reframes every component of your central nervous system, why Alzheimer's disease begins twenty to thirty years before diagnosis, and how a volumetric MRI spotted a 2.2% hippocampal volume loss in a woman in her 50s that the human eye could not detect on two consecutive normal scans. This episode will change how you think about your brain scans, your cardiovascular health, and the daily decisions that are either protecting or silently degrading your most important organ. Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+: https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/youtube-sales-page Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for evidence-based conversations at the intersection of brain science, longevity, and performance. _____ TOPICS DISCUSSED 00:00 Intro: Your Brain Scan Reveals Your Past and Future 01:20 300,000 Scans and the Farmer With a 78-Year-Old Brain 05:44 Which Brain Scan Actually Tells You Something 08:52 The F1 Car Analogy for Understanding Your Brain 13:29 Brain Volume, the Hippocampus, and the Cerebellum 17:01 Alzheimer's Starts 20-30 Years Before Diagnosis 19:24 The Beta Amyloid PET Scan Explained 25:04 How AI Maps and Measures Your Brain Volume 28:13 The 2.2% Hippocampal Loss Two Normal Scans Missed 34:02 How Exercise Grows the Hippocampus by 2% 40:41 The Vascular Prevention Window Nobody Talks About 46:20 What LDL and ApoB Actually Mean for Brain Health 51:25 Can Lifestyle Changes Actually Flatten the Atrophy Curve 57:01 How to Advocate for a Brain Scan Through the Medical System 01:05:09 Stillness vs. Illness: What Separates Brains That Age Well _______ Thank you to our sponsors Daily Basis: https://www.dailybasislife.com/NEURO for 50% off your first month KetoneIQ: https://ketone.com/NEURO for 30% off Caraway: https://carawayhome.com/neuro10 for 20% off Kinsyn: https://kinsyn.com/neuro And use code "neuro" for 20% off your first subscription _______ I’m Louisa Nicola - clinical neurophysiologist - Alzheimer’s prevention specialist - founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain- reducing Alzheimer’s risk - and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most people think allergies are seasonal annoyances and autoimmune disease is just genetic bad luck. The science says otherwise and the doctor making that argument has spent her career tracing both epidemics back to a cascade of well-intentioned medical decisions made thirty years ago that got it catastrophically wrong. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Tania Elliott, board-certified in internal medicine and allergy and immunology, to break down why your immune system is not broken, it is confused. We cover how chronic stress triggers the same physiological response as a bacterial invasion, why 80% of autoimmune diseases occur in women, and what is actually driving the 1 in 3 allergy epidemic. Dr. Elliott reveals the institutional failure behind the 2001 peanut guidance, why the 0.2% peanut allergy rate in Israel versus 10% in the US is not a coincidence, and why nut-free schools may be quietly creating the next wave of food allergies. We also get into what Benadryl is actually doing to your brain, why food sensitivity tests sold through influencers are close to useless, the real reason adults are suddenly developing shellfish allergies, and why the black plastic container your lunch arrived in is a serious problem. This episode will change how you think about your immune system, your child's early exposures, and the everyday decisions quietly shaping your long-term health. Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+: https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/youtube-sales-page Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for evidence-based conversations at the intersection of brain science, longevity, and performance. _____ TOPICS DISCUSSED 00:00 Intro: Why Your Immune System Is Not Broken, It Is Confused 01:02 Dr. Tania Elliott's Mission: Empowering People Through Evidence 02:46 What Is the Immune System and What Does It Actually Do 05:53 Autoimmune Disease, Chronic Stress, and Why 80% of Cases Are in Women 13:55 What Chronic Stress Actually Does to Your Immune System at a Cellular Level 25:29 The 1 in 3 Allergy Epidemic: What Changed in the Last 30 Years 30:08 The Hygiene Hypothesis, Antibiotics, C-Sections, and the Microbiome Disaster 36:09 The 2001 Institutional Failure That Made the Peanut Allergy Crisis Worse 41:52 Don't Put Peanut Butter on Your Child's Cheek, Do This Instead 43:19 Israel vs. the US: 0.2% vs. 10% Peanut Allergy and What Bamba Proved 45:37 Why Nut-Free Schools May Be Creating the Next Allergy Epidemic 49:29 Health Misinformation and the Algorithm's Role in Health Extremism 51:37 Developing Allergies as an Adult and the Shellfish Allergy Epidemic Explained 55:30 New Allergy Treatments, Useless Food Sensitivity Tests, and Black Plastic Containers 1:05:04 How to Spot Allergy Symptoms in Babies and Young Children 1:07:56 Why Benadryl Should Be Pulled From the Market _______ Thank you to our sponsors Daily Basis: https://www.dailybasislife.com/NEURO for 50% off first month Function Health: https://www.functionhealth.com/louisanicola Timeline: http://timeline.com/NEURO Jones Road Beauty: https://www.jonesroadbeauty.com and use code NEURO Lifeboost Coffee: https://lifeboostcoffee.com/ and use code NEURO for 10% off Just Thrive: https://justthrivehealth.com/NEURO _______ I’m Louisa Nicola - clinical neurophysiologist - Alzheimer’s prevention specialist - founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain- reducing Alzheimer’s risk - and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most people think astrology is a personality quiz. This conversation will make you reconsider that entirely. Naomi Nama Bracha is one of the most sought-after birth chart readers working today. In this episode, she sits down with me for a live, cold read of my chart pulling from the exact position of the sky at the time of my birth to reveal things I've never had explained to me before. Not in therapy. Not in any other conversation. We break down what a birth chart actually is, why it's more mathematical than mystical, and what the planets, signs, and houses each represent. We go into the Saturn-Neptune conjunction that just occurred an event that happens once every 320 years and what it means for the collective and for your chart right now. I also bring the science: a 2015 Columbia University study of 1.7 million patients found birth month correlates with risk for nine types of heart disease, and a 2023 meta-analysis confirmed that being born in winter or spring carries a 5 to 8% higher risk of developing schizophrenia. We also cover what astrology can do that therapy cannot, how synastry charts reveal the truth about your relationships, and how to access your own birth chart for free. Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+: https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/brain-code Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for evidence-based conversations at the intersection of brain science, longevity, and performance. _____ TOPICS DISCUSSED 00:00 Naomi Reads Louisa's Birth Chart Live 01:28 Planets, Signs, and Houses Explained 07:25 What Is a Birth Chart 13:48 Saturn on the Sun and the 10th House of Work 16:06 Why People Seek Astrologers and Saturn Returns 18:19 Pisces Rising: The Most Sensitive Sign 22:12 Your Rising Sign as Your Entry Point Into the World 23:36 The Science Linking Birth Month to Disease Risk 27:11 The Saturn-Neptune Conjunction and Current World Events 30:05 Pisces Season and What It Means Personally 33:55 How the Conjunction Is Rewriting Louisa's Identity 37:46 Can Your Chart Predict the Next 5 to 10 Years 39:32 Louisa's 2026 Reading and the Zodiac Life Cycle 42:11 The Shadow of Pisces: Over Giving and Numbing 45:11 Spiritual Practices, Solitude, and the Gym as Ritual 47:40 Freewill vs. Fate in Astrology 50:03 The New Generation and the New Collective Dream 51:56 What Astrology Does That Therapy Cannot 55:19 Synastry Charts and Relationship Patterns _______ Thank you to our sponsors Just Thrive: https://justthrivehealth.com/NEURO for 20% off Warby Parker: https://WarbyParker.com/NEURO Jones Road Beauty: https://www.jonesroadbeauty.com and use Code NEURO _______ I’m Louisa Nicola - clinical neurophysiologist - Alzheimer’s prevention specialist - founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain- reducing Alzheimer’s risk and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/⁠ Twitter : ⁠https://twitter.com/louisanicola_⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most people think going to the gym for aesthetics is shallow. Science says it's actually the most honest starting point you've got and the person making that argument built one of the most respected evidence-based fitness companies in the world, openly used steroids, and then had surgery to remove his love handles. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Mike Israetel, PhD in Sport Physiology and co-founder of Renaissance Periodization. We break down why two 20 minute workouts a week can build genuine muscle, why compound movements beat isolation exercises for nearly everyone, and why yoga and Pilates will not get you the physique you're after. Mike also opens up about his own use of anabolic steroids and cosmetic surgery, and makes the case that aesthetics pursued honestly and without shame is one of the most empowering conversations in health. Then we go deep on the future of the human body: GLP-1s, myostatin inhibitors, retatrutide, and why Mike believes that by the 2040s, no disease we can identify today will still exist. We also cover AI-driven medicine, recursive self-improvement, the brain rot epidemic, and what's inside his upcoming book The Aesthetics Revolution. This conversation will completely change how you think about why you train, how you train, and what the human body is about to become. Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+: https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/youtube-sales-page Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for evidence-based conversations at the intersection of brain science, longevity, and performance. _____ TOPICS DISCUSSED 00:00 Intro: The Biggest Mistake Most People Make With Their Training 05:17 The 20-Minute Paired Exercise Program That Hits Every Muscle Group 22:34 Will Lifting Make Women Bulky? Debunking the Biggest Fear 30:24 Why Women Train Too Light and How to Fix It 35:05 Mike's Origin Story: 20 Years, RP, and Fighting Fitness Misinformation 37:28 Yoga, Pilates, and Why They Won't Give You the Physique You Want 47:18 Mike's Cosmetic Surgery: Removing Love Handles, Zero Regrets 53:11 The Aesthetics Revolution Book and the Future of Looking How You Want 59:38 GLP-1s: What Nobody Tells You 01:07:18 AI and the End of Disease: Why Mike Thinks the 2040s Changes Everything 01:16:25 Brain Rot, Literacy, and the Cognitive Cost of the Scroll Era 01:23:15 Personal AI as Life Coach: What's Coming by 2027 _______ Thank you to our sponsors KetoneIQ: https://ketone.com/NEURO for 30% OFF Kion: https://getkion.com/neuro for 20% off Pulsetto: https://pulsetto.tech/pages/NEURO or use Code NEURO for 20% off _______ I’m Louisa Nicola - clinical neurophysiologist - Alzheimer’s prevention specialist - founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain- reducing Alzheimer’s risk - and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we're going to do something a little different. Six of our experts reveal what most people are getting completely wrong about exercise. One: the minimum effective dose for resistance training is shockingly low, just 3 to 6 sets per muscle group per week. Two: the biohacking tools everyone is obsessing over, hyperbaric chambers, red light beds, and ice baths, are built for elite athletes, not the general public. Three: jumping three times a week for just ten minutes can reverse osteopenia entirely, no weights required. Four: the zone two obsession gripping the fitness world right now is a cultural movement, not based on science. Five: muscle is your most powerful glucose sink, and the type two fibers you start losing in your early 30s are exactly what drives insulin resistance as you age. Six: you only need to touch high intensity exercise a handful of times a week paired with two days of resistance training to meaningfully train for longevity. Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+: https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/youtube-sales-page Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for evidence-based conversations at the intersection of brain science, longevity, and performance. _____ TOPICS DISCUSSED 00:00 Intro 00:57 Alan Aragon - The Truth About Resistance Training 13:14 Ben Bruno - Why Biohacking Is Overhyped 27:22 Dr. Vonda Wright - How To Reverse Bone Loss 29:49 Dr. Kristi - Why Zone 2 Is Not Based On Science 44:58 Dr. Stephanie Estima - How Muscle Loss Drives Insulin Resistance 55:11 Dr. Inigo San Millan - How To Actually Train For Longevity _______ Thank you to our sponsors IQBARS: https://www.eatiqbar.com/ Js Health: https://jshealthvitamins.com or Use code NEURO for 20% off Cellure: https://cellure.co/ or Use code NEURO for 20% Off Warby Parker: https://WarbyParker.com/NEURO KINSYN: https://kinsyn.com/neuro or Use code NEURO to Save 20% off your first subscription _______ I’m Louisa Nicola - clinical neurophysiologist - Alzheimer’s prevention specialist - founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain- reducing Alzheimer’s risk - and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Colorectal cancer is now the No.1 cause of death for people under 50 in the United States. When it is caught early, nine out of ten people survive. When it is caught late, only two out of ten do. Yet most people are not screening, not eating enough fiber, and have no idea how rapidly the gut microbiome is collapsing in modern populations. I sat down with Dr. Karan Rajan, NHS surgeon, gut health expert, and founder of Loam Science, to break down the real biology behind the gut microbiome and why it may be one of the most powerful levers we have for longterm health. We cover the rising colorectal cancer epidemic in young people, why fiber is the single most important thing you can do for your colon, and how the microbiome connects to your brain, heart, hormones, immune system, and even your skin. Dr. Karan also explains how stress, poor sleep, NSAIDs, antibiotics, and proton pump inhibitors silently destroy the gut lining, why the carnivore diet starves your microbiome, the emerging link between gut health and endometriosis, and what the science actually says about microbiome testing, GLP-1 peptides, and supplement quality. Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+: https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/youtube-sales-page Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for evidence-based conversations at the intersection of brain science, longevity, and performance. _____ TOPICS DISCUSSED 00:00 Colorectal Cancer Is Now the #1 Killer Under 50 01:24 Why Early Screening Changes Everything 03:19 The Gut Microbiome Explained Simply 05:51 Why Fiber Is the Rent for Your Colon 11:32 The Hadza Tribe and What 100g of Fiber a Day Does 18:45 The Carnivore Diet and What It Does to Your Gut 24:10 Stress, the Vagus Nerve, and Gut Dysfunction 31:20 Sleep, Circadian Clocks, and Your Bowel Health 33:06 The Gut-Cancer Connection 34:12 Cholesterol, the Gut-Heart Axis, and LDL 38:50 Estrogen, Perimenopause, and the Microbiome 43:15 Endometriosis and the Microbiome Trial 48:30 Leaky Gut, NSAIDs, Antibiotics, and PPIs 53:25 GLP-1 Peptides, Semaglutide, and What the Research Says 55:38 Why Supplement Quality Is Mostly Unregulated _______ Thank you to our sponsors Function Health: https://www.functionhealth.com/louisanicola Timeline: http://timeline.com/NEURO Wayfair: https://www.wayfair.com/ Cheers Health: https://CheersHealth.com/NEURO Use code NEURO for 20% off Jones Road Beauty: https://www.jonesroadbeauty.com Use code NEURO BASED Bodyworks: https://basedbodyworks.com/ Use code NEURO for 20% off _______ I’m Louisa Nicola - clinical neurophysiologist - Alzheimer’s prevention specialist - founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain- reducing Alzheimer’s risk - and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The moment a woman’s hormones begin to decline, the entire body starts aging faster. The brain, heart, bones, immune system, and metabolism are all affected by a single biological shift most doctors barely explain. I sat down with Dr. Amy Killen, physician and leading expert in regenerative and longevity medicine, to explore the science of female aging and why ovarian health may be the true driver of how long women live. We break down the real biology behind menopause, why estrogen is far more than a reproductive hormone, and how hormone loss can accelerate cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline, bone loss, and systemic inflammation. Dr. Killen also explains the emerging science behind hormone replacement therapy, the misunderstood relationship between estrogen and breast cancer risk, and why many doctors still are not properly trained to treat menopause. We discuss stem cells, mitochondrial health, and the growing interest in therapies like hyperbaric oxygen, peptides, red light therapy, and plasma exchange, and what the evidence actually says. Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+: https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/youtube-sales-page Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for evidence-based conversations at the intersection of brain science, longevity, and performance. _____ TOPICS DISCUSSED 00:00 Why Ovarian Aging Impacts Lifespan 01:24 Why Dr. Amy Killen Focuses on Women’s Longevity 03:19 What Longevity Actually Means in Medicine 04:20 Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Explained 05:51 How Stem Cells Help Repair and Communicate With Tissue 11:32 Hormones, Perimenopause, and Rapid Aging 18:45 Why the Ovaries Are the “Peacekeepers” of Aging 24:10 Hormone Replacement Therapy Explained 31:20 Vaginal Estrogen vs Systemic Estrogen 38:50 Testosterone Therapy in Women 43:15 Longevity Therapies and Mitochondrial Health 48:30 Red Light Therapy, Hyperbaric Oxygen, and Recovery 50:54 Peptides and the Lack of Long-Term Safety Data 53:25 Therapeutic Plasma Exchange and Longevity Research 55:38 The Estrogen and Immune System Connection _______ Thank you to our sponsors Ketone-IQ: https://ketone.com/NEURO Cellure: https://cellure.co/ Use code NEURO Ka’Chava: https://kachava.com Use code NEURO for 15% off your first order Just Thrive: https://justthrivehealth.com/NEURO _______ I’m Louisa Nicola - clinical neurophysiologist - Alzheimer’s prevention specialist - founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain- reducing Alzheimer’s risk - and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zone two has been sold to you as the gold standard for mitochondrial health, fat burning, and longevity. But what if it was built on culture, not science. In this episode, I sit down with Kristi Storoschuk, a PhD researcher whose work is challenging some of the biggest claims in the exercise world right now. We break down why zone two training lacks the scientific evidence everyone assumes it has, why higher intensity zones three and four are actually more potent for mitochondrial adaptation, and why the 80/20 training split from elite athletes was never designed for someone exercising four days a week. We also get into why fasting doesn't activate the same cellular pathways in humans as it does in rodents, why cortisol from exercise is not the same as chronic stress, the truth about fasted exercise for women, and what lactate actually tells us about our metabolic health. Kristi also shares her current research in collaboration with Dr. Andy Galpin and Dr. Tommy Wood on whether lactate threshold can serve as a non-invasive proxy for mitochondrial content. This conversation will completely change how you think about every cardio session you've ever done. Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+: https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/youtube-sales-page Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for evidence-based conversations at the intersection of brain science, longevity, and performance. _____ TOPICS DISCUSSED 00:00 Intro: Was Zone Two Built on Culture, Not Science? 03:19 The Three Exercise Intensity Domains (Not Five Zones) 08:00 Zone Two and Fat Burning: What the Research Actually Shows 12:00 Why Women Are Being Scared Away from Zone Three and Four 20:45 Fasting in Rodents vs. Humans: The Research That Changed Everything 24:00 Fasted Exercise and Cortisol: The Real Story for Women 29:00 What Lactate Actually Tells Us About Mitochondrial Health 37:00 VO2 Max, Mitochondria, and Longevity 43:30 Exercise as Your Daily Metabolic Reset 49:00 The Best Cardio Prescription for Healthspan 55:30 How a 73 Year Old Should Think About High Intensity 58:00 How to Know What Zone You're In Without a Monitor 01:02:00 Sex Differences in Exercise: What the Data Actually Says _______ Thank you to our sponsors Function health: https://www.functionhealth.com/louisanicola Timeline: http://timeline.com/NEURO Jones Road Beauty: https://www.jonesroadbeauty.com And Use code NEURO Lifeboost coffee : https://lifeboostcoffee.com/ and Use code NEURO for 10% off Just Thrive: https://justthrivehealth.com/NEURO _______ I’m Louisa Nicola - clinical neurophysiologist - Alzheimer’s prevention specialist - founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain- reducing Alzheimer’s risk - and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The surgeon who spent 12 to14 hours a day in the operating room developed diabetes, uncontrolled high blood pressure, and an autoimmune disease that was eating away at his skull and it forced him to confront what medical school never taught him about actually staying healthy. I sat down with Dr. Darshan Shah, board-certified surgeon, founder of Next Health (one of the largest longevity clinic networks in America), and a doctor who had to reverse his own chronic disease to understand the massive gap between Western medicine and the science of health. We explore why surgeons and physicians become some of the sickest people in healthcare, how functional medicine differs from what you learn in medical school, why biomarker testing matters more than your doctor's "you're fine" assessment, and what root cause medicine actually looks like in practice. Dr. Shah also breaks down the AI revolution happening in cardiovascular imaging with Cleerly scans, how his new AI health dashboard reads your bloodwork and medical records to give you proactive guidance, why Yamanaka factors could regenerate damaged nerves in the brain, and what the future of personalized, preventive medicine looks like when you combine AI with real biological data. Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+: https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/youtube-sales-page Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for evidence-based conversations at the intersection of brain science, longevity, and performance. _____ TOPICS DISCUSSED 00:00 Intro: The surgeon who developed the diseases he was treating 01:17 From trauma surgeon to longevity doctor: Dr. Shah's journey 04:18 Autoimmune disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure in a surgeon 10:30 Western medicine vs. the science of health 18:45 Why doctors don't learn prevention in medical school 35:20 Next Health clinics and democratizing longevity medicine 52:40 Biomarker testing and why "your labs are normal" is dangerous 01:03:52 AI health dashboard: uploading bloodwork and getting proactive guidance 01:06:45 Cleerly scans and reversing cardiovascular disease with AI imaging 01:10:08 Yamanaka factors, nerve regeneration, and the future of brain health _______ Thank you to our sponsors Function Health: https://www.functionhealth.com/louisanicola Timeline Mitopure: http://timeline.com/NEURO Ka'Chava: https://kachava.com and use code NEURO for 15% off your first order Wayfair: https://www.wayfair.com/ Fenix: https://www.fenixhealthscience.com/ Arey: https://arey.com/ and use code NEURO _______ I’m Louisa Nicola - clinical neurophysiologist - Alzheimer’s prevention specialist - founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain- reducing Alzheimer’s risk - and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

