#51 - Robert Sapolsky, Ph.D.: The pervasive effect of stress - is it killing you?

[@davidthblank7545]

Who else has discovered professor Sapolsky through the Stanford Lectures on KZbin? Truly fell in love with him after watching his lectures. He's absolutely brilliant!

[@karentonks7581]

Me too ✋ and now purchased a few of his books

[@peibol77spa]

Me!

[@covert_warrior]

Yup. Lol

[@covert_warrior]

My favorite. He tickles my brain 🤣

[@covert_warrior]

I have horrible Reading comprehension... For Christmas I got the book why zebras don't get ulcer's and I am flying through it

[@Humanaut.]

7:10 is the beginning. Support Peter if you can and value his work, because he has chosen not to run ads so he can stay honest and trustworthy, thats the intro.

[@TheFuzzician]

Bump

[@grambebe]

I think we all should support him because he is a kind genius and the most real and down to earth expert on you tube. He is concerned with helping us on many levels. I love his senior Olympics.

[@uelude]

Easy to support him through being a member of his website

[@2033971]

I have no words to describe my admiration to Robert Sapolsky!

[@kemalistdevrimturkaydnlanm168]

Same here

[@theresabeach5032]

I fell in love with Dr Sapolsky a few years ago when I discovered his Stanford lectures. His two latest books (Behave and Determined) seem to have sparked renewed interest in his work. As soon as I finish Behave I'm going to watch the lectures again before I move on to Determined. So much great stuff to look forward to 😂 !!

[@a.randomjack6661]

I discovered Prof. Sapolsky years ago while I was searching for "stress". I game across a national Geographic documentary "Stress, Portrait of a killer". I then noted and searched for his name and found his lecture playlist. Since, I search for him every now and then and listen. It's the 2nd time I listen to this one.

[@Bob-se7fv]

Came to listen to Sapolsky, but I was very impressed by you and your questions. Well done @Peter Attia MD.

[@edwigcarol4888]

46:00 "the lower levels can influence what is above"... 2:00:00 long exposition to cortisol. Impact on the brain: atrophy Hypocampus, hyperactivity enhanced amygdala (PTSD) and mess with the dopamine system: vulnerability to strong addictions (more dopa) or anhedonia through dopamine depletion.. Cortisol excess damaging the frontal cortex then underlying the overpowered amygdala (ruining one socially). Furthermore how high stress makes through the impediments onto the frontal cortex: more scrappy, more xenophobic, less empathic, more impulsive.. Such a terribly touching ending of this brilliant conversation. so sad.. I won't forget it.

[@kemalistdevrimturkaydnlanm168]

I can not get enough of listening to Prof Sapolsky.

[@willmpet]

I learned a great deal from Dr. Sapolsky. He has effected, and helped, my life a great deal. I first heard him on The Infinite Mind, and I pictured him to be wearing a three piece suit instead of being so casual. I knew nothing of his work in Africa at that time.

[@christophergrove4876]

🇨🇦/🇺🇸... I am a fan of Robert Sapolsky. I think that he has helped me understand my personal, social flaws (for lack of a better term) in a way that has allowed me to forgive myself while at the same time home in on tools that have helped me to change to fit within society's requirements. (re ADHD in particular)

[@danevans2397]

This podcast is an intellectual gift to me between two of my ten favorite conversationalists.

[@JanvdenT]

Are you able to mention the other eight? Would be most helpful to know assuming they are in the "league" of Attia and Sapolsky.

[@vicenteblanco6434]

Phd salposky is a stable genius..the real deal..attia knows a great deal too but hats off to doctor salposky

[@AtypicalPaul]

Great conversation. Not many videos do I wish were longer, but this one I could listen to for hours

[@elmersbalm5219]

1:10:00 extreme inequality raises stress even in someone in a good material position not because tgey see those who are better. They see those who are worse, how bad they have it and how easiy it is for tyem to fall off the cliff. Sapolski’s advocacy and clear communication has helped me and surely hoards more. I’m sure he is making a difference, even without being in a lab curing a disease.

