Audit a URL →

Sign in Sign up free

Loading…

Weekly · Sunday Morning

Five longevity claims.
Worth your time.
Every Sunday.

Last Sunday

Rapamycin extends mouse lifespan 9–14%
NAD+ precursors reverse aging in humans
Blue-light glasses improve sleep quality
Walking 10 min after meals blunts glucose
Verdict change — caffeine half-life downgraded

5 audits·1 verdict change·0 affiliate links·Every Sunday

Joining 1,247 readers — founders, MDs, and longevity-obsessed people who fact-check their own health decisions.

Browse

Decisions Claims Content Creators

Product

Audit a URL Sunday roundup API (soon)Pricing

About

FAQ Methodology Editorial Standards Corrections Press & brand RSS feed

Legal

Terms of Service Privacy Policy DMCA

Finally, something serious in this space.
Because we actually read the papers.

© 2026 Whalespan. Independent, evidence-graded longevity.

Control Pain & Heal Faster with Your Brain — Whalespan

Content›Video›Control Pain & Heal Faster w…

Control Pain & Heal Faster with Your Brain

Andrew Huberman1h 38m · 2021-03-01

Claims Made

168

Claims Supported

135

Support Rate

80%

Support rate

135 of 168 claims supported

135 supported33 partial / not

Claims from this content

132

✓Well SupportedAthletic Greens is a drink containing vitamins, minerals, probiotics, and adaptogens designed to meet foundational nutritional needs and aid recovery from stress.✓Well SupportedAreas of the body with magnified representation in the somatosensory cortex include the lips, face, fingertips, feet, and genitals due to higher sensory receptor density.✓Well SupportedViewing red light at approximately 18 inches in the morning can counteract age-related declines in mitochondrial function and vision in individuals over 40.✓Well SupportedAging can be a nonlinear process with significant jumps in aging markers.Well Supported

More from Andrew Huberman

Andrew Huberman on Creatine

Huberman X thread: creatine and aging

Andrew Huberman on Morning Sunlight

Discussion

Native comments, Twitter mentions, and Reddit threads about this content — surfaced together so the conversation isn't fragmented across platforms.

M

Share your read of this content…

Posting publicly as you · linked to your social profiles

Sort by:

AV

A. Volkovreader

4h

Bookmarking — the dossier-vs-overview split is the right call. Most of the time I want overview; sometimes I want receipts.

NP

N. Park

2d

Would love a "what would change this verdict" RSS feed. Sign me up if it exists.

✓

Sleeping with the head turned to the side may enhance the brain's cleansing capacity.

✓Well SupportedUsing a VPN like ExpressVPN secures and privatizes internet activity by routing it through servers and encrypting it.

✓Well SupportedA healthy gut microbiome, supported by probiotics, is vital for immune function, the gut-brain axis, brain function, mood, and limiting brain inflammation.

◐Partially SupportedThe majority of glymphatic system activity occurs during slow-wave sleep, primarily in the early part of the night.

✓Well SupportedIncluding Zone 2 cardio weekly helps engage all eight mechanisms of exercise-induced brain improvement.

✓Well SupportedRest and sleep are essential for TBI recovery, allowing the glymphatic system to clear debris and repair neurons.

✕Not SupportedCurcumin is a potent inhibitor of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which can lead to reductions in libido in sensitive individuals.

✓Well SupportedViewing a picture of a romantic partner reduces pain by activating an oxytocin-linked mechanism.

✓Well SupportedIndividuals should consult with their doctor before implementing any new health or supplement regimen.

✓Well SupportedFactors present in the blood of young members of a species are lost over time in older members and may be responsible for age-related decline.

✓Well SupportedTwo-point discrimination tests the density of sensory receptors in a given area.

✓Well SupportedAdrenaline release from stressors like cold exposure or hyperventilation can help combat infections.

✓Well SupportedZone 2 cardio, low-level walking, and slow-wave sleep are recommended for brain longevity by keeping the glymphatic system chronically active.

✓Well SupportedRestricting activity of an uninjured limb while encouraging activity of an injured limb can speed recovery if done without pain.

✓Well SupportedChildren born without the sodium channel 1.7 experience no pain, leading to dangerous injuries.

✓Well SupportedThe nervous system can change itself, directing its own changes consciously or through feedback.

✓Well SupportedThe stress response system, including adrenaline and epinephrine release, can enhance the ability to combat infections and reduce inflammation in the short term.

◐Partially SupportedInflammation is a beneficial process for healing injuries, whereas chronic inflammation is detrimental.

◐Partially SupportedExperiencing a crash in adrenaline response and immune function can lead to getting sick when transitioning from periods of high stress to relaxation or vacation.

◐Partially SupportedPhantom limb pain occurs when the brain's representation of an amputated limb remains intact and its activity levels ramp up due to lack of proprioceptive feedback.

✓Well SupportedTransfusing blood from young rodents into old, demented rodents can restore memory, increase vitality and energy, and improve recall of spatial learning tasks.

◐Partially SupportedThe Wim Hof breathing pattern can counter endotoxin infection by increasing adrenaline and activating the spleen.

◐Partially SupportedElevating the feet slightly during sleep can aid in the clearance of metabolites and debris from the brain.

✓Well SupportedFecal transplants are being used to treat obesity by transplanting the gut microbiome of thin people into obese individuals, leading to weight loss.

◐Partially SupportedObsessive love, associated with the dopamine pathway, can reduce the unpleasantness of physical pain.

◐Partially SupportedElectroacupuncture and acupuncture work through specific neural pathways and are linked to dopamine.

◐Partially SupportedResponse to acupuncture for pain relief varies significantly between individuals.

◐Partially SupportedAdrenaline release from practices like Wim Hof breathing and ice baths can counter infection, but the duration of the adrenaline response needs regulation.

◐Partially SupportedAcupuncture can alleviate or cause inflammation depending on the areas of the body stimulated.

✕Not SupportedUnchecked, prolonged, or high-amplitude inflammation is detrimental.

✕Not SupportedWim Hof breathing should never be done near water due to the risk of drowning.

◐Partially SupportedNociceptors are sensors that detect harmful stimuli, and 'nociception' is preferred over 'pain' by neuroscientists.

✕Not SupportedStem cell treatments and other unproven technologies should be approached with extreme caution due to potential dangers and lack of rigorous testing in humans.

◐Partially SupportedPlacebo effects and belief effects profoundly impact the experience of noxious stimuli like pain, as well as positive stimuli.

◐Partially SupportedThe subjective interpretation of a sensory event dictates the experience of that event.

◐Partially SupportedNeuroplasticity is driven by mismatches or errors in performance.

◐Partially SupportedNeural plasticity can be rapid and is driven by experience, such as visual input.

◐Partially SupportedNatural sunlight is the best source for red light therapy, infrared, and near-infrared light therapy.

✕Not SupportedClaims that platelet-rich plasma (PRP) contains significant numbers of stem cells are unsubstantiated and it is illegal to advertise PRP using the term 'stem cells'.

◐Partially SupportedIntense stimulation of the abdomen and other areas can be pro-inflammatory by triggering loops that activate anxiety pathways.

◐Partially SupportedMutations in sodium channels can lead to excessive pain due to overactivity or a complete inability to function.

◐Partially SupportedRestricting use of an injured limb can benefit recovery and induce plasticity.

◐Partially SupportedTraumatic brain injury (TBI) is a form of accelerated brain aging and shares similarities with Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative conditions.

◐Partially SupportedDopamine and norepinephrine can activate the vagus nerve peripherally, which reduces inflammation.

◐Partially SupportedThe pain system can be leveraged to understand the difference between injury and pain and to interpret pain signals.

◐Partially SupportedIndividuals with mutations in pain-sensing receptors lack inflammation and experience joint disintegration.

◐Partially SupportedThe brain's representation of the body surface is ordered and smooth, with nearby body parts mapped to nearby neurons.

◐Partially SupportedStress, by liberating adrenaline and activating the spleen, can counter infection.

◐Partially SupportedIncreasing glymphatic system activity, potentially through elevated feet during sleep or naps, could lower iron levels and enhance the system.

◐Partially SupportedExcessive exposure to radiation can cause tissue damage without the perception of pain.

✓Well SupportedVitamin D3 has significant scientific support for its role in immune function.

◐Partially SupportedThe recency of a relationship directly correlates with an individual's ability to use internal representations of love to blunt pain responses.

◐Partially SupportedPain is a perceptual experience influenced by beliefs about bodily sensations, with implications for healing.