80% of all autoimmune diseases occur in women, and no one can explain why. Cancer cells are always present in your body, but it's only when your T cells go into energy deficit that cancer starts overtaking the system. And here's what almost no one is talking about: the mitochondria in your immune cells are the reason MS, chronic fatigue, neurodegeneration, and even cancer progression happen when they happen. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Anurag Singh, MD, PhD immunologist and Chief Medical Officer of Timeline who spent 20 years studying mitochondria and screened 4000 compounds from pomegranates to discover one molecule that changes cellular aging. We break down immunometabolism, the emerging field linking immune health and metabolism, why your T regulatory cells are the CEOs of your immune system, how mitochondrial dysfunction in immune cells triggers autoimmune conditions, and why rejuvenating mitochondria can get your immune system in check to defeat cancer. We also cover NAD+ (and why NMN and NR supplements don't work the way people think), the creatine sweet spot for muscle quality (500mg-1g, not the 5g everyone's taking), why Parkinson's is linked to paraquat, a mitochondrial toxin used in fertilizers and dry cleaning and how AI is fast-tracking the discovery of next-generation molecules for neurodegeneration. This conversation completely shifted how I think about immune health, brain protection, and what's actually driving the diseases we fear most. Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+: https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/youtube-sales-page Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for evidence-based conversations at the intersection of brain science, longevity, and performance. _____ TOPICS DISCUSSED 00:00 Intro: Why 80% of Autoimmune Diseases Occur in Women 01:24 Why Dr. Anurag Became an Immunologist 03:19 Immunometabolism: The Link Between Immune Health and Metabolism 04:20 T Cells, B Cells, and the Thymus Gland 05:51 MS and Autoimmune Disease: The T Regulatory Cell Problem 11:32 Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Immune Exhaustion 18:45 Cancer Cells and T Cell Energy Deficit 24:10 Urolithin A: Screening 4000 Pomegranate Compounds 31:20 Mitophagy and Autophagy: Cellular Housekeeping 38:50 NAD+ vs NMN and NR Supplements: What Actually Works 43:15 Creatine Dosing: The 500mg-1g Sweet Spot for Muscle Quality 48:30 Gut-Brain Connection and Neurodegeneration 50:54 Parkinson's Disease and Paraquat: The Mitochondrial Toxin 53:25 AI in Drug Discovery and Next-Generation Molecules 55:38 Skincare and Mitochondrial Health: Collagen Synthesis _______ Thank you to our sponsors KetoneIQ: https://ketone.com/NEURO for 30% OFF Caraway: Carawayhome.com/neuro10 Jones Road Beauty: https://www.jonesroadbeauty.com - Use code NEURO _______ I’m Louisa Nicola - clinical neurophysiologist - Alzheimer’s prevention specialist - founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain- reducing Alzheimer’s risk - and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most people fear cancer, but they're never given a clear explanation of what it actually is, how it progresses, or why metastasis, not the initial tumor, is what kills 90% of people with solid tumors. And here's what almost no one talks about…30 minutes of exercise per day can down-regulate 13 types of cancers. I break down the biology of cancer and metastasis in plain language, then walk you through the evidence linking exercise to cancer outcomes across prevention, treatment, and survivorship. I explain how cancer cells have to physically enter circulation and survive a hostile journey to metastasize, and here's the part that changed how I think about high-intensity exercise: as shear stress increases during vigorous exercise (zone 5, 90%+ max heart rate), survival of circulating tumor cells decreases. I also cover immune surveillance, metabolic signaling, and why this is deeply personal for me. Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+: https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/youtube-sales-page Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for evidence-based conversations at the intersection of brain science, longevity, and performance. Topics Discussed 00:00 Intro: Why Cancer Is What Scares Me Most 01:37 Why We're Having This Conversation 03:33 What This Episode Covers: The Three-Part Framework 06:21 What Cancer Actually Is: When Cells Break the Rules 07:25 Metastasis: The Part of the Story No One Explains 27:57 Shear Stress and Circulating Tumor Cells: The Zone 5 Effect 30:16 Immune Surveillance: How Exercise Mobilizes Killer Cells 30:51 Metabolic Signaling: Insulin, IGF-1, and Inflammation 32:16 Limitations: What the Evidence Can and Can't Tell Us 34:37 Practical Framework: Prevention, Treatment, and Survivorship 36:04 Closing: Exercise as Repeated Physiological Stress Thank you to our sponsors Ketone-IQ: https://ketone.com/NEURO IQ BARS: Text NEURO to 64000 to get 20% off all IQBAR products Cure Hydration: http://curehydration.com/NEURO Cellure: https://cellure.co/ and use code NEURO Arrey: https://arey.com/ and use code NEURO _______ I’m Louisa Nicola - clinical neurophysiologist - Alzheimer’s prevention specialist - founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain- reducing Alzheimer’s risk - and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The peptide industry just hit $328 million in imports from China in nine months, and the fastest-growing buyers aren't bodybuilders. They're women in their 30s, 40s, and 50s who were told their labs look "fine" when they know something is deeply wrong.In this episode, I break down why peptides like BPC-157 and TB-500 are being aggressively marketed to women in perimenopause, why there isn't a single randomized controlled trial proving they're safe or effective in humans, and what the actual evidence says about brain fog, muscle loss, joint pain, and metabolic decline. I explore why the "your bloods are normal" dismissal has destroyed women's health, how hormone replacement therapy actually protects your brain when timed correctly, why GLP-1s work when peptides don't, and what protein, sleep, and resistance training do that no research chemical can replicate, because the foundations of brain health will never trend on TikTok, but they're the only things backed by decades of rigorous science. *Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+: * https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/youtube-sales-page Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for evidence-based conversations at the intersection of brain science, longevity, and performance. *TOPICS DISCUSSED* 00:00 Intro: Why women are the fastest-growing peptide buyers 07:01 Perimenopause reality: why "your labs look fine" is destroying women's health 15:20 What peptides actually are and the missing human evidence 31:00 Quality control disasters and documented side effects 39:50 What actually works: resistance training, protein, and muscle preservation 44:30 Hormone replacement therapy and brain protection 51:14 GLP-1 receptor agonists: evidence-based use vs. gray market risks *Thank you to our sponsors* Caraway: https://carawayhome.com/neuro10 Timeline Mitopure: http://timeline.com/NEURO Function Health: https://www.functionhealth.com/tcm/louisanicola _______ I’m Louisa Nicola - clinical neurophysiologist - Alzheimer’s prevention specialist - founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain- reducing Alzheimer’s risk - and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s one of the most uncomfortable truths in modern medicine: women’s hearts have been misunderstood, under-researched, and misdiagnosed for decades. I sat down with Dr Jayne Morgan, cardiologist, heart health expert, and one of the leading voices calling out gender bias in cardiovascular medicine, to uncover why women’s heart attacks are still being missed - and what every woman needs to know to protect her brain and heart long before symptoms appear. We explore why women experience heart disease differently than men, how inflammation quietly damages blood vessels, the hidden heart attack signs doctors overlook, and why mammograms, pregnancy history, and menopause all hold critical cardiovascular clues. Dr Morgan explains why “gender-neutral” research has harmed women, how common medications can affect women differently, and why prevention needs to start earlier, not after the first cardiac event. Reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s with my science-backed protocol for women 30+: https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/youtube-sales-page Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for evidence-based conversations at the intersection of brain science, longevity, and performance. ______ TOPICS DISCUSSED 00:00 Intro: Why women’s heart disease is still misunderstood 02:18 How gender bias shaped modern cardiology 05:04 Why women’s heart attacks look different than men’s 08:12 The dangerous myth of “gender-neutral” medicine 11:30 Inflammation, blood vessels, and silent cardiovascular damage 15:02 Hidden heart attack signs on mammograms 18:45 Pregnancy history and long-term heart risk 22:10 Menopause, estrogen loss, and cardiovascular decline 26:40 Why standard heart medications can harm women 30:05 Beta blockers, blood pressure, and female physiology 33:50 The heart-brain connection and dementia risk 38:20 Viruses, shingles, and cardiovascular inflammation 42:05 Why women are dismissed in clinical settings 46:10 Prevention vs reaction in modern healthcare 49:30 What women should demand from their doctors ______ A huge thank you to my sponsors for supporting this episode. Check them out and enjoy exclusive discounts: IQBAR- Fuel your brain and body with IQBAR’s protein bars, hydration mixes, and mushroom coffees. Text NEURO to 64000 to get 20% off all IQBAR products plus free shipping. Cure Hydration - Clean, plant-based electrolytes with no added sugar, hydration that actually works. Get 20% off your first order at curehydration.com/NEURO with code NEURO. Jones Road Beauty- Effortless, skin-first makeup created by Bobbi Brown. Use code NEURO at jonesroadbeauty.com to get a free Cool Gloss with your first purchase. RHO Nutrition- Science-backed supplements designed to support cognitive performance and metabolic health. Visit rhonutrition.com and use code NEURO for exclusive savings. ______ I’m Louisa Nicola - clinical neurophysiologist - Alzheimer’s prevention specialist - founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain - reducing Alzheimer’s risk - and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I sat down with Dr. Kelly Casperson, urologist, women’s health advocate, and a leading voice fighting for equality in healthcare, to explore what’s really happening to women’s bodies and brains during perimenopause and menopause. We discuss why UTIs spike after menopause, how vaginal estrogen actually works (and why the FDA finally removed the black box warning), the truth about HRT and dementia prevention, and why estrogen receptors in your brain matter more than you think. We also unpack why blood work interpretation matters more than ever, how compounding pharmacies work, the shingles vaccine and dementia connection, and why women need to stop waiting for permission to take control of their health. Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+: https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/youtube-sales-page Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for evidence-based conversations at the intersection of brain science, longevity, and performance. _______ TOPICS DISCUSSED 00:00 Intro: Why women’s hormone health is misunderstood 02:10 Who Dr. Kelly Casperson is and why women’s sexual health became her focus 05:10 Hormone Replacement Therapy explained (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone) 08:30 Vaginal estrogen, UTIs, and restoring tissue health 12:40 Vaginal estrogen vs systemic estrogen and the FDA warning myth 15:20 Estrogen receptors, skin aging, and visible signs of hormonal decline 18:30 Estrogen, the brain, and Alzheimer’s risk in women 22:10 Why hormone research is conflicting and often fails women 26:00 Sleep, hot flashes, inflammation, and brain health 30:00 Testosterone in women: beyond libido and muscle 33:40 Compounding pharmacies and personalized medicine 38:00 Inflammation, viruses, vaccines, and dementia risk 43:00 The breakdown of modern healthcare and why women feel dismissed 47:30 Blood testing, data ownership, and the future of women’s health _______ A huge thank you to my sponsors for supporting this episode. Check them out and enjoy exclusive discounts: Timeline Mitopure Gummies: Don't let another year go by feeling less than your best. Grab 35% off your one month subscription of Mitopure Gummies at Timeline.com/neuro35. That's Timeline.com/neuro35 while the offer lasts. Function Health: Own your health for $365 a year. Learn more and join using my link. Visit www.functionhealth.com/louisa and use gift code LOUISA for a $25 credit toward your membership. Ka'Chava: Rewild your nutrition at kachava.com and use code NEURO. New customers get twenty dollars off an order of two bags or more! Wayfair: Get organized, refreshed, and back on track this new year for WAY less. Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home. Every style. Every home. _______ I’m Louisa Nicola - clinical neurophysiologist - Alzheimer’s prevention specialist - founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain - reducing Alzheimer’s risk - and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a controversial topic, fasting, especially for women. Dr. Mindy Pelz was teaching women to fast primarily because they wanted to lose weight, but what she was witnessing was women saying things like, "I lost weight, but my hair's falling out. I don't have a period anymore. I sat down with Dr. Mindy Pelz, New York Times bestselling author of Age Like a Girl, hormone expert, and the voice redefining fasting for women - because doing it wrong can wreck your health. We explore why fasting affects women differently, how ketones can restore brain function during menopause, and why understanding your hormonal cycle is critical for metabolic health, cognitive performance, and longevity. Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+: https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/youtube-sales-page Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for evidence-based conversations at the intersection of brain science, longevity, and performance. _____ TOPICS DISCUSSED 00:00 Intro 01:50 What put Dr. Mindy Pelz on the map 03:14 The truth about fasting vs intermittent fasting 05:13 How the brain uses glucose vs ketones 07:25 Why the brain "eats itself" during menopause 10:14 What is mitophagy and cellular autophagy 13:11 Why autophagy is the body's repair system 15:24 The 12-hour vs 17-hour vs 72-hour fast 17:23 Why women's cycles are disrupted by fasting 19:59 The fasting cycle for women 21:05 Lactate as a fuel source for the brain 23:01 Hemoglobin A1C and insulin resistance 27:36 Understanding CGM data correctly 30:13 Where women should start at 48 32:01 HRT: personal decision or necessity? 34:15 The nervous system shift during perimenopause 38:48 The grandmother hypothesis and evolutionary sensitivity 41:09 The "menopause divorce" phenomenon 44:18 Dementia, Alzheimer's, and women46:17 Dopamine, novelty, and neuroplasticity47:23 Cold water immersion and trauma rewiring51:19 Cold water and cortisol for women53:51 Exercise, BDNF, and brain health55:21 Serotonin, light exposure, and sleep58:00 Glycine, bone broth, and longevity01:02:26 Preparing for perimenopause and menopause 01:04:24 Acetylcholine, storytelling, and memory 01:08:38 Why eggs and cholesterol matter for the brain _______ A huge thank you to my sponsors for supporting this episode. Check them out and enjoy exclusive discounts: Ketone-IQ: Mental clarity that lasts - without the crash. Visit https://ketone.com/NEURO for 30% OFF your subscription order - PLUS receive a free gift with your second shipment or find Ketone-IQ at Target stores nationwide and get your first shot free! IQBAR: The New Year gives us all a chance to reset. Maximize your brain and body's potential with IQBAR's protein bars, hydration mixes, and mushroom coffees. Text NEURO to 64000 to get 20% off all IQBAR products, plus FREE shipping. Caraway: Visit Carawayhome.com/neuro10 or use code neuro10 at checkout to take an additional 10% off your next purchase. Caraway. Non-Toxic cookware made modern. Cure Hydration: For The Neuro Experience listeners, you can get 20% off your first order at curehydration.com/NEURO with code NEURO. Cure is FSA/HSA approved, so you can use your FSA or HSA funds to stay hydrated the smart way. Jones Road Beauty: Use code NEURO at jonesroadbeauty.com to get a Free Cool Gloss with your first purchase! _______ I’m Louisa Nicola - clinical neurophysiologist - Alzheimer’s prevention specialist - founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain- reducing Alzheimer’s risk - and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most people assume they’re healthy until something breaks. The problem is that dysfunction shows up in your biology years before symptoms appear. I sat down with Dr. Paul Turek to break down what modern biomarkers actually reveal about your health, performance, and long term disease risk. We explore why “normal” lab ranges can be misleading, why guessing based on symptoms fails, and how early signs of metabolic dysfunction, inflammation, and nutrient deficiencies quietly shape how you feel, train, and age.  This conversation is about testing and not guessing. We spoke about how to understand what’s happening inside your body before problems become diagnosed. And about taking ownership of your health data at any age, not reacting once it’s too late. Reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s with my science-backed protocol for women 30+: https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/youtube-sales-page Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for evidence-based conversations at the intersection of brain science, longevity, and performance. Topics discussed.... 00:00 Intro 01:18 Why most people miss early signs of dysfunction 03:42 Why symptoms appear years after biological dysfunction 06:15 What modern blood biomarkers actually reveal about health 09:48 Metabolic dysfunction and early insulin resistance 13:12 Inflammation markers and long-term disease risk 16:30 Why “normal” lab ranges can be misleading 19:55 Nutrient deficiencies that quietly impact energy and cognition 24:05 How biomarkers influence training, recovery, and performance 28:10 Male and female differences in interpreting lab data 32:20 Hormones, aging, and proactive health monitoring 36:05 Why guessing based on symptoms fails 39:45 Taking ownership of your health data at any age 44:05 Longevity, prevention, and performance through testing 48:20 When to test, how often, and what actually matters 52:10 The future of personalized medicine and early intervention 56:00 Final takeaways on testing vs reacting A huge thank you to my sponsors for supporting this episode. Check them out and enjoy exclusive discounts: Function: Visit https://functionhealth.com/louisa or use gift code NEURO100 at sign-up to own your health. Timeline: Don’t let another year go by feeling less than your best. Grab 35% off your one month subscription of Mitopure Gummies at Timeline.com/neuro35 Kion: Support strength, recovery, and muscle as you age with essential amino acids. Get 20% off at https://getkion.com/neuro I’m Louisa Nicola, clinical neurophysiologist, Alzheimer’s prevention specialist, and founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you’re committed to optimizing your brain, reducing Alzheimer’s risk, and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed.Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter: https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneuroexperience_/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@louisanicola_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Neuro Experience, I sit down with Mike Feldstein to explain how indoor air quality affects the brain and nervous system. They break down why indoor air is often more polluted than outdoor air and how modern buildings trap particles and chemicals. The conversation also covers airflow, off-gassing from everyday materials, and the realities of mould and environmental testing. Discover: • Why indoor air can be 10x more polluted than outdoor air • How airflow and building design influence air quality • What VOCs, metals, and mold particles actually mean biologically • Why air and mold testing is often misleading • How detox culture can increase nervous system stress 📺 Watch the full episode here - https://youtu.be/932rUIBP4SM?si=TyggvjFr1hFG3SP5 Follow The Neuro ExperienceInstagram - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/theneuroexperience_/⁠TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@louisanicola Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most people fail at their goals not because they lack discipline but because they are working against their own neurobiology. After spending over a decade studying the brain I have learned this. Your brain does not change based on what you want. It changes based on the conditions you create for it. This episode is not about motivation. It is about understanding how your brain actually learns adapts and transforms at a structural level so you can make 2025 the year things permanently shift. Reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s with my science backed protocol for women 30 plus. https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/youtube-sales-page Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for conversations at the intersection of brain science and performance. Each episode delivers evidence based insights you can apply to your own health journey. Topics discussed 00:00 Intro 02:38 Why Most People Fail at Personal Development 03:21 Your Prefrontal Cortex and the Brain Architecture Problem 04:56 What Is Neuroplasticity and How Your Brain Changes 05:40 Sponsor Rho Nutrition 06:55 Principle One Identity Over Goals and Your Brain’s Reality Filter 09:40 Principle Two The 48 Hour Window of Neuroplasticity 13:05 Principle Three Decision Fatigue and Why Willpower Is Finite 15:28 Principle Four Lower Your Activation Threshold for Success 19:16 Principle Five Emotion Encodes Memory Ten Times Stronger Than Logic 21:42 Principle Six Stop Fighting Your Environment and Redesign It 24:11 Principle Seven Your Brain Changes While Resting Not Working 26:24 Recap Seven Neuroscience Backed Principles for 2026 Sponsors A huge thank you to my sponsors for supporting this episode. Cure Hydration Get twenty percent off your first order at https://curehydration.com/NEURO Use code NEURO Cure is FSA and HSA approved so you can use your benefits to stay hydrated smarter. Ka’Chava Rewild your nutrition at https://kachava.com Use code NEURO New customers receive twenty dollars off two bags or more through the thirty first. Rho Nutrition Your brain can only perform at the level your biology allows. Get twenty percent off Liposomal Glutathione with code NEURO at https://rhonutrition.com/discount/NEURO Ketone IQ Get thirty percent off your subscription and a free gift with your second shipment at https://ketone.com/NEURO Or find Ketone IQ at Target stores nationwide. About Louisa I am Louisa Nicola clinical neurophysiologist Alzheimer’s prevention specialist and founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity peak performance and brain disease prevention. If you are committed to optimizing your brain reducing Alzheimer’s risk and staying mentally sharp for life you are in the right place. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_ Twitter https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if 70% of cognitive decline is optional — and you've been told the wrong story about aging? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Tommy Wood — neuroscientist, performance researcher, and author of The Stimulated Mind — to dismantle the myth that brain decline is inevitable. Dr. Wood reveals why most people are treating their brains like trucks when they should be treating them like Formula One cars — and how that mindset shift changes everything. We unpack the truth about cognitive function: it doesn't have to decline. Studies show that for most people, brain performance can stay stable from your 50s into your 80s and beyond. But here's what no one is saying: the average decline we see is driven by a minority of people who experience severe deterioration — not the majority. That means the trajectory you're on is largely within your control. Dr. Wood breaks down his 3S Model for Brain Health — Stimulus, Supply, and Support — a framework that simplifies the overwhelming noise around brain optimization. We discuss why retirement accelerates cognitive decline by 40%, how resistance training protects white matter and executive function, why being unkind to yourself creates chronic inflammation that accelerates dementia risk, and the shocking role of allostatic load in brain aging. This conversation will change how you think about your brain. It's not about doing 40 things perfectly. It's about understanding the core mechanisms — and making strategic changes that shift the entire system in your favor. About the guest: Dr. Tommy Wood is a neuroscientist, performance researcher, and author of The Stimulated Mind. He holds a PhD in physiology and neuroscience from the University of Cambridge and an MD from the University of Oslo. Dr. Wood has worked with Formula One drivers, elite athletes, and high performers across industries to optimize brain health and cognitive longevity. His work focuses on translating cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for peak performance and dementia prevention. *** Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+: https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/brain-code-yt Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for more conversations at the intersection of brain science and performance. I'm committed to bringing you evidence-based insights that you can apply to your own health journey. *** I'm Louisa Nicola — clinical neurophysiologist — Alzheimer's prevention specialist — founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain — reducing Alzheimer's risk — and staying mentally sharp for life, you're in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ Topics discussed:00:00:00 Introduction: The Cognitive Decline Choice 00:08:38 The Supplement Myth: Why 500 Dollars a Month Wo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if thousands of steps of gentle walking aren’t giving you the brain protection you think they are? In this solo episode, I break down one of the most important exercise studies published in Nature Communications and what it means for your brain, longevity, and Alzheimer’s risk. Tracking over 73,000 people for eight years using wearables, the findings are shocking: one minute of vigorous exercise is worth up to 10 minutes of moderate activity — not the outdated 2-to-1 rule. For diabetes prevention, it’s nearly 10-to-1. For cardiovascular mortality, it’s 8-to-1. And here’s what no one is saying: every outcome measured — heart disease, diabetes, metabolic dysfunction — is an independent risk factor for Alzheimer’s and dementia. I explain why vigorous exercise is so powerful for your brain: shear stress that strengthens blood vessels, lactate that triggers BDNF, muscle fiber recruitment that protects against falls and cognitive decline, and glucose regulation that defends against insulin resistance — a driver of neurodegeneration. Think vigorous exercise is out of reach? Good news: the study defines it as brisk stairs, carrying groceries, or playing actively with your kids. No gym required — just effort. Just 3–4 minutes of vigorous bursts per day can reduce all-cause mortality by 40% and cardiovascular events by nearly 50%. For women over 40, this is critical. Two-thirds of Alzheimer’s cases are women, and perimenopause is a vulnerability window for the brain. Vigorous exercise can partially compensate for declining estrogen by improving glucose regulation, reducing inflammation, and protecting the brain in ways gentle movement cannot. *** Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+: https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/brain-code-yt Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for more conversations at the intersection of brain science and performance. I'm committed to bringing you evidence-based insights that you can apply to your own health journey. *** A huge thank you to my sponsors for supporting this episode. Check them out and enjoy exclusive discounts: Rho NutritionYou can get 20% off with the code NEURO at https://rhonutrition.com Function HealthVisit https://functionhealth.com/louisa or use gift code NEURO100 at sign-up to own your health. AquaTruGo to https://AquaTru.com now for 20% off using promo code NEURO. TimelineHead to https://www.timeline.com/neuro to get 20% off. Cure HydrationGet 20% off your first order at https://curehydration.com/neuro with code NEURO. *** I'm Louisa Nicola — clinical neurophysiologist — Alzheimer's prevention specialist — founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain — reducing Alzheimer's risk — and staying mentally sharp for life, you're in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ Topics discussed:00:00:00 Introduction: The Exercise Intensity Revolution 00:01:02 The Study That Changes Everything 00:04:50 The Flawed Foundation: Why Guidelines Were Wrong 00:06:50 The Real Numbers: 4 to 10 Times More Powerful 00:08:53 The Brain Connection No One Is Talking About 00:15:32 Mechanism 1: Shear Stress and Cerebral Blood Flow 00:17:38 Mechanism 2: Lactate and BDNF Production 00:19:25 Mechanism 3: Type 2 Muscle Fibers and Myokines 00:24:30 Mechanism 4: Glucose Regulation and Mitochondrial Health 00:28:18 VILPA: The 3-Minute Daily Game Changer 00:32:16 Women and Menopause: The Critical Window 00:35:19 Practical Protocols: What to Do Starting Today Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if thousands of men are losing their sexual function treating a cancer that was never going to kill them? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Shawn Zimberg — board-certified radiation oncologist and medical director at Advanced Radiation Centers of New York — to unpack the truth about prostate cancer screening, overtreatment, and what every man over 40 needs to know. Dr. Zimberg reveals that the prostate cancer industry has an overtreatment problem — and genomic testing is exposing which tumors need aggressive treatment and which don’t. We break down why PSA is broken, why Gleason scores don’t tell the full story, and how cadaver studies show men from their 20s to 80s harbor prostate cancer cells that never become clinically significant. We also dive into the science behind radiation therapy, the BioProtect balloon spacer (Dr. Zimberg has performed nearly 2,000 — more than anyone in the world), and the cutting-edge radioligand therapy changing outcomes for stage 4 prostate cancer. If you’re a man, love a man, or work with men in health or performance, this is essential listening. About the guest:Dr. Shawn Zimberg is a board-certified radiation oncologist, medical director at Advanced Radiation Centers of New York, and director of radiation oncology at Bronx Care Hospital. He trained at Memorial Sloan Kettering and has pioneered the use of rectal spacer technology in prostate cancer treatment, having performed nearly 2,000 PioProtect balloon procedures — more than any other physician in the world. *** Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+: https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/brain-code-yt Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for more conversations at the intersection of brain science and performance. I'm committed to bringing you evidence-based insights that you can apply to your own health journey. *** A huge thank you to my sponsors for supporting this episode. Check them out and enjoy exclusive discounts: Troscriptions — Get 10% off your first order at https://troscriptions.com/neuro or enter code NEURO at checkout. *** I’m Louisa Nicola — clinical neurophysiologist — Alzheimer’s prevention specialist — founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain — reducing Alzheimer’s risk — and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ *** Topics discussed:00:00:00 Introduction: The Prostate Cancer Overtreatment Crisis 00:02:11 Understanding the Prostate: Anatomy and Function 00:04:43 The Cancer Paradox: Size Does Not Equal Risk 00:07:43 Radiation Oncology: The Specialty Explained 00:11:08 Lifetime Risk and Genetic Factors 00:15:32 PSA Testing: The Gold Standard Screening Tool 00:20:36 The Diagnostic Journey: MRI and Biopsy Techniques 00:25:27 The Ejaculation Study: Myth or Reality? 