[@gamer-ff6mh]

Oh yes. Absolutely. My rich cousin has been sleeping 4 hours for the last few years worrying what would happen if the poor got out of control. Btw he has no reason to worry, but he still does. In any case I increased my sleep from 6 to 8-9 hours hehehe

[@a.a.6552]

I second @Daniel Baer ; Sapolsky never fails to engage and enlighten! This is also my first exposure to Peter Attiah, and it was such a wonderful surprise to listen to the pair's natural chemistry as experts in their respective fields. Thank you Attiah for being such an excellent interviewer; respectful, engaging, considerate of your guest, and an intellectual in your own right that didn't come across as overbearing, yet led the conversation in a direction the audience could benefit. I came for Sapolsky's content, but will be following Attiah's work as well now. Thank you for sharing gentlemen 🙏🏼

[@luisfernandoalves2748]

Such a gem. Please invite him again.

[@gondwana6303]

I must compliment you both a superlative conversation between two enthusiastic experts. I loved the explanations of mechanisms, particularly the non-Mendellian transmission of psychological illness, passed from generation to generation, and the heart-rending step in line exercise from prison. I also enjoyed the elegant, incisive, precise use of language. Outstanding in so many respects!

[@edwigcarol4888]

Insuline resistance is passed on the same way from mother to child, so that obesity-onset comes sooner from generation to generation and as obesity is a function of time it gets also worse and worse... This can explain the obesity epidemic today... Anxiety epidemic as well ?

[@aloevera7422]

​@@edwigcarol4888 EE2 contraceptive for example is another UBIQUITOUS endocrine disruptor that increases risks for generational infertility and other illnesses as well as diabesies and obesity.

[@MK-ih6wp]

@@aloevera7422 I wasn't sure what EE2 means but this jogged my memory: The hormone ethinyl-estradiol (EE2) is an active substance in many birth control pills which affects aquatic organisms when released as waste into the water.Mar 4, 2016 If this is true (I believe it is) & we still had an honest media w journalistic integrity, wouldn't this be a front page story everyday until the problem was addressed? why is this still treated like a "conspiracy theory"? i can find tons of articles about how this effects fish, but where is the research on how this affects humans? perhaps its too late for us?

[@margaretwinson402]

Your best work is ahead of you, Dr Sapolsky!

[@6teezkid]

What an excellent Professor. I love watching Dr. Sapolsky older classes...no matter the topic or year. Wow! I learned so much. He just gets your ears and mind right away.

[@MrFanderwald]

This talk was so incredibly insightful and valuable because stress is something most of us deal with everyday. Thank you Dr Attia and Dr Sapolsky for this profound interview.

[@lindamaturan2134]

Me too he has wealth of knowledge, thanks Dr Attia for episodes like these. More power to you and your program

[@dbrannick9585]

really appreciate the prison story at the end, the sentiment, clarity of thought and compassion.

[@mcd5478]

“They’ll be sorry when they see how many degrees I have” 😂 Sapolsky’s nonchalant quick humor is so great ❤

[@samandrastek]

1:10:00 “Killing the Competition” - Martin Daly Shows that perceived disparities (real or not) in relation to others in a society (if ‘haves’ have a lot more) causes destabilization

[@AtypicalPaul]

I really enjoy Robert's thoughts and findings. I would now love to know what practices we can do that can influence positive changes in our brain to improve anxiety. How can we shift ourselves from being so anxious and having panic attacks to situations that don't merit such a response? To create a more relaxed baseline would be so amazing and life changing.

[@willmpet]

He explains how devastating Clinical Depression can be in one of the lectures he gives at Stanford and it’s on KZbin.

[@piquitojuno3383]

Yes, indeed, he surpassed any other scientist in his field!…The guy is outstanding!

[@helenrobinson4893]

Thoroughly enjoyed this discussion ! Its a great joy to listen to two men that share there life work and knowledge in such a humble way . I'll be hoping for a future world environment were this is the norm. Thankyou

[@jimparker3376]

Yes, I listened to all his Stanford lectures! Opened my mind!

[@jellyicecream3324]

BOOM 💣

[@kellyberry4173]

I loved them all!!!

