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Essentials: Increase Strength & Endurance with Cooling Protocols | Dr. Craig Heller

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Essentials: Increase Strength & Endurance with Cooling Protocols | Dr. Craig Heller

Huberman Lab

2025/08/07
Huberman Lab

Huberman Lab

2025/08/07
OverviewShownoteHighlightsTranscriptChaptersPins

Shownote

In this Huberman Lab Essentials episode, my guest is Dr. Craig Heller, PhD, a professor of biology at Stanford University and a world expert on the science of temperature regulation. We discuss how the body and brain regulate temperature in different conditions and why conventional cooling methods, such as placing ice packs on the neck, do not effectively reduce core body temperature. Dr. Heller explains why cooling glabrous skin areas—the palms, soles and upper face—efficiently releases body heat and can significantly enhance physical performance and endurance. We discuss how targeted palmar cooling improves both short-term performance and long-term training adaptation in aerobic and anaerobic exercise. Read the episode show notes at hubermanlab.com. Thank you to our sponsors AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman Carbon: https://joincarbon.com/huberman Function: https://functionhealth.com/huberman Timestamps (00:00) Craig Heller (00:26) Deliberate Cold Exposure, Cold Showers, Ice Baths; Vasoconstriction (02:26) Cold Shower vs Cold Immersion, Boundary Layer, Tool: Improve Aerobic Exercise Performance (04:54) Anaerobic Exercise & Overheating, Muscle Failure, Muscle Fatigue (07:19) Sponsor: Carbon (09:06) Anaerobic Exercise, Cool Down with Ice Water or Cold Towel? (11:28) Should You Cool Body/Head to Lower Body Temperature?, Hyperthermia, Heat Stroke (15:17) Body Sites for Quick Cooling: Palms, Soles & Upper Face, Glabrous Surfaces (17:48) Tool: Loosen Grip & Performance; Gloves & Socks (19:21) Cooling Brain via Upper Face (20:41) Sponsor: AG1 (22:05) Cooling Brain to Offset Concussion? (23:01) Enhance Anaerobic Performance & Cooling Palms, Heat Loss (26:17) Improve Aerobic Endurance & Cooling Palms (27:11) CoolMitt; Ice Cold Is Too Cold (30:11) Sponsor: Function (31:44) Tool: Use Palmer Cooling to Enhance Performance; Cooling Palms, Soles & Face (35:28) Acknowledgments Disclaimer & Disclosures Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Highlights

In this episode, Dr. Craig Heller joins Andrew Huberman to explore the science of temperature regulation and its profound impact on physical and cognitive performance. The conversation delves into how the body manages heat, the limitations of traditional cooling methods, and the unique role of specific skin surfaces in dissipating heat efficiently. The discussion also touches on practical applications for enhancing athletic performance and managing brain temperature under stress.
00:26
Cold exposure increases adrenaline and causes vasoconstriction
02:33
Cold exposure before aerobic activity can improve performance by increasing speed or distance
04:54
Muscle overheating causes fatigue due to enzyme shutdown at 39–39.5°C
09:25
Drinking ice water can help mitigate heat effects on muscles
14:34
High core temperature raises heart rate, leading to discomfort but not immediate heat stroke.
15:17
Glabrous skin areas like palms help regulate body temperature through specialized blood vessels.
17:48
Loosening grip and using thin protectors improves heat loss and performance
19:27
Blood flow reversal during overheating helps cool the brain
22:12
Cooling may help reduce inflammation and offset brain injury effects in fighters
25:52
A professional athlete tripled their performance at peak conditioning with palm cooling
26:20
Continuous cooling doubled endurance during treadmill walking in 40°C heat.
27:17
CoolMitt provides a better alternative to ice water for cooling down.
30:13
Function helped detect elevated mercury levels and offered solutions
34:53
Cooling the face, hands, and soles is twice as effective as cooling armpits or groin
35:34
Encouragement to explore palmar cooling technology and thanks for shared insights

Chapters

Craig Heller
00:00
Deliberate Cold Exposure, Cold Showers, Ice Baths; Vasoconstriction
00:26
Cold Shower vs Cold Immersion, Boundary Layer, Tool: Improve Aerobic Exercise Performance
02:26
Anaerobic Exercise & Overheating, Muscle Failure, Muscle Fatigue
04:54
Sponsor: Carbon
07:19
Anaerobic Exercise, Cool Down with Ice Water or Cold Towel?
09:06
Should You Cool Body/Head to Lower Body Temperature?, Hyperthermia, Heat Stroke
11:28
Body Sites for Quick Cooling: Palms, Soles & Upper Face, Glabrous Surfaces
15:17
Tool: Loosen Grip & Performance; Gloves & Socks
17:48
Cooling Brain via Upper Face
19:21
Sponsor: AG1
20:41
Cooling Brain to Offset Concussion?
22:05
Enhance Anaerobic Performance & Cooling Palms, Heat Loss
23:01
Improve Aerobic Endurance & Cooling Palms
26:17
CoolMitt; Ice Cold Is Too Cold
27:11
Sponsor: Function
30:11
Tool: Use Palmer Cooling to Enhance Performance; Cooling Palms, Soles & Face
31:44
Acknowledgments
35:28

Transcript

Speaker 3: Welcome to Huberman Lab Essentials, where we revisit past episodes for the most potent and actionable science-based tools for mental health, physical health, and performance. Andrew Huberman: I'm Andrew Huberman, and I'm a professor of neurobio...