00:33:15 Gleason Scores Decoded: Understanding Aggressiveness 00:37:03 Molecular Profiling: Looking Under the Hood 00:39:27 Treatment Pathways: Surveillance, Surgery, or Radiation 00:41:02 Active Surveillance: When Watching is Appropriate 00:43:31 Stage 4 and Radio Ligand Therapy: The New Frontier 00:48:21 Testosterone and Prostate Cancer: The Complex Relationship 00:52:38 Radiation Therapy Explained: DNA Damage and Healing 00:55:28 The Bioprotect Balloon: Revolutionary Rectal Protection 00:56:07 The Therapeutic Ratio: Maximizing Cure, Minimizing Damage 00:46:39 Robotic Prostatectomy and Surgical Options 01:06:36 Prevention and Early Detection: What Men Need to Know 01:08:28 Closing Thoughts and Where to Find Dr. Zimberg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I used to think fertility was pure luck — until conversations like this changed everything. I’ve watched women do everything right and still struggle… while others who ignored all the “rules” conceived effortlessly. It’s confusing, emotional, and at times, deeply unfair. But today’s guest, Dr. Natalie Crawford, explains exactly why this happens — and what women actually can control. In this episode, we break down the science of fertility in a way every woman deserves to understand — whether you're 25, 35, or 45. Most importantly, Dr. Crawford reveals the 5 fertility non-negotiables — the foundational biological factors every woman should understand long before she ever tries to conceive. This is one of the most empowering episodes we’ve created — because fertility shouldn’t be a mystery, and women deserve better answers. *** "The Fertility Formula" — Dr. Natalie Crawford’s upcoming book (available now for preorder). About the guest: Dr. Natalie Crawford, MD, is a board-certified OB-GYN and Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility specialist. Known for her evidence-based, compassionate approach, she helps women understand their hormones, fertility, and metabolic health while guiding thousands through IVF, cycle optimization, and reproductive longevity. She is the author of the upcoming book The Fertility Formula.  *** Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+: https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/brain-code-yt Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for more conversations at the intersection of brain science and performance. I'm committed to bringing you evidence-based insights that you can apply to your own health journey. *** A huge thank you to my sponsors for supporting this episode. Check them out and enjoy exclusive discounts: Cure Hydration You can get 20% off your first order at ⁠https://curehydration.com/neuro⁠ with code NEURO. Huel Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF with code neuro at ⁠https://huel.com/⁠neuro (Minimum $75 purchase). Timeline My friends at Timeline are offering 20% off, just for my listeners. Head to ⁠https://timeline.com/neuro⁠ to get started. Hollow Socks For a limited time, Hollow Socks is having a Buy 3, Get 3 Free Sale. Head to ⁠https://Hollowsocks.com⁠ today to check it out. That’s ⁠https://HollowSocks.com⁠ for up to 50% off your order. Jones Road Beauty For a limited time our listeners are getting a free Cool Gloss on their first purchase when they use code NEURO at checkout. Just head to ⁠https://Jonesroadbeauty.com⁠ *** I’m Louisa Nicola — clinical neurophysiologist — Alzheimer’s prevention specialist — founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain — reducing Alzheimer’s risk — and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ *** Topics discussed: 00:00 – Intro 01:26 – Fertility: Not Luck—It’s Health 03:55 – Inflammation: The Hidden Driver of Infertility 07:36 – AMH Explained: Egg Quantity vs. Quality 08:13 – How Eggs Work: The “Vault” & Aging 09:42 – How Inflammation Damages Eggs & Hormones 19:06 – Why No One Teaches Women to Track Cycles 20:14 – Overtraining, Stress & Losing Your Period 23:53 – IVF Explained: What Really Happens 26:55 – Frozen vs. Fresh Embryos & Success Rates 35:06 – Sperm Quality: The Missing Half of Fertility 49:42 – What Every Woman Should Do at 28 or 38 53:06 – Sleep, Stress & Hormones: The Fertility Non-Negotiables Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if I told you that the moment you break your femur, you have a 30% chance of dying — and a 50% chance of never going home again? In this minisode, I share the most shocking moments from my conversation with orthopedic surgeon and longevity expert Dr. Vonda Wright, and why bone health is one of the biggest blind spots in women’s health. Dr. Wright reveals that “the minute you fall and break this bone… you have a 30% chance of dying from the complications” — pneumonia, UTIs, bedsores — and “a 50% chance of not returning to the home where you came from.” We also break down her viral MRI comparison: the thigh of a sedentary 74-year-old vs. a 40-year-old vs. a 74-year-old triathlete — and how the active 74-year-old looks nearly identical to the 40-year-old. Aging is not the enemy; inaction is. If you’re in your 30s, 40s, or beyond, this is your wake-up call:You can change the trajectory of your health if you start early enough. This episode features highlights from our full conversation, which premiered September 2nd, 2025. Watch the full episode here → https://youtu.be/pUb1z_LJp3g *** Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for more conversations at the intersection of brain science and performance. I'm committed to bringing you evidence-based insights that you can apply to your own health journey. *** I’m Louisa Nicola — clinical neurophysiologist — Alzheimer’s prevention specialist — founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain — reducing Alzheimer’s risk — and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ Topics discussed:00:00:00 Introduction: The Deadly Truth About Hip Fractures 00:01:08 The Cost of Inaction: Financial and Personal Impact 00:01:28 Building Better Bones: It's Never Too Late 00:02:16 The Power of Resistance Training at Any Age 00:03:00 Starting Early: Lessons for the Next Generation 00:03:22 The Viral MRI: 40-Year-Old vs 74-Year-Old Athletes 00:03:54 Anatomy of Aging: What the MRI Really Shows 00:04:41 Bone as an Endocrine Organ: The Master Communicator 00:05:28 The Silent Crisis: Why We Don't Hear Our Bones 00:06:16 The Menopause Catastrophe: When Estrogen Walks Out Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Millions of women in their 30s–50s are being told they’re “depressed” when their brains and hormones are simply changing. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Suzanne Gilberg-Lenz to unpack the truth about midlife mood shifts, rage, and the hormonal fluctuations that mimic depression but aren’t the same. We break down the science of perimenopause, why women are so often misdiagnosed, and how decades of excluding women from research left major gaps in understanding how estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone shape the brain. Dr. Gilberg-Lenz reveals how hormonal changes—starting up to ten years before menopause—can transform mood, cognition, and stress, and how modern science is finally catching up to just how powerfully hormones influence the mind. About the guest:Dr. Suzanne Gilberg-Lenz is a board-certified OB/GYN and integrative women’s health expert who blends conventional medicine with Ayurvedic training. A USC-trained physician with a residency at Cedars-Sinai, she supports women from adolescence through menopause and is the author of Menopause Bootcamp (Harper Wave, 2022). Her work focuses on demystifying midlife, challenging ageism in healthcare, and empowering women with science-based guidance. Follow Dr. Gilber-Lenz: Instagram: @askdrsuzanne  *** Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for more conversations at the intersection of brain science and performance. I'm committed to bringing you evidence-based insights that you can apply to your own health journey. *** A huge thank you to my sponsors for supporting this episode. Check them out and enjoy exclusive discounts: Function Health Visit https://functionhealth.com/louisa or use gift code NEURO100 at sign-up to own your health.  Thrive Market Go to https://ThriveMarket.com/neuro to get 30% off your first order, and a free $60 gift Branch Basics Take 15% off your order at https://branchbasics.com/NEURO with promo code NEURO.   Bubs Natural For a limited time only, our listeners are getting 20% OFF at https://bubsnaturals.com   by using code LOUISA at checkout VuoriGet 20% off your first purchase at https://vuori.com/neuro  Rho Nutrition You can get 20% off with the code NEURO at https://rhonutrition.com *** I’m Louisa Nicola — clinical neurophysiologist — Alzheimer’s prevention specialist — founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain — reducing Alzheimer’s risk — and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ Topics discussed:00:00 – Intro 02:07 – Early Signs of Perimenopause 03:15 – How Hormones Shift in Your 30s–50s 04:32 – Why Anxiety Spikes in Midlife 07:02 – Antidepressants vs. Hormones 09:27 – How Estrogen Shapes Mood & Neurochemistry 11:23 – PMS, PMDD, Postpartum & Perimenopause Overlap 12:25 – Perimenopause Amplifies Existing Issues 18:00 – Estrogen, Progesterone & Testosterone in the Brain 20:45 – AMH, Egg Quality & Fertility After 40 23:17 – Postpartum vs. Perimenopause at 40+ 26:55 – Getting Pregnant on Hormone Therapy 31:19 – Reinventing the Menopause Narrative 34:25 – Gut Health, Microbiome & Hormones 35:30 – Ayurveda’s Role in Midlife Health 37:10 – The Patient Who Transformed Dr. Gilberg-Lenz’s Path 43:08 – Negative Thoughts, Cortisol & Brain Aging 44:23 – Hormone Chaos, Inflammation & Cognitive Decline 48:23 – When Labs Are “Normal” but Symptoms Aren’t 49:53 – How Perimenopause Should Be Treated 51:55 – The Future of Midlife Women’s Healthcare 56:28 – Why the System Fails Women (and How to Navigate It) 58:02 – GLP-1s, Hormones & Longevity Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’re heading into the holidays feeling drained or unfocused, this episode is your reset button. Before the year ends, I’m sharing my personal health gift guide—the real tools and rituals I use to support my brain, boost my energy, and improve my sleep. I walk you through the five pillars I rely on: mitochondrial support circadian rhythm, environment and light hygiene lymphatic drainage for clearer thinking sleep optimization blood work From red light therapy and blue-light–blocking tools to electrolytes, creatine, nontoxic cookware, and the blood work I swear by—these are the science-backed wellness picks I’m gifting to myself and the people I love. Let’s head into the new year feeling stronger, clearer, and truly supported. *** Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for more conversations at the intersection of brain science and performance. I'm committed to bringing you evidence-based insights that you can apply to your own health journey. *** A huge thank you to my sponsors for supporting this episode. Check them out and enjoy exclusive discounts: Boncharge: Red Light Face Mask for 25% off