[@wmp3346]

Good stress, bad stress. Like a lot of things a fine line. Fascinating talk and insights.

[@grambebe]

This was excellent. Thanks to Peter for asking guests to explain things to lay people. It helps.

[@aloybo4916]

Great episode, thank you for making this information accessible for us. I would love to share this with my mates,though their English is just not good enough to understand this. Would be great if you would consider adding some subtitles for the future. Greetings from Germany

[@bhupindertube]

thanks for putting the #51 in the title, i found this episode on spotify. I've the same hunger as yours & Robert Sapolsky is my favourite. Thanks.

[@bhupindertube]

i'm also so surprise that your channel and podcast wasn't recommended to me earlier.

[@pstimac]

It's a shame that Sapolski didn't narrate his own ebook.

[@daignat]

That's because Mr. Attia wouldn't shut up!!!!!!

[@MK-ih6wp]

@@daignat not related but I still LOL'd!

[@jakeegolf2580]

Dr Attis, your higher glucose reading could also be attributed to your high fat breakfast. Fat reduces your sensitivity to insulin, so more glucose could have been in your blood stream bc you couldn’t use it as well. Also your body was dumping glucocorticoids bc you were essentially “on the run” all day, even though you weren’t eating your body was pulling glucose from your stores for energy at a higher rate.

[@autisticautumn7379]

Thank you for not selling ads 😊

[@aclasscali]

I wish Peter had let him talk a little bit more with less interruptions.

[@edrow7403]

It was moving when Dr Sapolsky said he might tell his younger 25 y/o self to be less ambitious. It reminds me of how some people regret that they worked so much when they reflect back. Not that that's exactly what he meant in this example.

[@tadoo2]

Outstanding with one apprehension on the comment on stress and cancer. Dr. Sapolsky I have been following for decades. Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers read a multitude of times.

[@spinnetti]

Two of my favorites in one podcast! Not sure how I missed this one.

[@willmpet]

I grew up very poor but had no idea that I was poor in unless I was in school with people bragging about all they got for Christmas. I felt so guilty for not being able to provide things for my children when they were in college because some of their classmates had many things they didn’t have! They felt poor, though they were so fortunate!

[@MusixPro4u]

What strikes me every time I listen to Sapolsky for an extended period of time is there seems to be a latent depression in him; a disillusionment with life. He fully absorbed the notion that there is no free will and it has eaten his soul.

[@andrewhume3090]

The higher primate sits alone in his tent studying the lower primates social interactions . After countless hours amounting to many years he makes his way back to base camp ...drops to his knees and bursts into tears .

[@MK-ih6wp]

[@sheikhakbar2067]

Good interview ... thanks for making it possible.

[@sebastianrubio928]

WTF is this??? Released over a year ago and has 400 likes? This is why humanity is doomed. We need a new word to replace how interesting this was, interesting just doesn't cut it.

[@mosszenbach180]

Indeed. Sapolsky studies if applied would radically change the science business model. Almost impossible with the monopoly of big pharma and big tech. They are too hungry 🤑🤑

[@thereligion4169]

Profundity is a good descriptor for all his takes, Sapolsky has a profundity to each and every word he imports.

[@kathleenhandron3092]

Sapolsky has heroically dealt with major depression most of his life. He says it is a biological brain disease and has used medication and other therapies for depression.

[@orion9k]

Such great interview🙏

[@ChannelMath]

All the self-help, business-success, life-enhancing podcasts (except this one!), books etc., do nothing so much as cause guilt, status anxiety, and stress among the people who consume them. Often, it's the good-feeling type of stress so many of us are addicted to: the excitement of learning new possibilities, new races to be run. However, this kind of stress has the same bad health effects.

[@angelinarobert622]

Sounds like toxic positivity is stressing you out with the self-help books. Are you okay?

[@BIgBass255]

Edibles and Fishing takes care of my stress for the last 35 years. There's only one traffic light in our town, haven't been in gridlock or airports since 9-11. No Facebook, no Twitter, sorry no Tik Tok.

[@pattimichellesheaffer103]

We need another update on the "Zebras" book, please.

[@guevara4420]

Is it a good book?

