All protocols

Use with caution around prolonged close gonadal exposure; host discusses emerging evidence that proximity of a cell phone to the gonads may affect gonadal development, hormone profiles, and reproductive parameters.

Avoid keeping a cell phone on and in your pocket because of emerging evidence that close proximity to gonads may affect hormone profiles and gonadal health.

Hair-loss drugs that inhibit 5-alpha reductase may reduce DHT and can carry severe side effects in many individuals, including effects related to libido, strength, connective tissue repair, and aggression/ambition.

If doing the finger-ratio experiment, measure from the base crease of the finger to the tip, excluding fingernails; compare index finger (D2) to ring finger (D4).

Log whether you feel high energy/unpleasant, high energy/pleasant, low energy/unpleasant, or low energy/pleasant, then choose the closest emotion word and note what you're doing.

Conceptualize emotions using three continua: alertness/calmness, good/bad valence, and inward/outward attentional focus. This includes assessing your level of autonomic arousal, emotional valence, and how much attention is focused internally versus externally, rather than relying only on labels like happy or sad.

Match school timing to adolescent circadian shifts and increased sleep need.

Insist on sleep interventions for youth at increased risk for mental health problems.

Take two or three deep breaths before eating to help calm pre-meal stress and support digestion.

Chew food more thoroughly to improve digestion.

Avoid drinking as many fluids while eating to support digestion.

Use carbohydrate-rich foods to increase serotonin.

Shift diet and/or supplementation so omega-3 intake is higher relative to omega-6; described as having profound effects on mood and depression and improving heart rate variability.

Algal oil can be used as an alternative omega-3 source for people avoiding fish oil. Some people tolerate and like it, though it may cause skin itchiness in some individuals.

For people who eat meat, choose meats from animals that grazed on grasses containing a lot of omega-3s, since the source of the meat matters for omega-3 content.

Select fish oil brands that emphasize good sourcing and decontamination to reduce concerns about mercury and other contaminants.

Chew one gel tablet to check whether fish oil is rancid; if it tastes very fishy and rancid, spit it out.

Use beef as a particularly rich dietary source of L-carnitine.

Do not take very large amounts of probiotics, especially lactobacillus-heavy products, because excessive intake may cause brain fog and inability to focus.

Avoid saccharin because it was described as disrupting the gut microbiome in detrimental ways, increasing inflammatory cytokines and favoring less beneficial bacteria.

Do not take Adderall recreationally for learning or focus.

Ensure adequate nourishment to support performance.

Pre-exercise eating is optional based on preference, and should not be avoided due to temperature concerns because the thermogenic effect of eating is minor. Examples given include having food in the stomach or eating a couple of hours before training.

Do not allow body temperature to get too high; overheating is dangerous for tissue health and performance.

Do not become hypothermic; excessive cold can also be dangerous.

If doing cold water swimming, do it with somebody else who is skilled at it; not alone.

Cool the face during endurance work, between rounds or halftime, during training, or after training to dump heat and improve recovery. Methods mentioned include splashing cold water on the face, holding a damp cool cloth on the face, or briefly applying an ice pack or cool face mask without leaving it on long enough to trigger vasoconstriction.

Suggested as a practical, if awkward, way to warm the face outdoors; warming the face is described as more effective than covering and warming other body parts.

Mentioned as a recovery method many people use, but described here as requiring expensive equipment and not endorsed as the optimal recovery approach in this context.

After exercise, lower body temperature back to resting baseline as soon as possible to support faster recovery of muscles and tendons. Use safe cooling methods such as cooling the face, palms, or feet rather than whole-body cold immersion.