sitewide - no code needed. Head to https://boncharge.com/products/red-light-face-mask?rfsn=8835559.ace3e64 Time-line: Save 30% on your Longevity Routine today! This sale ends 12/1 so head to https://www.timeline.com/promotions/bfcm-nutrition?utm_source=neuroexperience&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_campaign=BFCM&utm_term=TOF&utm_content=Nutrition for 30% off. *** Products mentioned: Brain Code: https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/brain-code Urolithin a: https://www.timeline.com/partners/neuro-athletics Happy Light: https://a.co/d/ePBIExx Boncharge light bulbs: https://boncharge.com/products/full-spectrum-light-bulb Boncharge blue light blocking glasses: Boncharge Blue Light Blocking glasses Boncharge red light panel: https://boncharge.com/products/demi-red-light-device EightSleep: https://www.eightsleep.com/product/pod-cover/ Supplements: Myo-inositol L-theanine GABA Magnesium L-threonate Vibration plate: https://a.co/d/gBsVZ0Z Hyperice Normatec Boots: https://hyperice.com/products/normatec-3-legs/ Creatine: https://puori.com/neuro Cookware: https://Carawayhome.com/neuro Blood work: https://functionhealth.com/louisa I’m Louisa Nicola — clinical neurophysiologist — Alzheimer’s prevention specialist — founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain — reducing Alzheimer’s risk — and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ Topics discussed: 00:00 – Holiday Message & Why Brain Span Matters 01:44 – The Five Pillars of My Wellness Rituals 03:23 – Mitochondrial Health 101 (Foundational Tools) 05:09 – Urolithin A & How I Support Mitochondria 07:44 – Light, Circadian Rhythm & Brain Performance 09:34 – My Night Ritual: Melatonin & Blue Light Blocking 13:25 – Why I Use Red Light & Infrared Therapy Daily 15:41 – Sleep Rituals for Deep Recovery 17:52 – Lymphatic Drainage for Brain Fog & Alzheimer’s Risk 19:45 – Creatine for Energy & Sleep Deprivation Support 20:47 – Micro Habits: Hydration, Breathwork & Training 22:52 – Non-Toxic Cooking: Why I Switched to Caraway 23:35 – Bloodwork Every Four Months (My #1 Health Gift) 24:07 – Final Thoughts & Holiday Wishes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A single overlooked bacteria in your mouth can alter hormones, disrupt implantation, and delay pregnancy — and most doctors never test for it. That’s what I discovered reading a study showing that women with periodontal disease take two months longer to conceive, and that the gingivitis pathogen P. gingivalis has been found in the placentas of women who miscarried. In this minisode, I sit down with biological dentist Dr. Staci Whitman to uncover how oral pathogens, inflammatory cytokines, and “leaky gums” impact reproductive health for both women and men. We discuss saliva, diet, mouth breathing, and why oral microbiome testing may be one of the most powerful—and overlooked—tools in fertility care. This episode features highlights from our full conversation, which premiered August 26th, 2025. Watch the full episode here → https://youtu.be/vqcNFx4CRfk If you care about hormones, fertility, pregnancy, or inflammation, this is a must-listen. *** Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for more conversations at the intersection of brain science and performance. I'm committed to bringing you evidence-based insights that you can apply to your own health journey. A huge thank you to my sponsors for supporting this episode. Check them out and enjoy exclusive discounts: AquaTru Go to https://AquaTru.com now for 20% off using promo code NEURO. Honeylove Save 20% Off Honeylove by going to https://honeylove.com/neuro *** I’m Louisa Nicola — clinical neurophysiologist — Alzheimer’s prevention specialist — founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain — reducing Alzheimer’s risk — and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ Topics discussed:00:00:00 Introduction: The Oral Health-Fertility Connection 00:00:49 The Science Behind Periodontal Disease and Conception 00:01:23 Leaky Gums: The Gateway to Systemic Inflammation 00:04:25 The Complete Map of Oral Health 00:05:07 Nutrition: The Foundation of Oral Health 00:06:48 The Carnivore Paradox: Why Diet Matters More Than Brushing 00:09:55 The pH Factor: Acidity and Oral Disease 00:11:42 Eating Frequency and the Oral Microbiome 00:15:23 Saliva: Your Mouth's Golden Elixir 00:16:43 Testing Your Oral Microbiome Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if your mouth could reveal your hormonal health, fertility status, and even your brain’s risk for Alzheimer’s? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Leedia Riman, a biological and integrative dentist redefining how we care for our teeth. She reveals the science behind estrogen receptors in the mouth, jawbone, and salivary glands—and how they link oral health to menopause, fertility, and brain aging. We explore the oral microbiome and how an imbalance can spark inflammation that spreads to the brain, gut, and even the placenta. Dr. Leedia explains how testing your oral microbiome can flag disease risks early, and why every woman over 35 should understand what’s happening inside her mouth. This episode isn’t just for women—oral inflammation also impacts male fertility, bone density, and long-term health. From dry mouth to dementia, pregnancy gingivitis to biofilm mapping, this is one of the most eye-opening conversations we’ve had on The Neuro Experience.*** About Dr. Riman: Dr. Leedia Riman is a Beverly Hills biological and integrative dentist who connects oral health with whole-body wellness. She specializes in conservative, biomimetic cosmetic dentistry, gum and bone health, and a root-cause approach—with a focus on how hormonal shifts, especially in women, affect the mouth and jaw. Dr. Leedia coined “Responsible Cosmetic Dentistry” to describe her philosophy of long-term, minimally invasive, personalized care. Instagram: @drleedia Website: https://www.drleedia.com Elev8 Dentistry: https://elev8care.com *** Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for more conversations at the intersection of brain science and performance. I'm committed to bringing you evidence-based insights that you can apply to your own health journey. *** A huge thank you to my sponsors for supporting this episode. Check them out and enjoy exclusive discounts: Function Health:Visit https://functionhealth.com/louisa or use code NEURO100 at sign-up to own your health.  Caraway:Visit https://www.carawayhome.com/neuro to take advantage of this limited-time offer for up to 20% off your purchase. Huel: Try both products today with 15% off your purchase for new customers with my exclusive code neuro at https://www.huel.com/neuro. Calm:Get 40% off a Calm Premium Subscription at https://www.calm.com/louisa  Cure Hydration:Get 20% off your first order at https://curehydration.com/neuro with code NEURO Vuori:Get 20% off your first purchase at https://www.vuori.com/neuro  *** I’m Louisa Nicola — clinical neurophysiologist — Alzheimer’s prevention specialist — founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain — reducing Alzheimer’s risk — and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_***Topics discussed:Use 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:09 What is Biological Dentistry? 00:03:44 Estrogen Decline and Your Mouth 00:06:45 The Oral Microbiome Crisis 00:10:51 The Pregnancy-Oral Health Connection 00:13:41 Biofilm Mapping: A Revolutionary Diagnostic Tool 00:16:55 Fertility, Sperm Health, and Oral Inflammation 00:24:27 Warning Signs: Burning Mouth and Gum Disease 00:28:57 Hormone Replacement Therapy and Oral Health 00:29:31 The Saudi Arabia Discovery 00:20:41 Pregnancy's Impact on Oral Health 00:33:31 Essential Dental Care Protocol 00:42:11 Bone Loss and Osteoporosis in the Jaw 00:46:15 Daily Oral Care Routine for Menopausal Women 00:52:32 The Vitamin D and K2 Connection 00:49:43 Mouth Taping and Saliva Preservation 00:54:45 Action Plan: Treating the 52-Year-Old Woman to include chapters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the most powerful predictor of your lifespan has nothing to do with your genetics, diet, workouts, or supplements? In this groundbreaking episode, neuroscientist Louisa Nicola sits down with bestselling author Shawn Stevenson to reveal the real missing piece in the longevity equation. Drawing from a massive 148-study meta-analysis of 300,000+ people and Harvard’s 80-year longitudinal study, Shawn explains why the quality of your social relationships is the strongest determinant of how long you’ll live — outperforming exercise, nutrition, and even quitting smoking. This episode features highlights from our full conversation, which premiered July 7th, 2025. Watch the full episode here → https://youtu.be/FXWvyU21ILs *** Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for more conversations at the intersection of brain science and performance. I'm committed to bringing you evidence-based insights that you can apply to your own health journey. *** I’m Louisa Nicola — clinical neurophysiologist — Alzheimer’s prevention specialist — founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain — reducing Alzheimer’s risk — and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ *** Topics discussed:  00:00 – Intro00:20 – Why Food, Exercise & Sleep Aren’t Enough00:50 – Relationships Cut Mortality by 50%01:41 – Harvard’s 80-Year Longevity Study Findings02:49 – Why “Warm Social Bonds” Outperform Diet & Exercise03:26 – How Relationships Improve Stress Metabolism04:40 – The Real Impact of Chronic Stress on Disease06:09 – 80% of Doctor Visits Are Stress-Related07:25 – Why We Aren’t Taught How to Build Healthy Relationships08:52 – How Your Environment Shapes Your Health Behaviors10:38 – Social Isolation, Aging & Cognitive Decline11:16 – Why Loneliness Accelerates Alzheimer’s and Disease Progression Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if everything you’ve been told about menopause is wrong? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Mary Claire Haver — board-certified OB/GYN and leading menopause expert — to unpack the science reshaping women’s health. We break down the FDA’s recent removal of the 22-year black box warning on hormone therapy, why only 4% of women use HRT today, and how fear and misinformation have shaped decades of care. Dr. Haver also dives into the rise of menopause “biohacks,” from NAD and PRP to the fundamentals that truly move the needle: sleep, strength training, and metabolic health. Her message is simple: Menopause isn’t a disease — it’s a transition, and you deserve informed, evidence-based support. If you’ve ever felt dismissed or confused during midlife changes, this conversation will give you clarity, confidence, and the science to advocate for yourself. Follow Dr. Haver:Instagram: @drmaryclaireTikTok: @drmaryclaireWebsite: The Pause LifePre-order The New Perimenopause, set to release on April 7, 2026: https://thepauselife.com/pages/the-new-perimenopause-bookListen to Dr. Haver's podcast, unPAUSED, here: https://thepauselife.com/pages/the-unpaused-podcast *** Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for more conversations at the intersection of brain science and performance. I'm committed to bringing you evidence-based insights that you can apply to your own health journey. *** A huge thank you to my sponsors for supporting this episode. Check them out and enjoy exclusive discounts: TroscriptionsGive it a try at https://www.troscriptions.com/NEURO or enter NEURO at checkout for 10% off your first order.  