The Human Upgrade: Biohacking for Longevity & Performance

Dr. Michael Leon on Smell Training, Memory, Sleep, Alzheimer’s Risk, and Brain Longevity

Your sense of smell may reveal more about your brain health than you realize, and stimulating it while you sleep may improve memory, sleep quality, and cognitive function.

**Visit https://memoryair.com/ and use code DAVE15 for 15% off. **

Host Dave Asprey sits down with Dr. Michael Leon, Professor Emeritus of Neurobiology and Behavior at UC Irvine and one of the world’s most cited scientists, to explore why smell may be one of the most overlooked tools for brain health and longevity.

Dr. Leon explains why the olfactory system has unusually direct access to the brain’s memory and emotional centers, why smell often declines alongside memory after age 60, and why reduced olfactory function has been associated with Alzheimer’s disease, cognitive decline, depression, and increased all-cause mortality. They also discuss how COVID, chronic congestion, pollution, stress, and aging can impair smell without people realizing it.

The conversation dives into olfactory enrichment, including research showing major improvements in memory when older adults were exposed to multiple scents during sleep. Dr. Leon explains why novelty matters, how nighttime scent exposure may increase deep sleep and reduce nightmares, and why olfactory stimulation is being studied in dementia, PTSD, depression, and autism. Dave also explores connections between smell, GLP-1 drugs, exercise, rapamycin, spermidine, oxytocin, hormones, mitochondrial function, and other longevity interventions.

This is essential listening for anyone interested in memory, sleep, Alzheimer’s prevention, brain aging, smell training, dementia, PTSD, autism, longevity, neuroplasticity, biohacking, and protecting cognitive function as you age.

You’ll Learn:
-Why your sense of smell often declines alongside memory
-How smell connects directly to the brain’s memory and emotional centers
-Why poor olfactory function is associated with Alzheimer’s risk and mortality
-How chronic congestion may affect memory and brain health
-What COVID-related smell loss may mean for long-term cognitive health
-How olfactory enrichment can stimulate memory centers while you sleep
-Why one study reported a 226% improvement in memory in healthy older adults
-How scent exposure may increase deep sleep and reduce nightmares
-Why novelty and rotating scents appear to matter for neuroplasticity
-How smell training is being studied in dementia, depression, PTSD, and autism
-Why several longevity interventions are also associated with improved olfaction
-How GLP-1 drugs may affect smell, food enjoyment, memory, and emotion
-Why professional wine tasters may offer clues about protecting the aging brain


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Dave Asprey is a four-time New York Times bestselling author, founder of Bulletproof Coffee, and the father of biohacking. With over 1,000 interviews and 1 million monthly listeners, The Human Upgrade brings you the knowledge to take control of your biology, extend your longevity, and optimize every system in your body and mind. Each episode delivers cutting-edge insights inhealth, performance, neuroscience, supplements, nutrition, biohacking, emotional intelligence, and conscious living.


New episodes are released every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday (BONUS). Dave asks the questions no one else will and gives you real tools to become stronger, smarter, and more resilient.


Keywords: Michael Leon, smell training, olfactory enrichment, sense of smell, memory improvement, brain aging, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, deep sleep, nightmares, PTSD, autism, depression, COVID smell loss, olfactory system, neuroplasticity, MemoryAir, essential oils, cognitive decline, all-cause mortality, GLP-1, rapamycin, spermidine, oxytocin, longevity, brain health, sleep optimization, memory loss, olfactory stimulation


Resources:
• Visit https://memoryair.com/ and use code DAVE15 for 15% off.
• Get My 2026 Clean Nicotine Roadmap | Enroll for free at https://daveasprey.com/2026-clean-nicotine-roadmap/
• Dave Asprey's Latest News | Go to https://daveasprey.com/ to join Inside Track today.
• Danger Coffee: https://dangercoffee.com/discount/davetube
• My Daily Supplements: SuppGrade Labs (15% Off)
• Favorite Blue Light Blocking Glasses: TrueDark (15% Off)

Timestamps:
00:00 — Smell and Your Brain
01:25 — Intro
06:52 — Why Smell Goes Unnoticed
10:59 — Making MemoryAir
15:46 — Smell and Dementia
20:00 — Smell Predicts Lifespan
25:32 — Testing Your Sense of Smell
28:33 — Autism and Olfactory Therapy
36:23 — Biohacking Your Nose
42:50 — GLP-1 and Olfaction
45:55 — PTSD, Nightmares, and Sleep
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

**Visit https://www.gatlan.com/ and use cod ‘DAVE’ to unlock a free consultation!**

At 53, Josh Duhamel says he feels better than he did in his 30s.

