Dr. Andrew Huberman is a world-renowned neuroscientist and tenured professor at Stanford University. His podcast Huberman Lab has exploded over the last year due to his expertise in optimizing health. His podcast about his sleep supplement stack has become famous among health nuts due to its success in helping people fall asleep, stay asleep, and spend longer in REM sleep without taking prescription medication.
According to estimates, 50 to 70 million people in the United States struggle with sleep. Even more disturbing, more than one-third of adults in the United States do not get 7 hours of sleep per night – the bare minimum needed to function the next day. Good sleep hygiene not only helps us feel better during the day but also helps us live longer.
The following is a complete guide to the four supplements included in Andrew Huberman’s sleep cocktail.
Dr. Andrew Huberman’s Sleep Cocktail
- Magnesium Threonate – Momentous Magnesium Threonate – 300-400mg
- Theanine – Momentous L-Theanine – 200-400mg
- Apigenin – Momentous Apigenin – 50mg
- Inositol – Momentous Inositol – 900mg
Magnesium Threonate
The first supplement in Andrew Huberman’s sleep cocktail is Momentous Magnesium Threonate. Magnesium Threonate is a necessary form of magnesium that can pass the brain-blood barrier and enters into neurons. “Magnesium is involved in over 600 enzymatic reactions in your body, so it’s involved in a lot of different things, but what we’re interested in is learning more about its role with memory,” says Huberman. “Magnesium is vital for proper memory consolidation in sleep.”
It would help if you were sure to get Magnesium Threonate and not other forms of magnesium, such as magnesium citrate, because they have different purposes and do not cross the blood-brain barrier.
Huberman suggests this as you want to keep the mitochondria energized during your sleep cycle. If your mitochondria cannot gain the energy they need, they will ultimately die. Or, in other words, “charcoal is supposed to be good at absorbing toxins, and this thing called pyritinol – a vitamin B6 derivative – is supposed to help repair the GABA receptors.” According to Huberman, these two put together will help you fall asleep.
A recent study also uncovered that magnesium threonate could increase brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that stimulates the formation of new brain cells.
RELATED READING: Dr. Andrew Huberman’s Complete Supplement List
Benefits of Magnesium Threonate
- Unlike other forms of magnesium, it pierces the blood-brain barrier
- Memory consolidation during sleep
- Enhances the ability of mitochondria to “recharge.”
- Increases neuroplasticity, aka the brain’s ability to grow, change, and learn
Dosage of Magnesium Threonate
Huberman recommends taking 300-400mg 30 minutes before bed. It can be confusing when dosing Magnesium Threonate. For example, a supplement may say 2,000mg per serving, but if you look at the back, it will say “144mg providing elemental magnesium”. You’re looking for this dosage, so 300mg would be three capsules of Momentous Magnesium Threonate.
RELATED READING: Dr. David Sinclair’s Supplement List for Longevity
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Theanine
Theanine is an amino acid found in green tea, but Huberman states that taking Momentous L-Theanine before bedtime will get your brain to attempt to reach REM as much as possible. This means you can fall asleep faster and spend more time dreaming. “It’s very common for people who have sleep problems to have very vivid dreams,” says Huberman. “This is another piece that seems to be hitting on the same thing, doing a little bit better job of getting you back in REM.”
Theanine is an extract from green tea. This particular extract has been shown to increase alpha brain waves. According to Huberman, Alpha Brain Waves are strongly correlated with reaching REM and, thus, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.
Studies have shown that Theanine may help a person to fall asleep faster and spend more time in bed dreaming, as well as give individuals a more restful sleep.
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Benefits of Theanine
- Improved sleep
- Enhances mental discipline and focus.
- It helps ward off mental exhaustion by boosting levels of GABA, a neurotransmitter that assists in promoting relaxation.
- It helps stimulate the release of dopamine, an important brain chemical that induces feelings of pleasure and happiness.
- Increases alertness by stimulating the production of alpha waves in the brain’s cortex region. This results in increased concentration ability, more energy, and improved learning capacity.
Dosage of Theanine
According to a detailed study on Theanine, an adult weighing 60kg (132 lbs) should consume between 250mg to 350mg before bed. Huberman recommends consuming Theanine about 30 minutes before bedtime. To achieve the proper dosage, follow these steps:
- Start with a low dose and work your way up according to Huberman’s instructions (250-3 50mg) if you feel comfortable doing so
- Consume at most five servings of Theanine in 24 hours.
