Journal Club with Dr. Peter Attia | Metformin for Longevity & The Power of Belief Effects

In this journal club episode, my guest is Stanford and Johns Hopkins-trained physician, Dr. Peter Attia, M.D., who is also the host of The Drive podcast and the author of the bestselling book "Outlive: The Science & Art of Longevity."

We each present a scientific paper and discuss the findings' strengths, weaknesses and actionable takeaways.

First, we discuss an article that addresses whether taking the drug metformin can enhance longevity. Then, we discuss an article on belief effects (similar to placebo effects), showing how the effects of a drug on the brain and cognition depend on one's belief about the dose of the drug taken, not the actual dose.

Our conversation also highlights how to read, interpret and critique scientific studies. This episode ought to be of interest to those curious about health and longevity, medicine and psychology and for anyone seeking to better understand how to read and digest scientific findings.

For show notes, including referenced articles and additional resources, please visit hubermanlab.com. Transcripts are available exclusively for Huberman Lab Premium members.

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Timestamps

00:00:00 Dr. Peter Attia, Journal Club

00:03:27 Sponsors: Helix Sleep & Levels

00:06:11 Dreams

00:12:36 Article #1, Metformin, Mitochondria, Blood Glucose

00:19:47 Type 2 Diabetes & Causes, Insulin Resistance

00:25:30 Type 2 Diabetes Medications, Metformin, Geroprotection, Bannister Study

00:36:19 Sponsor: AG1

00:37:15 TAME Trial; Demographics, Twin Cohort

00:44:27 Metformin & Mortality Rate

00:51:28 Kaplan-Meier Mortality Curve, Error Bars & Significance, Statistical Power

01:01:17 Sponsor: InsideTracker

01:02:23 Hazard Ratios, Censoring

01:09:00 Metformin Advantage?, Variables, Interventions Testing Program

01:16:02 Berberine, Acarbose, SGLT2 Inhibitors

01:23:48 Blood Glucose & Energy Balance; Caloric Restriction, Aging Biomarkers

01:32:22 Tool: Reading Journal Articles, 4 Questions, Supplemental Information

01:38:10 Article #2, Belief Effects vs. Placebo Effect

01:45:22 Nicotine Effects

01:51:07 Nicotine Doses & Belief Effects, fMRI Scan

02:00:07 Biological Effects, Dose-Dependent Response & Belief Effects

02:05:14 Biology & Beliefs, Significance, Dopamine Response, Non-Smokers

02:10:57 Dose-Dependence & Beliefs, Side Effects, Nocebo Effect

02:19:06 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube Feedback, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, Momentous, Neural Network Newsletter, Social Media

Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac

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