The dangers of Andrew Huberman

The neuroscientist's evidence is getting thinner

This is a story about how too much power and attention creates perverse incentives.

Andrew Huberman, Stanford neuroscientist and host of the wildly popular Huberman Lab podcast, has tackled a lot of topics outside of his professional work in ophthalmology. To his credit, he’s invited many domain experts onto his podcast for conversations.

Something happens when he’s flying solo, however.

My skepticism started when Huberman claimed that sunscreen molecules can be found in neurons 10 years after application. I chatted with cosmetic chemist, Dr Michelle Wong, after she pushed back on this statement. Wong said that even testing for such a thing would be impossible given that we’re regularly exposed to soaps, detergents, and other products.

Huberman also stated that he’s “as scared of sunscreen” as he is of melanoma. While the decision to slather up is personal, if you have one of the most popular science podcasts in the world, and skin cancer rates are increasing in a number of countries, you might want to take a little more responsibility for your words.

Sunscreen isn’t an isolated incident. Microbiologist and immunologist, Dr Andrea Love, recently wrote a series on how many things Huberman gets wrong when it comes to cold and flu prevention. A brief synopsis: 

• The #1 prevention mechanism for the flu is vaccination. Huberman says he doesn't get vaccinated for the flu, which, like sunscreen, is going to influence your audience. It’s pretty astonishing that someone championed as a science expert doesn’t use two top health interventions—sunscreens and vaccines—yet regularly waxes poetic about cold plunges and supplements. He also reduced the severity of the flu, which hospitalizes up to five million people and kills up to 650,000 people annually.

• Huberman says the “common cold” as being caused solely by rhinoviruses, but as Love points out, numerous other viruses can be implicated.

• Huberman focuses on cold and flu transmission via the eyes, yet as Love points out, that’s a minor concern compared to respiratory transmission. 

• Huberman calls physical barriers, like the skin and mucous membranes, a “third arm” of the immune system, but those are actually part of our innate immune system. Apparently, as Love points out, Huberman gets a lot wrong about immunity, like claiming that our innate immune system can’t distinguish between the cold or flu virus.

• Huberman also repeatedly states that antibodies are made by stem cells in the bone marrow, to which Love replies that this statement would cause you to fail Immunology 101. 

When pressed about his errors, Huberman doubled down by referencing MDs that he consulted. He doesn’t mention whether or not they were immunologists, however, which kind of strikes at the heart of the problem here.