The Tim Ferriss Show Podcast By Tim Ferriss: Bestselling Author Human Guinea Pig cover art

The Tim Ferriss Show

The Tim Ferriss Show

By: Tim Ferriss: Bestselling Author Human Guinea Pig
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Tim Ferriss is a self-experimenter and bestselling author, best known for The 4-Hour Workweek, which has been translated into 40+ languages. Newsweek calls him "the world's best human guinea pig," and The New York Times calls him "a cross between Jack Welch and a Buddhist monk." In this show, he deconstructs world-class performers from eclectic areas (investing, chess, pro sports, etc.), digging deep to find the tools, tactics, and tricks that listeners can use.© 2014–2021 Tim Ferriss Economics Leadership Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • #824: Dr. Kevin Tracey — Stimulating The Vagus Nerve to Tame Inflammation, Alleviate Depression, Treat Autoimmune Disorders (e.g., Rheumatoid Arthritis), and Much More

    #824: Dr. Kevin Tracey — Stimulating The Vagus Nerve to Tame Inflammation, Alleviate Depression, Treat Autoimmune Disorders (e.g., Rheumatoid Arthritis), and Much More
    Aug 26 2025
    Kevin J. Tracey, MD is president and CEO of the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research at Northwell Health, a pioneer of vagus nerve research and author of the recent book, The Great Nerve: The New Science of the Vagus Nerve and How to Harness Its Healing Reflexes. This episode is brought to you by:Eight Sleep Pod Cover 5 sleeping solution for dynamic cooling and heating: EightSleep.com/Tim (use code TIM to get $350 off your very own Pod 5 Ultra.)AG1 all-in-one nutritional supplement: https://DrinkAG1.com/Tim (1-year supply of Vitamin D plus 5 free AG1 travel packs with your first subscription purchase.)Wealthfront high-yield cash account: https://Wealthfront.com/Tim (Start earning 4.00% APY on your short-term cash until you’re ready to invest. And when new clients open an account today, you can get an extra fifty-dollar bonus with a deposit of five hundred dollars or more.) Terms apply. Tim Ferriss receives cash compensation from Wealthfront Brokerage, LLC for advertising and holds a non-controlling equity interest in the corporate parent of Wealthfront Brokerage. See full disclosures here.Timestamps:00:00 Tim’s intro: why he dismissed vagus-nerve hype06:34 What the vagus nerve actually is, plus common myths11:31 Breaking news: FDA approval for SetPoint’s RA implant + Kelly Owens’s turnaround21:11 Inflammation 101: when healing turns harmful31:37 Bioelectronic medicine: from lab insight to real devices55:26 TNF, IL-1, and IL-6: immune drivers and what VNS modulates56:06 Exercise & recovery: vagal signals, IL-6, and adaptation56:30 Cold exposure & breathwork: sympathetic spike, parasympathetic payoff59:04 Chronic inflammation today: prevalence, diagnostics, and uncertainty59:53 Autoimmunity: genes, environment, infections01:01:08 Stress hormones, personality traits, and metabolic fallout01:05:41 VNS tech landscape: implants, focused ultrasound, and what’s just TENS01:11:14 Ear maps, revisited: the real science behind auricular stimulation01:27:52 Ulf Andersson: auricular TENS, famotidine, and a depression turnaround01:36:48 Depression & inflammation: where VNS helps (and where it doesn’t)01:41:38 Body-brain loop: how inflammation signals ride the vagus nerve01:42:56 Why VNS can lift mood: a working theory01:43:22 Ulf’s setup: electrode placement and twice-daily routine01:44:37 Acupuncture, fertility, and plausible vagal links01:47:23 Chronic pain through an inflammation lens01:48:34 Neural “engrams”: how the brain can store inflammatory memories02:02:35 Cervical TENS vs. true VNS: mechanisms and open questions02:12:15 On stage with the Dalai Lama: blue energy and two vagus nerves02:16:55 Closing thoughts: self-care vs. medical devices, and what’s next*For show notes and past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast.For deals from sponsors of The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast-sponsorsSign up for Tim’s email newsletter (5-Bullet Friday) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissYouTube: youtube.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timferrissPast guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, Margaret Atwood, Mark Zuckerberg, Peter Thiel, Dr. Gabor Maté, Anne Lamott, Sarah Silverman, Dr. Andrew Huberman, and many more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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    2 hrs and 23 mins
  • #823: Dr. Jeffrey Goldberg — Creating Supranormal Vision, Cutting-Edge Science for Eye Health, Supplements, Red Light Therapy, and The Future of Eyesight Restoration

    #823: Dr. Jeffrey Goldberg — Creating Supranormal Vision, Cutting-Edge Science for Eye Health, Supplements, Red Light Therapy, and The Future of Eyesight Restoration
    Aug 20 2025
    Dr. Jeffrey Goldberg is Professor and Chair of Ophthalmology and Director of the Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University, a leading scientist in the development and degeneration of the visual system from eye to brain, and a practicing ophthalmologist and surgeon.This episode is brought to you by: Gamma AI design partner for effortless presentations, websites, social media posts, and more: https://gamma.app (use code TIM at checkout for one month off on their annual plan)Helix Sleep premium mattresses: https://HelixSleep.com/Tim (27% off on all mattress orders)AG1 all-in-one nutritional supplement: https://DrinkAG1.com/Tim (1-year supply of Vitamin D plus 5 free AG1 travel packs with your first subscription purchase.)Timestamps:[00:00:00] Start.[00:05:30] How do you solve a problem like presbyopia?[00:08:34] The athletic benefits of training supranormal (better than 20/20) vision.[00:11:49] Indigenous eye drops and FDA-approved pilocarpine for presbyopia.[00:14:05] Understanding basic eye anatomy.[00:17:27] Exploring AREDS 2, CoQ10, ginkgo, vitamin B3, and other supplements for vision.[00:23:00] Visual training devices and psychedelic-prompted brain plasticity.[00:25:12] Thoughts on visual training effectiveness and motor action requirements.[00:28:29] Concussion rehabilitation and visual perception exercises.[00:32:36] Red light and violet light therapy for myopia and mitochondrial health.[00:36:07] Vision loss correlation with cognitive decline and depression.[00:39:36] Presbyopia progression and psychological dependence on readers.[00:41:15] Cognito Therapeutics headset for Alzheimer's treatment.[00:46:46] Glaucoma basics: neurodegenerative disease and risk factors.[00:48:53] Eye pressure variability and diurnal cycles.[00:50:02] Cannabis effects on eye pressure and compound isolation.[00:51:47] Stem cell research for vision restoration.[00:53:09] Anti-inflammatory effects and immune system role in eye diseases.[00:55:15] Gut microbiome connection to glaucoma in animal models.[00:58:43] Metabolic syndrome and GLP-1 receptor agonists.[01:00:50] Microbiome sharing and future therapeutic possibilities.[01:03:31] Dry eye treatment: preservative-free tears and serum drops.[01:08:43] Vision screening recommendations and UV protection.[01:11:22] Full-spectrum light benefits vs. UV exposure.[01:13:27] Paradigm shifts: irreversible vision loss becoming reversible.[01:17:18] Convergence of neuroscience advances and biotech investment.[01:21:58] Miraculous mitochondria: health, transplants, and three-parent babies.[01:26:24] My family history concerns and metabolic health screening.[01:29:26] Exercise's biggest gain: going from none to some.[01:33:03] Clinical trial participation resources and parting thoughts.*For show notes and past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast.For deals from sponsors of The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast-sponsorsSign up for Tim’s email newsletter (5-Bullet Friday) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissYouTube: youtube.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timferrissPast guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, Margaret Atwood, Mark Zuckerberg, Peter Thiel, Dr. Gabor Maté, Anne Lamott, Sarah Silverman, Dr. Andrew Huberman, and many more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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    1 hr and 45 mins
  • #822: The Random Show — Ketones for Cognition, Tim’s Best Lab Results in 10+ Years, How Kevin Hit 100 Days Sober, Home Defense, Vibe Coding Unleashed, and More

    #822: The Random Show — Ketones for Cognition, Tim’s Best Lab Results in 10+ Years, How Kevin Hit 100 Days Sober, Home Defense, Vibe Coding Unleashed, and More
    Aug 13 2025

    Welcome to another wide-ranging "Random Show" episode that I recorded with my close friend Kevin Rose (digg.com)! We cover Kevin's sobriety journey and marking 100 days without alcohol, my results with the ketogenic diet and intermittent fasting, GLP-1 agonists, home security, the future of Venture Capital, AI, authenticating yourself online in a world of deepfakes and anonymity, the cultural shift toward human-to-human connection, Roblox, and more. Enjoy!

    This episode is brought to you by:

    Momentous high-quality creatine for cognitive and muscular support: https://livemomentous.com/Tim (Code TIM for up to 35% off.)

    David Protein Bars with 28g of protein, 150 calories, and 0g of sugar: https://davidprotein.com/Tim (Buy 4 cartons, get the 5th free.)

    AG1 all-in-one nutritional supplement: https://DrinkAG1.com/Tim (1-year supply of Vitamin D plus 5 free AG1 travel packs with your first subscription purchase.)

    Timestamps:

    [00:00:00] Start.

    [00:06:54] Kevin celebrates 100 days sober! Why and how?

    [00:15:16] Nanoblocks: Kevin's new Japanese micro-building hobby.

    [00:18:16] The Slow TV movement and Craig Mod's ambient recordings.

    [00:20:58] Craving analog experiences and wilderness trekking.

    [00:22:24] Writing with background movies.

    [00:23:42] High hopes for The Naked Gun reboot.

    [00:24:35] Kevin's improved communication since quitting alcohol.

    [00:26:28] My health interventions for cognitive protection.

    [00:29:00] How ketogenic diet and 16/8 intermittent fasting led to my best lab results in 10+ years.

    [00:33:35] Weight control regimens we don't recommend.

    [00:39:51] Exogenous ketones: Qitone vs. premium options.

    [00:50:32] How glucose tolerance tests work.

    [00:51:58] Microdosing GLP-1 (tirzepatide) for glucose control.

    [00:54:12] DORA sleep medications and neuroprotective effects.

    [00:56:55] Belsomra trial and cost considerations.

    [00:57:52] Sauna temperature optimization based on Rhonda Patrick's research.

    [01:00:28] There are no biological free lunches.

    [01:03:27] The time Kevin found a homeless person in his closet.

    [01:06:11] Modern home security and privacy measures.

    [01:19:42] Pondering how we survived childhood.

    [01:24:23] AI-driven venture capital landscape changes.

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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    2 hrs and 8 mins
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