◐Partially SupportedThe experience of pain and the degree of tissue damage to the body are not always correlated.

◐Partially SupportedIntense electroacupuncture stimulation of the abdomen increases inflammation in the body via the splenic spinal sympathetic axis.

◐Partially SupportedThe young brain, body, and blood are fundamentally different from the old brain, body, and blood, and science aims to identify factors responsible for these differences.

◐Partially SupportedEight hours of immobility is beneficial for tissue rehabilitation if eight hours of sleep is not achievable.

◐Partially SupportedNon-damaging heat is more beneficial for wound healing and pain reduction than cold or ice.

◐Partially SupportedVisual imagery is a mechanism that can remap body surface representations and manage pain.

◐Partially SupportedNon-sleep deep rest protocols are beneficial for glymphatic clearance and tissue clearance.

◐Partially SupportedMuscle atrophy after limb immobilization is primarily due to inactivity of the nerves signaling the muscles.

◐Partially SupportedDrug treatments exist that can block sodium channel 1.7 and provide relief for individuals experiencing extreme pain due to its overproduction.

◐Partially SupportedThe Kennard Principle states the brain has greater repair capacity earlier in life.

◐Partially SupportedDopamine release associated with new obsessions is distinct from serotonin and oxytocin linked to stable relationships.

◐Partially SupportedThe brain is an adaptive device that responds to sensory inputs and is not fixed.

◐Partially SupportedDopamine release may blunt chronic and acute pain.

◐Partially SupportedThe duration of the adrenaline response should be regulated as it is a short-term adaptation.

◐Partially SupportedChronic pain is a form of maladaptive plasticity requiring rewiring of brain and peripheral centers.

◐Partially SupportedFibromyalgia is associated with insufficient central inhibition in the brain from GABA and glycine pathways.

◐Partially SupportedAcupuncture, which involves stimulating particular body locations with needles, sometimes electricity or heat, can modulate physiological responses.

◐Partially SupportedThe stress response was evolutionarily designed to combat infection, and certain abdominal stimulation patterns can release immune cells and counter infection via adrenaline.

◐Partially SupportedAcupuncture illuminates the crosstalk between the somatosensory system and the autonomic nervous system.

◐Partially SupportedAdults struggle to access neuroplasticity, unlike children.

◐Partially SupportedAvoiding a second traumatic brain injury or concussion is a universally agreed-upon recommendation.

◐Partially SupportedAdrenaline blunts the experience of pain, allowing individuals to perform feats that would otherwise be impossible.

◐Partially SupportedSystemic red light therapy, by approximating the effects of nature and sunlight, may offer benefits similar to natural sunlight exposure.

◐Partially SupportedRed light therapy may be useful for recovery.

◐Partially SupportedMolecules from young blood, including TIMP2, have been isolated that revitalize the old brain and body.

◐Partially SupportedMovement can act as an analgesic for injuries, unlike ice which impedes cellular processes.

◐Partially SupportedStimulation of the feet and hands can reduce inflammation, as supported by mechanistic studies.

◐Partially SupportedDifferent types of stimulation on various body parts can modulate pain and inflammation.

◐Partially SupportedRelying on strong, uninjured limbs during recovery can create runaway plasticity that hinders the recovery of motor function in the damaged limb.

◐Partially SupportedTop-down modulation, using cognition and senses to control pain, can be learned and benefited from by everyone.

◐Partially SupportedStimulating specific points on the body via acupuncture can slow down or speed up gut motility.

◐Partially SupportedMovement, heat, light sleep, and restricting blood flow can accelerate wound healing.

◐Partially SupportedAquaporin-4 facilitates debris clearance in the glymphatic system.

◐Partially SupportedStimulating specific patterns on the abdomen, feet, and hands can release immune cells and combat infection via adrenaline.

◐Partially SupportedHeat application to an injury is beneficial by improving tissue viscosity and facilitating fluid clearance and perfusion out of the injury area.

◐Partially SupportedLow-intensity stimulation of the hind limbs increases the activity of the vagal pathway, associated with the parasympathetic state.

◐Partially SupportedThe immediate acute inflammation response is beneficial for calling cleanup cells to an injury site.

◐Partially SupportedThe somatosensory system is involved in processing touch and physical feeling through specialized neurons (receptors) in the skin that send signals to the spinal cord and brain.

◐Partially SupportedHigher-level cognitive functions can influence the interpretation of peripheral sensations and contribute to the experience of pain.

◐Partially SupportedBlood from umbilical cords can improve tissue and wound healing in older animals.

◐Partially SupportedResearch is investigating factors in the young brain that allow for better recovery from injury compared to the older brain, and factors in the older brain that limit recovery.

◐Partially SupportedLow-level Zone 2 cardio performed three times per week may be beneficial for recovery.

◐Partially SupportedInflammation is not universally bad, but unchecked inflammation is problematic for repair and can exacerbate certain forms of dementia.

◐Partially SupportedTo recover motor function after injury, overwork the affected side and restrict the healthy side.

◐Partially SupportedAreas of the body with denser receptors are more sensitive to pain and have more blood vessels, glia, and inflammatory cells.

◐Partially SupportedSlight imbalances between the two sides of the body can be amplified, especially when one side is injured or its corresponding brain area is damaged.

◐Partially SupportedLarge areas of the body with low sensitivity that are injured are likely to experience less pain and heal more slowly.

◐Partially SupportedOver-reliance on an uninjured limb after unilateral injury can lead to asymmetry in the injured limb's pathways.

◐Partially SupportedA 10-minute walk per day is recommended for tissue rehabilitation, provided it does not exacerbate the injury.

◐Partially SupportedNorepinephrine and adrenaline binding to specific receptors can shut down pain pathways.

◐Partially SupportedDeliberately performing simple tasks with the non-dominant hand can induce neuroplasticity.

✕Not SupportedIt has not been demonstrated whether platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections provide benefits beyond the volume of fluid injected into a tissue.

◐Partially SupportedStimulating specific maps of the body surface communicates with the autonomic nervous system to release norepinephrine and dopamine, increasing alertness, blunting pain, and reducing inflammation.

◐Partially SupportedPeer-reviewed studies support acupuncture for gastrointestinal issues.

◐Partially SupportedRomantic connection can robustly modulate the pain response.

◐Partially SupportedAnticipating an injection of morphine can reduce the perception of pain.

✕Not SupportedCooling neurons in the laboratory silences them, but upon rewarming, they exhibit hyperactivity and rebound with greater pain intensity, suggesting cooling may be detrimental for pain management.

✕Not SupportedInjecting stem cells carries a risk of uncontrolled proliferation into tumor cells.

◐Partially SupportedResearch into the mechanisms of practices like acupuncture can help understand how these practices benefit people experiencing pain or alter the brain-body relationship.

◐Partially SupportedRed light therapy may be beneficial for wounds on parts of the body that cannot be exposed to sunlight.

◐Partially SupportedCooling a nerve pathway or neurons causes them to become inactive, and upon rewarming, they become hyperactive.

◐Partially SupportedProprioception, the knowledge of limb position in space, is a critical component of the somatosensory system.

◐Partially SupportedA long-term, loving, and obsessive relationship provides a mechanism for blunting pain.

◐Partially SupportedEmotional pain and physical pain are closely intertwined and neurally blurry.

◐Partially SupportedGenetic variation in sodium channel 1.7 receptor expression may contribute to differences in individual pain sensitivity.

◐Partially SupportedHardhat helmets offer limited protection against blunt force trauma, falls, and similar injuries.

◐Partially SupportedAcupuncture can provide relief for referred pain.

◐Partially SupportedYamanaka factors can be used to reprogram skin cells into induced pluripotent stem cells.

◐Partially SupportedStem cell therapy requires more research for safe administration.

◐Partially SupportedKelly Starrett has collaborated on protocols for managing injury and promoting fast healing.

✕Not SupportedIce application to an injury may have negative effects such as blood and lymphatic fluid sludging and clotting, impeding debris removal and inflammation resolution.

✕Not SupportedNSAIDs and acetaminophen may not be ideal for initial wound healing.

◐Partially SupportedBrushing teeth with the opposite hand is likely not the most effective way to leverage neuroplasticity for broader adaptive behaviors.

◐Partially SupportedYamanaka factors can convert a skin cell into a neuron, but this is not currently an approved therapy.

◐Partially SupportedMaintaining an active glymphatic system is beneficial for brain longevity.