[@kellyberry4173]

@@guevara4420 Great book

[@hififlipper]

Sleeping reduces stress even better than meditation.

[@andrew348]

Everybody sleeps and their stress levels are still off the charts. This comment is valueless

[@kirstinstrand6292]

Adequate hours of DEEP sleep will change your day.

[@samandrastek]

38:00 ‘Micro-aggressions’ causing people undue cortisol release?

[@codehere142]

Expressions''

[@e.rivera4251]

Stress...is killing everyone, i just got all the results of chest pain, and spend one night at the hospital...to find out i have nothing... all negative results..the diagnose Stress...now i have to pay all medical bills ...witch give me more stress.......

[@codehere142]

Maybe stress don't let You sleep

[@SofaKingShit]

I've had to go to my local hospital in Europe for chest pain a few times and was told the same thing, it was embarrassing but being hit with a huge bill and the sense of personal worthlessness that must give is a vicious circle of suffering. Which the chief baboon in some medical insurance boardroom is completely indifferent about.

[@orion9k]

Also had chest pains from stress, I had to quit my carrier job in nov 2019 because I got so sick, couldn't sleep, kidney pains, toilet visits all the time, trouble breathing, asthma for the first time in my life etc. Been jobless ever since and I haven't felt this bliss and relaxed for a long time, now the only stress I encounter is being poor as f#ck and dealing with a broken healthcare system in Denmark + dealing with the commute trying to push me into working, who are partly the reason I got burned out the first place 👌

[@esul4]

2:08:35 In which podcast do you talk about the prison inmates? I'd love to listen to it.

[@covert_warrior]

Prof sapolsky inspires me so much.

[@mosszenbach180]

When I watch the BBC coming up with an endless crisis, orchestrated by hungry corporations (philanthropist donors?), I remember Sapolsky. The science of stressing people is never contested on TV.

[@maureengarry]

I was interested to hear about Dr. Spiegel's cancer support groups back in the late 70s. My mom was in one and my anecdotal data on her experience is that it helped her despite her not taking chemo or having radiation treatment. For her, the social environment of being with others in her situation was therapeutic, though it was hard for her to see her friends from that group continue to die off. She happily made it another 40 years with no recurrence of her cancer, until Alzheimer's finally took her.

[@orion9k]

2:00:00 fasting a lot when u have cancer, should be the way to go

[@BIgBass255]

That shit loves Sugar.

[@mntestav]

I do not understand how you establish that moderately elevated blood sugar in the morning is an issue in a phenotype that has low insulin and low blood sugar except in the morning. All the data we have is in a different phenotype, which is insulin resistant, higher overall blood sugar and insulin, and an elevated morning glucose. There could be an issue, but I don't think the current evidence tells you this

[@angelinarobert622]

"Fish are not famous for their emotions. " which reminds of "If you have the emotional life of a rat, you're in trouble,"-both are Robert Sapolsky' quotes. So why even test pharmaceutical medications on lab rats? When my mother was getting her teaching credentials, she shut down San Jose State University's science department for doing lab rat experiments that were unnecessary and cruel to the lab rats. That's my mother for you. If i had the veterinary background she has. i probably would have shut down that University's science lab too for the same reason. i don't think it makes sense to test psychiatric pharmaceuticals on creatures with a different endocrine system. Dogs have a very different endocrine system than humans. Never give a dog chocolate, grapes, and onions. They might be nummy for your tummy but more toxic than Britney Speares is to "your darling doggy." a reference to No One Lives Forever by Oingo Boingo.

[@guevara4420]

The relationship between Cortisol and blood glucosa concentrations?

[@assistantto007]

Many people don't really know what real stress is.

[@DanielL143]

Stop talking Peter and let Robert speak.

[@eugeniebreida]

And this was Attia on his very best behavior.

[@gsch1818]

What kind of glucose meter do you use ?

[@Literally_Me8]

He said on a podcast recently that he is wearing a Dexcom.

[@oscarmudd6579]

Stress is one of the favorite weapons of our religious extremists.