TimelineHead to https://www.timeline.com/neuro to get started. Branch BasicsHead to https://www.branchbasics.com and use code NEURO for 15% off. Hollow SocksFor a limited time Hollow Socks is having a Buy 3, Get 3 Free Sale. Head to https://www.ollowsocks.com today to check it out. Jones Road BeautyUse code NEURO at https://www.jonesroadbeauty.com to get a free Cool Gloss with your first purchase. *** I’m Louisa Nicola — clinical neurophysiologist — Alzheimer’s prevention specialist — founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain — reducing Alzheimer’s risk — and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_***Topics discussed: 00:00 – Intro 01:55 – The FDA removed the “black box” warning for HRT 05:16 – The Social Media Effect on Menopause Education 07:54 – How Doctors Historically Dismiss Women’s Symptoms 11:12 – Why So Many Women Get Antidepressants Instead of HRT 14:07 – Life Stress vs Hormone-Driven Symptoms 16:48 – The Timing Hypothesis / Critical Window Explained 19:06 – Why Modern RCTs Aren’t Happening 20:10 – Proven Benefits: Bone Health & Osteoporosis Prevention 21:35 – HRT, Dementia, and Brain Health: What the Data Actually Shows 23:16 – Environmental Toxins, Brain Health & Midlife Risk Factors 25:24 – How the Internet Distorts Menopause Education 27:10 – The “Brain Eating Itself” Debate: The Real Science 30:09 – What Brain Fog Really Is During Perimenopause 32:24 – Why High-Functioning Women Struggle the Most 34:03 – Breast Cancer Risk: What the WHI Actually Found 35:00 – Why Sleep Is the First Line of Treatment Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every decade after 30, women lose up to 8% of their muscle mass—and by 50, many can’t even carry groceries upstairs. In this minisode, I sit down with  celebrity fitness trainer Ben Bruno to cut through the noise and talk about what really keeps you strong, mobile, and confident for life. From full-body training to bone-density myths, we unpack the truth about longevity, fitness, and how to stay powerful well into your 50s and beyond. This episode features highlights from our full conversation, which premiered August 19th, 2025. Watch the full episode here → https://youtu.be/BeDB8pAfpLs?si=Lfg-ISGmVxYB0SLq *** Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for more conversations at the intersection of brain science and performance. I'm committed to bringing you evidence-based insights that you can apply to your own health journey. *** I’m Louisa Nicola — clinical neurophysiologist — Alzheimer’s prevention specialist — founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain — reducing Alzheimer’s risk — and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ *** Topics discussed: 00:00 – Intro: The Shocking Truth About Muscle Loss After 3000:53 – Why Full-Body Strength Training Beats Every Trend04:22 – Online Fitness vs. Real-World Results07:24 – Biohacking, Red Light Therapy & Longevity Myths10:19 – How to Train for Life, Not Just Looks11:35 – Exercise Is Medicine: Finding the Right Dose Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For decades, we’ve been told Alzheimer’s strikes in our 70s or 80s — but that’s not the full story. The truth is, it begins silently, building for years—sometimes decades—before symptoms ever appear. And by the time you notice it, the damage has already been done. In this solo episode, I break down what I’ve learned after a decade studying brain health — especially the unique risks women face in midlife. Two out of three cases of Alzheimer’s are female. Why? It’s not just about age — it’s about hormones, metabolism, and lifestyle choices that start changing in our 30s, 40s, and 50s. I’ll also share why I created Brain Code™ — my new digital course for women 40+ who want a science-backed plan to lower their risk of cognitive decline and live sharper, longer, and stronger lives. This isn’t optional self-care — it’s your cognitive Olympics. *** Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for more conversations at the intersection of brain science and performance. I'm committed to bringing you evidence-based insights that you can apply to your own health journey. *** A huge thank you to my sponsors for supporting this episode. Check them out and enjoy exclusive discounts: Function Health Visit https://functionhealth.com/louisa or use gift code NEURO100 at sign-up to own your health. Calm Go to https://www.calm.com/LOUISA for 40% off unlimited access to Calm’s entire library.  TimelineMy friends at Timeline are offering 20% off, just for my listeners. Head to https://www.timeline.com/neuro to get started.  VuoriGo to https://www.vuori.com/NEURO and receive 20% off your first purchase. Additionally, enjoy free shipping on any U.S. orders over $75 and free returns. Jones Road Beauty For a limited time our listeners are getting a free Cool Gloss on their first purchase when they use code NEURO at checkout. Just head to https://www.jonesroadbeauty.com and use code NEURO at checkout.   Branch Basics Take 15% off your new Branch Basics Premium Starter Kit at https://www.BranchBasics.com with promo code NEURO.  *** I’m Louisa Nicola — clinical neurophysiologist — Alzheimer’s prevention specialist — founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain — reducing Alzheimer’s risk — and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_Topics discussed: 00:00:00 The Alzheimer's Crisis: Why This Disease Matters 00:04:50 Why Women Face Double the Risk 00:09:48 The Menopause-Brain Connection 00:16:38 Hormone Replacement Therapy: The Truth 00:18:32 Sleep: Your Brain's Detox System 00:21:07 Muscle as a Cognitive Organ 00:24:47 Sprint Training: The Forgotten Brain Weapon 00:28:23 Food as Brain Code 00:29:49 The Power of Quality Relationships 00:30:50 Brain Code: Your Action Plan to include chapters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I used to assume conception began at the first sign of pregnancy — until I learned about Trimester Zero. The 100-day window before conception may be the most powerful period in shaping your baby’s lifelong health — and your own. In this minisode, I sit down with Vida Delrahim and Ronit Menashe, co-founders of WeNatal, to unpack what science now calls the pre-pregnancy trimester. We talk about how both women and men can dramatically influence fertility and genetics before conception through nutrition, lifestyle, and the health of one mighty organelle — the mitochondria.This episode features highlights from our full conversation, which premiered August 12th, 2025. Watch the full episode here → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gztCFH603g About the guests:After experiencing miscarriages just a week apart, best friends Vida and Ronit were devastated — and confused. Both were healthy, both on prenatal vitamins, and yet doctors dismissed their losses as “random” or “age-related.” They partnered with leading experts, pored over research, and created a science-backed prenatal system for both women and men. What began as a personal mission has grown into WeNatal — a movement giving couples the knowledge, tools, and products to support conception, pregnancy, and the lifelong health of future generations. *** Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for more conversations at the intersection of brain science and performance. I'm committed to bringing you evidence-based insights that you can apply to your own health journey. *** A huge thank you to my sponsor for supporting this episode. Check them out and enjoy exclusive discounts: HoneyloveSave 20% Off Honeylove at https://www.honeylove.com/NEURO. *** I’m Louisa Nicola — clinical neurophysiologist — Alzheimer’s prevention specialist — founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain — reducing Alzheimer’s risk — and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You think you’re living healthy—organic food, filtered water, supplements—but what about the air you breathe? In this episode, I sit down with disaster-recovery expert and Jaspr founder Mike Feldstein to expose the hidden dangers of indoor air and how it may be silently sabotaging your health, sleep, and longevity. After years rebuilding homes post-disaster, Mike discovered that people were getting sicker—not from what they ate, but from what they breathed. His solution: Jaspr, a sleek air-scrubbing system that removes 99.9% of ultra-fine particles. We break down how poor air quality impacts your biology and why cleaning the air could be the missing link to better performance and longer life. Follow Jaspr: Instagram: @jaspr.co Website: https://www.jaspr.co *** SPECIAL OFFER For the month of November, get $400 off your Jaspr Air Scrubber when you use code NEURO at checkout. After Black Friday, you’ll still save $200 off—and this code never expires. Shop now at https://www.jaspr.co and start breathing cleaner air today. *** Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for more conversations at the intersection of brain science and performance. I'm committed to bringing you evidence-based insights that you can apply to your own health journey. *** A huge thank you to my sponsors for supporting this episode. Check them out and enjoy exclusive discounts: Huel Huel has launched their Black Edition Ready To Drink + their Daily Greens Ready To Drink! Try both products today with 15% off your purchase for New Customers with my exclusive code NEURO at https://www.huel.com/neuro. Use my code and fill out the post checkout survey to help support the show. Ketone IQ Visit https://ketone.com/NEURO for 30% OFF your subscription order PLUS receive a free gift with your second shipment—or find Ketone-IQ at Target stores nationwide and get your first shot free! Caraway The holidays are closer than ever, so get their gift (or yours) in time! Visit https://www.carawayhome.com/neuro to take advantage of this limited-time offer for up to 20% off your next purchase. Timeline My friends at Timeline are offering 20% off, just for my listeners. Head to https://www.timeline.com/neuro to get started. BUBS Head to https://www.bubsnaturals.com and use code LOUISA for 20% off. *** I’m Louisa Nicola — clinical neurophysiologist — Alzheimer’s prevention specialist — founder of Neuro Athletics. My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention. If you're committed to optimizing your brain — reducing Alzheimer’s risk — and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_ Topics discussed: 00:00 – Intro 03:09 – The Birth of Jaspr: Making Clean Air Beautiful 07:10 – What Is Toxic Air and How It Makes You Sick 09:05 – Mold, Mycotoxins, and the Hidden Health Connection 16:23 – PM 2.5: The Microscopic Particles That Can’t Escape Your Lungs 18:01 – Air Pollution, Dementia, and Alzheimer’s Risk 21:43 – Why Hotel Air Is Making You Sick 24:52 – Cooking, Hair Dryers, and Hidden Air Pollution in Your Home 27:45 – Where the Toxins Go: Your Couch, Carpet, and Clothes 31:00 – Why “Zero” Air Quality Is Impossible 32:24 – The Difference Between an Air Purifier and an Air Scrubber 33:29 – Real-World Air Testing: Hotels, Dentists, and Dangerous Jobs 40:46 – Clean Air and Relationships: Stopping Snoring and “Sleep Divorce” 43:40 – What to Look for in an Air Purifier 46:34 – When and How to Replace Filters 47:31 – How to Prevent Mold and Moisture Buildup in Bathrooms 48:49 – Pets, Shoes, and the Hidden Dangers of “Fur Pollution” 51:11 – The Gym Air Problem: Rubber Floors and Toxins Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices