Essentials: Food & Supplements for Brain Health & Cognitive Performance

Welcome to Huberman Lab Essentials, where we revisit past episodes for the most potent and actionable science-based tools for mental health, physical health, and performance. I'm Andrew Huberman, a professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine. Today I am talking about food and the brain—how to support focus, long-term brain health, and how and why we prefer certain foods. I frame it around three signals that drive food choice: a subconscious gut signal, how easily a food fuels the brain, and the belief signal—what I think a food contains and can do for me.

Before fuel, I focus on structure. Neurons are encased in double-layered membranes made of structural fats that govern how they fire. To support those membranes, I emphasize essential fatty acids and phospholipids—especially omega-3s like EPA and DHA. Most of us get plenty of omega-6s but not enough omega-3s. Fish is a strong source, but plant sources like chia seeds and walnuts help too. Many people benefit from supplementing EPA to get above one point five grams and ideally up to two or even three grams per day for short- and long-term cognitive support.

Phosphatidylserine also supports neuronal function. It is abundant in meat and fish, and you can supplement it relatively inexpensively if needed. I then place choline high on the list because it is the precursor for acetylcholine, the neuromodulator that underlies focus. Eggs—especially the yolks—are a rich source. If you do not eat eggs, you can still get choline from potatoes, nuts, seeds, grains, and fruit, though in lower amounts. Most people should aim for roughly five hundred milligrams to one gram of choline per day.

Creatine is next. It can serve as a brain fuel and supports certain frontal cortical functions. The cognitive threshold appears to be at least five grams per day of creatine monohydrate. People who do not consume animal products often see the biggest cognitive benefit. I take five grams daily as a kind of insurance policy and rely on supplementation rather than eating additional meat.

Dark berries—blueberries, blackberries, blackcurrants—contain anthocyanins that have solid data supporting benefits to brain function, likely through direct and anti-inflammatory effects. I try to include approximately one to two cups regularly. I also include glutamine as a food-derived tool. It is found in protein-rich foods like dairy, eggs, beef, chicken, fish, and in beans, cabbage, spinach, and parsley. It may support immune function and, by activating gut glutamine-sensing neurons, can reduce sugar cravings for some people.

All of these can come from food, and there is no rule that says you must supplement. Supplementation just makes it easier to hit higher intakes, especially if you do not enjoy certain foods—I do not love fish, so I supplement EPA. I emphasize these items because they support neuronal structure first, and secondarily modulate sleep, inflammation, and cardiovascular function. Always consult a physician before changing diet or supplementation.

Now, why do I like what I like? Three channels govern preference. First is taste and texture—the five basic tastes on the tongue transduce chemicals into electrical signals that reach the insular cortex, which integrates internal bodily state with taste to produce the subjective experience of yum, yuck, or meh.

Second is a subconscious gut channel. Along the digestive tract, specialized neuropod cells sense amino acids, sugars, and fatty acids and send signals through the nodose ganglion into the brain to trigger dopamine. That motivates me to seek more of the nutrients my gut detected, independent of taste.

Third is learned association—the belief pathway. My brain links specific tastes with metabolic consequences. I do not just like sweet because it tastes good; I like it because historically it predicted a rise in blood glucose and more neuronal energy.

Studies show how malleable this is. Caloric sweet taste raises dopamine; non-caloric sweeteners initially do not. But with repeated ingestion, non-caloric sweeteners can start to drive dopamine. More striking, if I pair a non-caloric sweetener with a caloric food that raises blood glucose—say, diet soda with a meal—my body learns that pairing. Later, the non-caloric sweet alone can provoke a stronger insulin response. Practical takeaway: if I use artificial sweeteners, I keep them away from meals, especially foods that raise blood glucose, to avoid disrupting glucose management.

Beliefs also shape physiology. Work by Alia Crum shows that identical milkshakes labeled differently—low versus high calorie and nutrient dense—produce different insulin, blood glucose, and subjective satiety responses purely based on expectation. Belief is a physiological lever, not just psychology.

I can use all three channels to rewire preference. If I want to like a healthy food more, I pair it for seven to fourteen days with something that increases brain metabolism so the brain links that taste to energy availability. Over time, that food starts to taste better and becomes self-reinforcing. This also explains the food wars: what we regularly eat becomes wired into our dopamine and metabolic systems and feels uniquely right. Fortunately, I can recalibrate by reducing hyper-palatable foods and letting my dopamine system and palate adjust.

So that is my short list of brain-supportive foods and compounds—omega-3s with sufficient EPA, phosphatidylserine, choline, creatine, dark-berry anthocyanins, and glutamine—and a framework for how taste, gut sensing, and belief shape what I pursue. Use these levers to support focus, memory, and long-term brain and overall health—and to actually enjoy the foods that do it.