[@codehere142]

💎💎💎💎💎💎

[@erickotlyarov2724]

Speed (1994) 47:57

[@seanbevan7]

Peter, if your talking more than your guest, you probably need to work on your interviewing technique.

[@zavierorlos1948]

Peter, next time please don't compare everything, every scenario with yourself. Try to see a bigger Pic. I mean, we are not you and we want to know stuff. Thats why we are hearing your interview: to know stuff, not to get to know you better. Just a critic. Maybe you can ponder it for your next podcast.

[@edwigcarol4888]

i might say that Peter's reports on his own very trivial experiences (which can only be out of one's own daily life) are very valuable, the more so thay R Sapolsky answers on a precise and interested manner - this is a conversation not a conference... and in fact a lot to learn and implement for oneself in the struggle to lower cortisol. (01:25..) "Look at your stressing mails twice a day reducing the aftermath of a biological recovery from stress to twice a day instead of: 50 times a day. The difference between health and cortisol-poisonning. R.Sapolsky: the biological effect, the recovery is what brings you 80/20 on the way. I begin at once 10 minutes DAILY of mindful breathing..

[@andrew348]

His anecdotal difference is likely much different than anybody else's and shouldn't be elevated

[@eugeniebreida]

And, Attia barely interrupted Robert at all, in comparison to all of his other podcasts. Very impressive. A rare showing of respect. At least he understands the value of Robert Sapolsky to our species.

[@eugeniebreida]

Gawd, if Attia’s presentation style, and stress inducing music aren’t life shortening - what is?

[@eugeniebreida]

Pretty testosterone loaded voice/style (and volume). Alpha.

[@adityashah5597]

4:10

[@walidak8229]

''Be less ambitious'' who has guessed it? and what other people would give as an advice?

[@jenniferbrantley5931]

Does anyone else on here and think that epigenetic & karma might just be the same thing?

[@katherenewedic8076]

How can the data that demonstrates that americans live longer when they have more money than the average person?

[@ДмитрийВербицкий-у7д]

Harris John Jackson Kenneth Martinez Jose

[@merlingeikie]

He's looking more like Abraham every day!

[@covert_warrior]

So baboons are narcissists? 🤣

[@prbr7095]

Sapolsky has it wrong - stress does bring about cancer.

[@sm-eo3wf]

Stress does not cause cancer. That is a pernicious new age myth.

[@angelinarobert622]

Either way, Spirulina is an anti-carcinogenic and it doesn't play well with Chemotherapy. Please search pubmed.gov. it's been proven effective against pancreatic cancer and breast cancer. Zuckerberg's 3 billion donation to cure diseases hasn't been wasted. unless it's because hospitals cannot profit on a super food but they can off milking the insurance companies off the sales of radiation pills which are carcinogenic by nature. Do your research. Search pubmed.gov for "Spirulina's effects on cancer" and "interactions with Spirulina and Chemotherapy." Spirulina's a blue green cyanobacteria and relatively unevolved for 3.5 billion years. both Spirulina Maxima and Spirulina Plantesis　have shown anti-carcinogenic effects. The biggest issues with it are how much is enough and what stage of cancer the patients are in and can hospitals profit by selling spirulina instead of Chemotherapy. Please trust pubmed.gov, it's the National Institute of Health's Medical Data Pool Website. it's what your doctors use to look up diseases and medicines and medications.

[@iss8504]

Not directly but if it's disruptive chronically if various systems, I am sure it has a role. Too many people develop cancer after a lifetime of chronic stressors to the body, like bad diet, etc. I am positive stress killed my father even though the clinical diagnosis was heart disease. Impossible the stress of his life wasn't at least partly why he had the heart disease. His brother with same diet but no work or social rank stress is still alive and he is older than my dad. Life is hard if u r the runt in the litter and kicked around in life.

[@believer7280]

Stress can be a killer. My advice....keep an eternal perspective. Whatever problems you're going through now....it is temporary. Read the words of Jesus Christ in the book of John (4th book of New Testament). The forgiveness of all your sins and peace with God forever....that is true inner peace.

[@CopingwithGrattitude]

It definitely contributes; not the only reason, but I certainly believe scientifically and from my own experience it contributes!