February 17, 2024

Find yourself yearning to amplify your brainpower but facing hurdles like mental fog, lack of focus, or suboptimal cognitive performance?

You're in the right place — today's episode explores the art and science of enhancing cognitive prowess, tapping into the boundless potential of the human mind, and biohacking brain function. 

Dr. Gregory Kelly is a naturopathic physician (ND), the Director of Product Development at Neurohacker Collective, and the author of Shape Shift — a practical, yet fascinating guide on how to unravel the mysteries of your body shape and weight. Additionally, he previously appeared on my show “How To Clear Out Damaging, Life-Shortening Zombie Cells In Just 2 Days A Month, A ‘Shotgun Formula' For Senescent Cells & More With Dr. Gregory Kelly.”

Dr. Greg was the editor of the Alternative Medicine Review and has been an instructor at the University of Bridgeport in the College of Naturopathic Medicine, where he taught classes in advanced clinical nutrition, counseling skills, and doctor-patient relationships. He has also published numerous articles on various aspects of natural medicine and nutrition, contributed three chapters to the Textbook of Natural Medicine, and has more than 30 journal articles indexed on PubMed. His areas of special interest and expertise include nootropics, anti-aging and regenerative medicine, weight management, and the chronobiology of performance and health.

Recently, I had the pleasure of joining Dr. Greg on his enlightening show, Collective Insights Podcast, where he and I delved deep into strategies for optimizing brain function and enhancing overall health and longevity.

Get ready to unlock practical strategies to enhance focus, relaxation, and cognitive performance, and embark on a journey to uncover the full potential of your cognitive abilities!

During this discussion, you'll discover:  

-Ben on Dr. Greg Kelly’s podcast…05:01

• Collective Insights Podcast
  • Discussed brain nootropics and longevity
• Boundless: Upgrade Your Brain, Optimize Your Body & Defy Aging by Ben Greenfield

-Dietary impact on brain performance and cognition…06:03

• Depends on your genetic makeup
• Some other things to consider when it comes to diets, particularly:
  • Myelin sheaths are a combination of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) — an omega-3 fatty acid that is a crucial component of the human brain and plays a vital role in brain development and function — and oleic acid — a type of monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid commonly found in various plant and animal fats
  • You need good absorbable bioavailable sources of DHA
  • Plant-based omega-3 fatty acids have poor conversion into DHA
  • Good sources of DHA are fish oil, eating a wide variety of clean, fatty fish (use code GREENFIELD20 to save $20)
  • Good sources of oleic acid are olive oil and avocado oil
• Limiting the intake of meals that would cause a surge in lipopolysaccharides
  • They pass into the bloodstream from high-fat, high-carbohydrate foods or alcohol
  • Ben recommends activated charcoal intake, glycine, or spirulina
• Paying attention to the gut-brain axis
  • Supportive aspects of polyphenol consumption on gut-brain function
  • The blacks, the purples, the reds, and the dark colors of the plant kingdom

-Akkermansia in Dr. Greg’s product Qualia Synbiotic…12:00

• For Akkermansia support:
  • Green tea extract
  • Quality cocoa
• Podcast with Colleen Cutcliffe:
  • “The New Probiotic Strain That Allows You To Eat Carbs Again, How GLP-1 Peptide Actually Works And Why It’s Not Intended For Everyone, With Pendulum’s Colleen Cutcliffe.”
• Pendulum Akkermansia (use code GREENFIELD to save 20%)
• Qualia Synbiotic boosts Akkermansia
  • Has a 10-berry blend and a resistant starch that significantly raises Akkermansia
• Wouldn't work in a powder because it's very susceptible to oxygen
• Neurohacker is working on a live Akkermansia product
• Polyphenols are prebiotics with a twist
  • They're among the best things for promoting Akkermansia's abundance

-Uncovering what synbiotics are…15:16

• Two definitions:
  • A live organism and food for the live organism
  • A live organism and something that boosts other organisms
• Your gut cells secrete mucin into the environment around them to protect themselves
• The goal is to cause the system to make more mucin or to fortify the mucin
• Polyphenols fortify it and change the structure of the mucins, so the same amount of mucins can cause Akkermansia to thrive more

-Beneficial things for leaky gut…17:24

• Neurohacker had gut issues in mind when they created the gut product Qualia Synbiotic
• Magnesium is one of the better ways to improve permeable gut
• Other ways to improve permeable gut:
  • Colostrum — there's good data on colostrum for gut health (activated by the salivary enzymes in your mouth)
    • One scoop in the morning and also in the evening
  • L-glutamine
    • 5g powder with breakfast, lunch, and dinner for a series of weeks
  • Gelatin-rich bone broth
  • 1–2 cups a day
  • Peptides — BPC-157 
• Dr. Greg mentions studies on colostrum for leaky gut in athletes
  • Studies on the use of colostrum for leaky gut in athletes:
    • A Systematic Review of the Influence of Bovine Colostrum Supplementation on Leaky Gut Syndrome in Athletes: Diagnostic Biomarkers and Future Directions
    • The Use of Bovine Colostrum in Sport and Exercise
• Ben discovered colostrum while trying to figure out a way to consume 400 calories an hour while racing
• BGL article on colostrum  for gut health:
  • “How To Fix Your Gut, Boost Immunity & Improve Athletic Performance With Nature’s ‘First Food' (That Also Tastes Like Rich & Creamy Mac ‘N Cheese!).”
• Ben's go-to fuel while racing in Ironman:
  • Glycofuse or Vitargo, combined with
  • Essential amino acids
  • Ketones
  • Electrolytes
• Ben says it would be a good idea for Qualia to have a product like:
  • 1 serving of ketones
  • 15g of aminos
  • 100g carbohydrates
  • A serving of electrolyte powder
• The secret sauce for endurance exercise
• Generally, for exercise in the heat, about 30 to 40 oz. of water per hour to avoid dehydration over several hours

-Ben’s experience with nootropics…28:42

• Qualia Mind is a kind of brain food
  • Enhances blood flow to the brain
  • Quells a little bit of inflammation
  • Provides choline and other nutrients to the brain
  • Different minerals and vitamins to support mental function
• Nootropics vs. smart drugs
• For the sleep-deprived:
  • Creatine (5g for adequate sleep, 10–20g for people with minimal sleep)
  • Qualia NAD
  • NAD patches by Ion Layer for a higher dose (use code BEN to save $100 off your first order)
  • Coffee
  • Nicotine patch
  • L-theanine
• Another example:
  • A small dose of LSD
  • Psilocybin
  • Lion's mane
• To help with exhaustion after a day of microdosing:
  • Choline
  • SAMe
  • NAC or glutathione

-The benefits of ashwagandha…33:16

• Two types of people who use nootropics to focus:
  • Those who lack motivation and struggle to get going
  • Those who need to be calmer and focus
• Qualia Mind helps with both types
• Qualia Resilience — an adaptogen blend
  • Has NooGandha — liposomal ashwagandha
  • Has Extramel — cantaloupe extract — a good source of superoxide dismutase (SOD), which is an important antioxidant enzyme found in nearly all living cells exposed to oxygen
• Ashwagandha, one of the best adaptogens, is sometimes described as a “kryptonite for motivation” — too calming
• NooGandha was created without the “too calming” effect

-Peptides, reishi, and rhodiola…38:30

• Ben's peptides (nasal sprays) for cognitive effects:
  • Semax
  • Selank
• Ben's peptides for brain repair:
  • Adamax
  • P21
• Limitless Life Nootropics
• CanLab
• Peptide Sciences
• Qualia Mind has rhodiola 
• Alternative Medicine Review Journal
  • Dr. Kelly's 2001 article on rhodiola
• Dr. Kelly has been a fan of rhodiola for a long time
• Qualia Night has reishi 
• Ben takes reishi and Rhodiola to calm down without feeling groggy

-Biohacking technologies for brain function…41:51

• Photobiomodulation
• Vielight for internasal and transcranial light therapy
• Red light therapy can be enhanced with methylene blue
• BrainTap
• VIZR
• Noise-canceling headphones
• Dr. Greg uses Binaural Beats Eye Mask
• Ben's daily routine
• Ben's afternoon is a time for experimentation
• Hyperbaric with a black mask and Vielight on
• Sensate — uses haptic sensations to relax you 
• Apollo — for sleep, relaxation, energy, and focus
• Snipd
• Readwise

-And much more…

Upcoming Events:

• Unlock Longevity: February 24, 2024

On February 24th, I'll be live in Austin, Texas, for Unlock Longevity, a unique gathering with leading regenerative medicine experts from North America. This exclusive event is your chance to gain insider knowledge in the realm of anti-aging and vitality. Our distinguished speakers will unveil groundbreaking treatments and secrets in rejuvenation and longevity, previously unshared with the public. Don't miss the opportunity to engage in deep, personal discussions on health and anti-aging, and interact directly with our experts. Learn more about Unlock Longevity here.

• Keep up on Ben's LIVE appearances by following bengreenfieldfitness.com/calendar!

Click here for the full written transcript of this podcast episode

Resources from this episode:

– Dr. Gregory Kelly:

• Neurohacker Collective  (use code BENSFAVS for 15% off your purchase)
  • Qualia Synbiotic
  • Qualia Mind
  • Qualia NAD
  • Qualia Resilience
  • Qualia Night
• Collective Insights Podcast
• Shape Shift
• “How To Clear Out Damaging, Life-Shortening Zombie Cells In Just 2 Days A Month, A ‘Shotgun Formula' For Senescent Cells & More With Dr. Gregory Kelly.”

– Podcasts and Articles:

• “The New Probiotic Strain That Allows You To Eat Carbs Again, How GLP-1 Peptide Actually Works And Why It’s Not Intended For Everyone, With Pendulum’s Colleen Cutcliffe.”
• “How To Fix Your Gut, Boost Immunity & Improve Athletic Performance With Nature’s ‘First Food' (That Also Tastes Like Rich & Creamy Mac ‘N Cheese!).”

– Other Resources:

• Fish Oil
• Seatopia (use code GREENFIELD20 to save $20)
• Olive Oil
• Avocado Oil
• Activated Charcoal 
• Glycine
• Spirulina
• Green Tea Extract
• Cocoa
• Creatine
• Pendulum Akkermansia (use code GREENFIELD to save 20%)
• Magnesium
• Colostrum
• Glutamine
• Bone Broth
• BPC-157
• Glycofuse 
• Vitargo
• Essential amino acids
• Ketones
• Electrolytes
• NAD Patches by Ion Layer (use code BEN to save $100 off your first order)
• Coffee
• Nicotine Patch
• L-Theanine
• Lion's Mane
• Choline
• SAMe
• NAC
• Glutathione
• Semax
• Selank
• Adamax
• P21
• Limitless Life Nootropics
• CanLab
• Peptide Sciences
• Reishi
• Rhodiola
• Vielight
• Joovv
• Methylene Blue
• BrainTap
• VIZR
• HBOT
• Sleep Mask
• Sensate 
• Apollo 
• Snipd
• Readwise

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Do you have questions, thoughts, or feedback for Dr. Greg Kelly or me? Leave your comments below and one of us will reply!