In this episode, I discuss placebo and belief and mindset effects — all of which exert a powerful and real influence on our biology and psychology. I discuss how your beliefs and expectation that a certain outcome will occur after taking a substance (or any intervention cause genuine changes in brain and bodily function. I discuss how placebos can change neurotransmitter and hormone release, pain levels, whether the stress response is beneficial or detrimental and more. I also explain how placebo effects can work with traditional drug or behavioral treatments to help improve health outcomes and why some people are more susceptible to placebo effects. By the end of the episode, listeners will understand the placebo effect, how it works, and how beliefs and mindsets can be leveraged toward mental health, physical health, and performance goals. Thank you to our sponsors AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman Eight Sleep: https://eightsleep.com/huberman AeroPress: https://aeropress.com/huberman Levels: https://levels.link/huberman InsideTracker: https://insidetracker.com/huberman Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/huberman Social & Website Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hubermanlab Threads: https://www.threads.net/@hubermanlab X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/hubermanlab Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hubermanlab TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hubermanlab LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-huberman Website: https://www.hubermanlab.com/ Newsletter: https://www.hubermanlab.com/newsletter Journal Articles Expectation and Dopamine Release: Mechanism of the Placebo Effect in Parkinson's Disease: https://bit.ly/3IrhjWc Conscious Expectation and Unconscious Conditioning in Analgesic, Motor, and Hormonal Placebo/Nocebo Responses: https://bit.ly/49TSlKY Impact of brand or generic labeling on medication effectiveness and side effects: https://bit.ly/3IkUWSn DEMONSTRATION TO MEDICAL STUDENTS OF PLACEBO RESPONSES AND NON-DRUG FACTORS: https://bit.ly/3IofHws Effect of capsule colour and order of administration of hypnotic treatments: https://bit.ly/3TiZG1k Effect of colour of drugs: systematic review of perceived effect of drugs and of their effectiveness: https://bit.ly/3P4vF2G Do medical devices have enhanced placebo effects?: https://bit.ly/3P4vJPY Placebo Effects in Oncology: https://bit.ly/3TkNOMc Active Albuterol or Placebo, Sham Acupuncture, or No Intervention in Asthma: https://bit.ly/3T4Kfsf Nicotine-related beliefs induce dose-dependent responses in the human brain: https://go.nature.com/3V15yNM Mind over milkshakes: Mindsets, not just nutrients, determine ghrelin response: https://bit.ly/42ZKnhe Mind-Set Matters: Exercise and the Placebo Effect: https://bit.ly/3IkV7Nx A central master driver of psychosocial stress responses in the rat: https://bit.ly/3uJSBgU Huberman Lab Episodes Mentioned Nicotine's Effects on the Brain & Body & How to Quit Smoking or Vaping: https://www.hubermanlab.com/episode/nicotines-effects-on-the-brain-and-body-and-how-to-quit-smoking-or-vaping Dr. Alia Crum: Science of Mindsets for Health & Performance: https://www.hubermanlab.com/episode/dr-alia-crum-science-of-mindsets-for-health-performance People Mentioned Ivan Pavlov: physiologist, developed the conditioned reflex concept: https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/1904/pavlov/biographical Ted Kaptchuk: Harvard, professor of medicine, studies placebo effects: https://ghsm.hms.harvard.edu/faculty-staff/ted-jack-kaptchuk Alia Crum: Stanford, professor of psychology, studies mindset and belief effects: https://profiles.stanford.edu/alia-crum Timestamps 00:00:00 Placebo Effects 00:02:40 Sponsors: Eight Sleep, AeroPress & Levels 00:07:24 Placebo, Nocebo vs. Belief Effect, Prefrontal Cortex 00:14:03 Dopamine, Placebo & Parkinson’s Disease; Placebo Controls 00:21:36 Hormone Release & Placebo Effect, Paired Associations 00:28:52 Conditioning Effect & Insulin; Pavlovian Response 00:32:50 Sponsor: AG1 00:34:17 Context & Expectations; Placebo Effect & Brain 00:40:51 Cancer, Mind-Body Practices; Placebo Effects & Limits 00:44:54 Asthma, Specificity & Placebo Effects 00:48:01 Sponsor: InsideTracker 00:49:03 Nicotine & Dose-Dependent Placebo Effects 00:55:31 Placebo Effects vs. Belief Effects, Food & Mindset 01:01:02 Exercise & Belief Effects 01:04:08 Placebo Effect, Brain & Stress Response 01:11:18 Individual Variation, Genetics & Placebo Effect 01:16:11 Zero-Cost Support, Spotify & Apple Reviews, YouTube Feedback, Sponsors, Momentous, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter #HubermanLab #Science #Placebo Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac - https://www.blabacphoto.com/ Disclaimer: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer