Dr. Zachary Knight: The Science of Hunger & Medications to Combat Obesity
In this episode, my guest is Dr. Zachary Knight, Ph.D., a professor of physiology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) investigator. We discuss how the brain controls our sense of hunger, satiety, and thirst. He explains how dopamine levels impact our cravings and eating behavior (amount, food choices, etc) and how we develop and can change our food preferences and adjust how much we need to eat to feel satisfied.We discuss factors that have led to the recent rise in obesity, such as interactions between our genes and the environment and the role of processed foods and food combinations. We also discuss the new class of medications developed for the treatment of obesity and diabetes, including the GLP-1 agonists semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro). We discuss how these medications work to promote weight loss, the source of their side effects, and the newer compounds soon to overcome some of those side effects, such as muscle loss.Dr. Knight provides an exceptionally clear explanation for our sense of hunger, thirst, and food cravings that translates to practical knowledge to help listeners better understand their relationship to food, food choices, and meal size to improve their diet and overall health.For show notes, including referenced articles and additional resources, please visit hubermanlab.com.Thank you to our sponsorsAG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman BetterHelp: https://betterhelp.com/hubermanEight Sleep: https://eightsleep.com/hubermanWaking Up: https://wakingup.com/hubermanLMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanTimestamps00:00:00 Dr. Zachary Knight00:02:38 Sponsors: BetterHelp, Helix Sleep & Waking Up00:07:07 Hunger & Timescales00:11:28 Body Fat, Leptin, Hunger00:17:51 Leptin Resistance & Obesity00:20:52 Hunger, Food Foraging & Feeding Behaviors, AgRP Neurons00:30:26 Sponsor: AG100:32:15 Body Weight & Obesity, Genes & POMC Neurons00:39:54 Obesity, Genetics & Environmental Factors00:46:05 Whole Foods, Ultra-Processed Foods & Palatability00:49:32 Increasing Whole Food Consumption, Sensory Specific Satiety & Learning00:58:55 Calories vs. Macronutrients, Protein & Salt01:02:23 Sponsor: LMNT01:03:58 Challenges of Weight Loss: Hunger & Energy Expenditure01:09:50 GLP-1 Drug Development, Semaglutide, Ozempic, Wegovy01:19:03 GLP-1 Drugs: Muscle Loss, Appetite Reduction, Nausea01:23:24 Pharmacologic & Physiologic Effects; GLP-1 Drugs, Additional Positive Effects01:30:14 GLP-1-Plus Development, Tirzepatide, Mounjaro, AMG 13301:34:49 Alpha-MSH & Pharmacology01:40:41 Dopamine, Eating & Context01:46:01 Dopamine & Learning, Water Content & Food01:53:23 Salt, Water & Thirst02:03:27 Hunger vs. Thirst02:05:46 Dieting, Nutrition & Mindset02:09:39 Tools: Improving Diet & Limiting Food Intake02:14:15 Anti-Obesity Drug Development02:17:03 Zero-Cost Support, Spotify & Apple Follow & Reviews, YouTube Feedback, Social Media, Neural Network NewsletterDisclaimer
Huberman Lab
The Huberman Lab podcast is hosted by Andrew Huberman, Ph.D., a neuroscientist and tenured professor in the department of neurobiology, and by courtesy, psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford School of Medicine. The podcast discusses neuroscience and science-based tools, including how our brain and its connections with the organs of our body control our perceptions, our behaviors, and our health, as well as existing and emerging tools for measuring and changing how our nervous system works.
Huberman has made numerous significant contributions to the fields of brain development, brain function, and neural plasticity, which is the ability of our nervous system to rewire and learn new behaviors, skills, and cognitive functioning. He is a McKnight Foundation and Pew Foundation Fellow and was awarded the Cogan Award, given to the scientist making the most significant discoveries in the study of vision, in 2017.
Work from the Huberman Laboratory at Stanford School of Medicine has been published in top journals, including Nature, Science, and Cell, and has been featured in TIME, BBC, Scientific American, Discover, and other top media outlets.
In 2021, Dr. Huberman launched the Huberman Lab podcast. The podcast is frequently ranked in the top 10 of all podcasts globally and is often ranked #1 in the categories of Science, Education, and Health & Fitness.
- No. of episodes: 299
- Latest episode: 2025-05-08
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