Host Dave Asprey sits down with actor and Gatlan Health founder Josh Duhamel to talk testosterone, peptides, nootropics, brain health, fatherhood, and what it takes to stay strong as you age.

Josh shares why he started TRT in his early 40s, what changed once he began tracking his hormones, and why he decided to build a health company around hormone optimization. They also discuss injectable testosterone, GLP-1s, peptide quality, hair loss treatments, stem cells, and the importance of medical guidance when experimenting with longevity tools.

The conversation also gets into cognitive performance, including Josh's past struggles with forgetting lines, his interest in nootropics, and Dave's experience with Modafinil and Aniracetam. Josh explains why having a newborn and a toddler at 53 has made longevity more personal, while Dave and Josh explore the connection between physical health, spirituality, breathwork, psychedelics, and mental performance.

This is essential listening for anyone interested in testosterone, TRT, peptides, nootropics, brain health, GLP-1s, healthy aging, fatherhood, hormone optimization, and longevity.

You'll Learn:
Why Josh started testosterone therapy in his early 40s
How TRT changed his energy, strength, joints, and motivation
Why testosterone levels should be individualized
How injectable, oral, and topical testosterone differ
Why peptide sourcing matters
How GLP-1s can affect muscle and body composition
What Josh has tried for hair loss
Why brain performance became a major concern for him
Which nootropics come up for memory, focus, and mental stamina
Why becoming a father later in life changed how Josh thinks about longevity
How breathwork, psychedelics, and spirituality fit into the conversation

Thank you to our sponsors!
- Omni-Biotic | Discover your formula at OmnibioticLife.com. Take 20% off your first order with code ASPREY.
- MOD | Visit mod.com for a consultation and get 10% off your first order plus free shipping with promo code DAVE.
- Timeline | Visit timeline.com/dave and get up to 20% off when you subscribe and save.
- Kenetik | Instead of pushing your system harder, Kenetik feeds your brain the ketones it craves to fuel calm clarity and steady focus. Go to drinkkenetik.com/DAVE and use code DAVE for a discount.

Dave Asprey is a four-time New York Times bestselling author, founder of Bulletproof Coffee, and the father of biohacking. With over 1,000 interviews and 1 million monthly listeners, The Human Upgrade brings you the knowledge to take control of your biology, extend your longevity, and optimize every system in your body and mind. Each episode delivers cutting-edge insights inhealth, performance, neuroscience, supplements, nutrition, biohacking, emotional intelligence, and conscious living.

New episodes are released every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday (BONUS). Dave asks the questions no one else will and gives you real tools to become stronger, smarter, and more resilient.

Keywords: Josh Duhamel, Gatlan Health, testosterone therapy, TRT, low testosterone, hormone optimization, injectable testosterone, testosterone cream, oral testosterone, peptides, peptide therapy, GLP-1, healthy aging, longevity, nootropics, Modafinil, Aniracetam, Dihexa, brain health, cognitive performance, hair loss, stem cells, fatherhood, men over 50, energy, muscle, strength, bloodwork, hormone testing, psychedelics, breathwork, spirituality

Resources:
• Visit https://www.gatlan.com/ and use cod ‘DAVE’ to unlock a free consultation
• Get My 2026 Clean Nicotine Roadmap | Enroll for free at https://daveasprey.com/2026-clean-nicotine-roadmap/
• Dave Asprey's Latest News | Go to https://daveasprey.com/ to join Inside Track today.
• Danger Coffee: https://dangercoffee.com/discount/davetube
• My Daily Supplements: SuppGrade Labs (15% Off)
• Favorite Blue Light Blocking Glasses: TrueDark (15% Off)

Timestamps:
00:00 – Trailer
01:15 – Intro
07:16 – Alcohol & Hangover Hacks
13:24 – Spirituality & Health
19:36 – Hormone Therapy for Women
24:45 – Inside Gatlan's Model
30:35 – Potty Training Secrets
38:39 – North Dakota & Fargo
43:57 – Hollywood's Beauty Secrets
50:19 – Acting Career & Longevity
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Carolina Reis de Oliveira on Reversing Skin Age, Menopause, GLP-1 Skin, and the Science of Senescent Cells

Your skin is likely biologically older than you are, but new research suggests some of that aging may be reversible.

**For Dave’s listeners only, visit oneskin.co/Dave for exclusive early access to the OS-01 Face Rich Cream!**

Host Dave Asprey sits down with Carolina Reis de Oliveira, PhD, CEO and co-founder of OneSkin. Carolina holds a PhD in stem cell biology and tissue engineering, is a co-inventor of five patents, and has co-authored numerous scientific publications. She and her team are studying skin longevity by targeting one of the central drivers of aging: the accumulation of senescent cells.

