Essentials: How to Optimize Your Hormones for Health & Vitality | Dr. Kyle Gillett

Andrew Huberman

Dec 25, 2025

Episode description

In this Huberman Lab Essentials episode, my guest is Dr. Kyle Gillett, MD, a dual board-certified physician in family medicine and obesity medicine and an expert in optimizing hormone levels to improve overall health.

We explain how to improve hormone levels across the lifespan in both men and women using behavioral, nutritional and exercise-based tools. We also discuss common clinical topics, including hormone testing, PCOS, hair loss, testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) and peptides, focusing on potential benefits, tradeoffs and risks.

Episode show notes: https://go.hubermanlab.com/EkpDEyt

Watch more Huberman Lab Essentials: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPNW_gerXa4OGNy1yE-W9IX-tPu-tJa7S&si=a1_sA7rUT-fE0OM5

Timestamps
00:00:00 Kyle Gillett
00:00:36 Hormone Health; Women vs Men, Tool: Hormone Testing
00:02:35 Tool: Big 6 Lifestyle Pillars to Optimize Hormone Health
00:04:32 Diet, Individualization; Bloodwork & Frequency
00:05:35 Exercise, Zone 2 Cardio; Caloric Restriction
00:06:51 Intermittent Fasting, Growth Hormone, IGF-1
00:09:20 Hormones & Sleep, Growth Hormone, Menopause, Andropause, TRT
00:11:43 Testosterone & Women, SHGB
00:13:34 Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), Androgens; Turmeric & Black Pepper; Hair Loss
00:16:47 Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), Symptoms, Metformin, Inositol
00:20:13 Cannabis, Alcohol, Testosterone
00:21:47 Males & Testosterone, TRT, Prostate Cancer
00:23:04 Prolactin, Dopamine “Wave Pool”, Tool: Casein & Gluten
00:24:23 Social Relationships & Hormones, Tool: Planning for Crisis
00:26:22 Peptides, Growth Hormone & Risk; BPC 157, Sourcing & LPS
00:32:02 Melanotan, Uses & Risks
00:34:05 Spiritual Health, Interdisciplinary Health Integration
00:36:43 Caffeine & Hormones, Sleep; Acknowledgements

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Disclaimer & Disclosures: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer

Episode description

Mindsip insights from this episode:

Reduce marijuana use to maintain testosterone levels

Smoking marijuana is likely to increase your aromatase enzyme, which converts testosterone into estrogen and subsequently lowers your overall testosterone levels.

#testosterone

Inhibit DHT conversion with turmeric and black pepper extract

Common supplements like bioavailable turmeric and black pepper extract can inhibit the enzyme that converts testosterone to DHT, which may be undesirable if your DHT is already low.

#DHT

#supplement

Utilize dutasteride mesotherapy to combat hair loss

A promising strategy for hair loss is dutasteride mesotherapy, which uses localized scalp injections to block DHT conversion without systemic side effects.

#hair-loss

#therapy

Balance caloric intake to optimize testosterone levels

If you are young, lean, and healthy, caloric restriction will likely decrease your testosterone, whereas it will improve it if you are obese or have metabolic syndrome.

#metabolism

#testosterone

Avoid BPC-157 if you have cancer due to healing risks

The peptide BPC-157 works by increasing VEGF to promote healing, making it risky for anyone with cancer as it's the opposite mechanism of an essential anti-cancer drug.

#cancer

#supplement

Limit milk protein to manage prolactin levels

Casein, a protein found in milk, can act as a mu-opioid receptor agonist in the gut and potentially increase your prolactin levels.

prolactin

#protein

Recognize testosterone's crucial role in women's health optimization

Contrary to popular belief, almost all women have significantly more total testosterone than estradiol, making testosterone levels just as important for women's health optimization.

#testosterone

#women

Beware TRT's impact on sleep quality

Starting Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) can cause poor sleep by drastically raising the risk of developing sleep apnea, especially in the first few months.