- Ensure you have no other sources of caffeine intake within six hours of consuming your supplement.
- To achieve optimum results, an individual should take their dosage for a minimum period of two weeks before stopping consumption and then see if they feel a difference. If there is no significant difference in sleep patterns, consider increasing your dosage or adding other supplements.
RELATED READING: Dr. Peter Attia’s Supplement List, Biohacking Toolkit, & Diet
Apigenin
The third ingredient in Huberman’s sleep cocktail is Momentous Apigenin. Apigenin is derived from camomile and binds to receptors on the brain that decrease anxiety and initiate sleep. Huberman mentioned that apigenin allows for a nice transition to sleep.
On the Tim Ferriss Show regarding Apigenin, Huberman said: “And then the third thing is apigenin, A-P-I-G-E-N-I-N, which is a derivative of camomile, but it acts as a chloride channel agonist. So it essentially helps shut down the forebrain by hyper-polarizing neurons and all this kind of stuff, for the aficionados, if they want to know.”
According to this study, Apigenin increased total sleep time and sleep rate in mice. Another study showed that cortisol levels were decreased in human adrenal cells exposed to apigenin. This is because, at high doses, Apigenin blocks the cortisol-producing enzyme CYP11B1. Huberman takes Momentous Apigenin as part of his sleep supplement cocktail.
RELATED READING: Tim Ferriss’ Complete Supplement Stack
Apigenin Benefits
- Allows for an easier transition into sleep
- Acts as chloride channel agonist, helping shut down the forebrain before sleep
- Promotes more restful sleep
- Can lower the stress hormone cortisol
Apigenin Dosage
Huberman recommends taking 50mg of Momentous Apigenin 30 minutes before bedtime.
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Inositol
Huberman recently made the addition of Inositol to his famous sleep cocktail. In the 78th episode of the Huberman Lab podcast on OCD, Huberman states he has begun experimenting with 900mgs of myo-inositol as the fourth ingredient of his sleep cocktail. He takes precisely 900mg, equivalent to two capsules of Momentous Inositol, at bedtime.
Andrew said that since he began taking inositol, he has noticed an improvement in sleep and can quickly fall back asleep if he wakes up in the middle of the night. Inositol is a small molecule structurally similar to glucose and is involved in cellular signaling.
According to the Momentous website: “Inositol works by facilitating the proper metabolism of our natural ‘feel-good’ hormones. Inositol stimulates the metabolism of our natural ‘feel-good’ hormones. It helps improve communication throughout the brain, which allows for the better release of chemicals like serotonin. When serotonin is at normal levels, you feel more focused, emotionally stable, and calmer. Serotonin is also a chemical precursor to melatonin, the primary hormone involved in sleep.”
Inosital Benefits
- Reduces symptoms of stress
- Enhances mood
- Stimulates metabolism of “feel-good” hormones
- It may reduce anxiety and depression
Inositol Dosage
900mg (1 capsule) of Momentous Inositol before bedtime.
Final Thoughts
Several studies have shown that combining these three ingredients can significantly improve the quality of your sleep. It is important to note that this is not a permanent solution for insomnia but helps with the symptoms temporarily until you find a more permanent solution for yourself.
We recommend consulting a medical expert before taking any supplement since it may interact with other medications. However, the sleep cocktail is a safe and natural alternative to prescription medication that can be used daily. Dr. Huberman has proved that this combination of ingredients works, and we hope you will try it to see the difference!
The above-described cocktail is the secret weapon that helps many people with sleep complications. If you are looking for help with sleep, anxiety, and depression, I suggest you give the Andrew Huberman Sleep Cocktail a try. It works great for so many people!
References
- NIH: What Are Sleep Deprivation and Deficiency?
- Huberman Lab: Master Your Sleep & Be More Alert When Awake
-
Enhancement of pentobarbital-induced sleep by apigenin through chloride ion channel activation
- In Search of a Safe Natural Sleep Aid
- NIH: Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep
Regarding Magnesium threonate dosing. If you look at the Supplement Facts. 2000mg serving equals 4 capsules. Amount per serving equals 144mg of elemental magnesium. so wouldn’t the dose be 8 capsules to equal 300mg not 2 capsules?
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