They break down why skin loses its ability to hold water as you age, and why that process can accelerate dramatically during perimenopause and menopause. Carolina explains the skin's "brick and mortar" barrier system, how declining estrogen affects collagen, ceramides, cholesterol, hyaluronic acid, and elastin, and why simply sealing moisture into your skin with occlusive products does not solve the underlying biology. They also explore why GLP-1 users can experience loose or sagging skin after rapid weight loss and what may help preserve skin structure over time.

Carolina reveals how her team screened hundreds of peptides to develop OS-01, a senomorphic peptide designed to reduce the damaging signals produced by senescent "zombie" cells while supporting healthier skin function. In their research, OS-01 reduced markers of cellular senescence and inflammation, increased collagen production, and was associated with a 2.5-year reduction in measured biological skin age. She also explains why more peptides are not necessarily better, why some GHK-Cu formulations may fail to perform, and why peptide stability, concentration, delivery, and formulation matter.

The conversation also covers why the skin around your eyes may biologically age decades faster than your cheeks, whether topical collagen really works, why cholesterol is essential for a healthy skin barrier, how over-moisturizing and "slugging" can backfire, and how damaged skin may contribute to systemic inflammation. Carolina also shares clinical data on OneSkin's new OS-01 Rich moisturizer, including improvements in hydration, firmness, fine lines, wrinkles, collagen, hyaluronic acid, and elastin.

This is essential listening for anyone serious about skin longevity, anti-aging, menopause, GLP-1 weight loss, collagen, senescent cells, peptides, biological age testing, inflammation, hydration, hair and skin health, and maintaining younger-looking skin as you age.

You'll Learn:
-Why menopause can rapidly accelerate dry, thin, and crepey skin
-How your skin's natural barrier holds water and why it breaks down with age
-Why GLP-1 weight loss can make loose and sagging skin more noticeable
-How senescent "zombie" cells accelerate inflammation and collagen loss
-How OS-01 was associated with a 2.5-year reduction in biological skin age
-Why skin around your eyes may be biologically much older than skin on your cheeks
-Why topical collagen is different from collagen amino acids and collagen-producing signals
-How cholesterol, ceramides, fatty acids, and hyaluronic acid support skin hydration
-Why some GHK-Cu peptide products may not perform as expected
-How over-moisturizing, face masks, Vaseline, and "slugging" can disrupt the skin barrier
-How scientists measure the biological age of skin with epigenetic clocks
-Why healthier skin may help lower inflammation throughout the body


Thank you to our sponsors!
- ZenBud | Dave’s Nervous System Biohack. Visit zenbud.health and use code DAVE15 at checkout for a discount.
- Butcher Box | Go to ButcherBox.com/HUMANUPGRADE to get $20 off your first box, plus your choice of free ground beef for life, or free chicken thigh
- Calroy | Go to calroy.com/dave for your discount.
- Puori | Use code DAVE at puori.com/DAVE to get 32% off your first Puori CP1 Pure Collagen order when you start a subscription. You save more than $26.

Dave Asprey is a four-time New York Times bestselling author, founder of Bulletproof Coffee, and the father of biohacking. With over 1,000 interviews and 1 million monthly listeners, The Human Upgrade brings you the knowledge to take control of your biology, extend your longevity, and optimize every system in your body and mind. Each episode delivers cutting-edge insights inhealth, performance, neuroscience, supplements, nutrition, biohacking, emotional intelligence, and conscious living.

New episodes are released every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday (BONUS). Dave asks the questions no one else will and gives you real tools to become stronger, smarter, and more resilient.

Keywords: Carolina Reis de Oliveira, OneSkin, OS-01, skin longevity, skin biological age, skin age reversal, senescent cells, zombie cells, menopause skin, perimenopause skin, GLP-1 weight loss, loose skin, crepey skin, skin hydration, skin barrier, collagen production, hyaluronic acid, elastin, ceramides, cholesterol skin, GHK-Cu, copper peptide, peptides, epigenetic skin clock, MoClock, fine lines, wrinkles, skin firmness, slugging, topical collagen

Resources:
• OneSkin | Get Early Access To OS-01 Rich Cream: oneskin.co/Dave
• Get My 2026 Clean Nicotine Roadmap | Enroll for free at https://daveasprey.com/2026-clean-nicotine-roadmap/
• Dave Asprey's Latest News | Go to https://daveasprey.com/ to join Inside Track today.
• Danger Coffee: https://dangercoffee.com/discount/davetube
• My Daily Supplements: SuppGrade Labs (15% Off)
• Favorite Blue Light Blocking Glasses: TrueDark (15% Off)

Timestamps:
00:00 — Trailer
01:33 — Meet Carolina & OneSkin
04:31 — Skin Hydration Decline
11:46 — How the Peptide Hydrates Skin
18:20 — Zombie Cells Explained
23:32 — Discovering Peptide OS-01
32:44 — Measuring Biological Skin Age
39:00 — Skincare Philosophy for Men
43:32 — Body Lotion & Inflammation
50:09 — New Rich Cream Data
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Try TrueDark glasses: https://truedark.com
Try Danger Coffee: https://dangercoffee.com/discount/davetube
Try Suppgrade Labs: https://shopsuppgradelabs.com/
Try Longevity Gummies: https://www.timeline.com/partners/dave-asprey

This video walks you through the complete biological timeline of a 36-hour sugar fast, from insulin dropping and liver glycogen draining to fat burning, ketone production, lower inflammation, and sharper mental clarity. You’ll see how quickly your metabolism can start switching back to the fuel system it was built to use.

Thank you to our sponsors!
Butcher Box | Go to ButcherBox.com/HUMANUPGRADE to get $20 off your first box, plus your choice of free ground beef for life, or free chicken thigh
BrainTap | Go to http://braintap.com/dave to get $100 off the BrainTap Power Bundle
iRestore | Unlock your best hair & skin with @iRestorelaser and HUGE savings on iRESTORE with code DAVE at irestore.com/DAVE

00:00 – Sugar's Deadly Toll
01:31 – Insulin's Hidden Damage
02:52 – The Glycogen Reserve
04:12 – Liver Fuel Runs Low
05:29 – Reversing Insulin Resistance
07:30 – Brain's Fuel Problem
07:53 – Ketones: Backup Fuel
09:24 – The Hormonal Reset
10:46 – Visible Physical Changes

Connect with Dave Asprey!
Website: https://daveasprey.com
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@daveaspreyofficial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dave.asprey/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Daveaspreyofficial/
X: https://x.com/daveasprey
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/daveaspreybpr

The Human Upgrade Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/
TheHumanUpgradePodcast/ https://m.facebook.com/Thehumanupgrade/

Upgrade Labs: https://upgradelabs.com
40 Years of Zen: https://40yearsofzen.com
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sea Squirt Plasmalogens Show Brain And Aging Benefits In Old Mice
Aged mice given purified plasmalogen supplements showed better memory performance, healthier synaptic structure, lower neuroinflammation, and increased signaling tied to neurite growth and synapse development, with treated mice even growing thicker, darker, glossier hair. Plasmalogens are specialized lipids concentrated in cell membranes and the brain that tend to decline with age and neurodegenerative disease, making them an intriguing target for cognitive longevity. Host Dave Asprey breaks down why membrane composition matters for brain signaling, mitochondrial function, and inflammation, while stressing that this remains mouse research from 2022 and does not mean eating sea squirts or taking an unproven plasmalogen supplement will reproduce the same effects in humans.
Sources:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260902234518.htm
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmolb.2022.815320

~~
Apple Watch Series 12 Adds More HRV Data, Readiness Scoring, And Health Age
Apple Watch Series 12 pushes deeper into health tracking with heart rate measurements every five seconds, substantially more frequent HRV sampling, a new daily Readiness score, and a Longevity section in the Health app featuring Health Age. Apple is also expanding its health ecosystem with daytime vitals, movement assessments, menopause tracking, and Quest Diagnostics lab ordering for more than fifty biomarkers. Host Dave Asprey explains why higher-frequency wearable data can become useful for spotting changes in stress, recovery, sleep, and illness, but warns against letting algorithmic scores override your own baseline, symptoms, and real-world performance.
Source:
https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/09/introducing-apple-watch-series-12-with-the-all-new-health-sensing-system/

~~
FDA Moves To Accelerate Botanical Drug Development
The FDA has opened a formal request for input on how to accelerate botanical drug development, including better clinical trial designs, stronger quality standards, improved standardization of complex plant mixtures, and expanded use of real-world evidence. The agency is also working with the European Medicines Agency on regulatory considerations for herbal and botanical medicines, potentially creating a clearer path for standardized plant-derived therapies to move beyond vague supplement claims and into more rigorous clinical testing. Host Dave Asprey breaks down why this could strengthen the evidence behind compounds like berberine, saffron, medicinal mushrooms, and flavanols, while also warning that more pharmaceutical-style regulation could increase costs and reduce access.
Source:
https://www.healthmanagement.com/insights/weekly-roundup-v2/september-9-2026/

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Persistent Adolescent Cannabis Use Linked To Long-Term IQ And Cognitive Decline
A long-running New Zealand birth cohort found that people with persistent cannabis dependence beginning in adolescence showed significant cognitive decline by age thirty-eight, including losses in IQ, memory, processing speed, attention, and executive function. The most persistent users showed an average decline of roughly eight IQ points, while adult-onset users did not show the same pattern, pointing toward adolescence as a potentially important developmental vulnerability window. Host Dave Asprey explains why this 2012 observational study cannot prove cannabis caused every cognitive change, but argues that dose, frequency, age of exposure, and brain development all matter when evaluating cannabis for performance, health, or therapeutic use.
Source:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3479587/

~~
Pterostilbene Helps Mouse Muscle Cells Burn More Fat Through PPAR-Delta
Researchers testing pterostilbene, a polyphenol found in blueberries and grapes, found that it reduced intracellular fat accumulation and increased fatty acid oxidation in cultured mouse muscle cells. Rather than directly activating PPAR-delta, pterostilbene appeared to slow its breakdown, leaving more of the protein available to regulate genes involved in fat metabolism and potentially offering a new mechanistic target for myosteatosis and metabolic dysfunction. Host Dave Asprey explains why the PPAR-delta mechanism is interesting for metabolic health, but draws a clear line between promising cell research and human outcomes, emphasizing that resistance training, walking, muscle mass, and mitochondrial health still have far stronger evidence than taking blueberry extracts to reduce muscle fat.
Sources:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260903064219.htm
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fbio.2026.109519
https://www.reddit.com/r/Biohackers/comments/1w8flq4/compound_in_blueberries_may_help_muscle_cells/

~~

This episode is designed for biohackers, longevity enthusiasts, and high-performance listeners who want emerging research on brain aging, wearables, botanical medicine, cannabis, metabolic health, and supplements translated into what matters for human biology. Host Dave Asprey separates promising mechanisms from premature hype and explains how to evaluate new health research through the lens of evidence quality, dose, biological context, and measurable outcomes.

New episodes every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday.

Keywords: plasmalogens aging, plasmalogens brain health, sea squirt plasmalogens, cognitive longevity, neuroinflammation, synaptic health, Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch HRV, Apple Watch Readiness score, Apple Health Age, biological age tracking, wearable health data, Quest Diagnostics Apple Health, FDA botanical drugs, botanical medicine regulation, standardized botanical extracts, berberine research, medicinal mushrooms, cannabis IQ decline, adolescent cannabis brain development, cannabis cognitive decline, marijuana memory, pterostilbene fat metabolism, pterostilbene PPAR delta, blueberries metabolism, intramuscular fat, myosteatosis, metabolic flexibility, longevity news 2026, biohacking news 2026

Thank you to our sponsors!
- Butcher Box | Go to ButcherBox.com/HUMANUPGRADE to get $20 off your first box, plus your choice of free ground beef for life, or free chicken thigh
- Kenetik | Instead of pushing your system harder, Kenetik feeds your brain the ketones it craves to fuel calm clarity and steady focus. Go to drinkkenetik.com/DAVE and use code DAVE for a discount.
- iRestore | Unlock your best hair & skin with @iRestorelaser and HUGE savings on iRESTORE with code DAVE at irestore.com/DAVE

Resources:
• Get My 2026 Clean Nicotine Roadmap | Enroll for free at https://daveasprey.com/2026-clean-nicotine-roadmap/
• Get My 2026 Biohacking Trends Report: https://daveasprey.com/2026-biohacking-trends-report/
• Dave Asprey's Latest News | Go to https://daveasprey.com/ to join Inside Track today.
• Danger Coffee: https://dangercoffee.com/discount/dave15
• My Daily Supplements: SuppGrade Labs (15% Off)
• Favorite Blue Light Blocking Glasses: TrueDark (15% Off)
• Dave Asprey’s BEYOND Conference: https://beyondconference.com
• Dave Asprey’s New Book – Heavily Meditated: https://daveasprey.com/heavily-meditated
• Join My Substack (Live Access To Podcast Recordings): https://substack.daveasprey.com/
• Upgrade Labs: https://upgradelabs.com

Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro
00:24 – Sea Squirt Anti-Aging Lipids
01:39 – Apple Watch Series 12
03:38 – FDA Botanical Drug Push
05:25 – Cannabis & Brain Health
06:47 – Blueberry Fat Metabolism
08:33 – Takeaway
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.