Joe Rogan Experience #2450 - Tommy Wood

In this podcast episode, Joe Rogan sits down with Dr. Tommy Wood to discuss brain health, cognitive longevity, and performance optimization. They explore the science behind dementia and cognitive decline, the genetic and lifestyle factors involved, and practical strategies to futureproof the brain. The conversation also touches on ADHD, the role of physical activity in mental health, elite athlete performance—especially in Formula 1 racing—and the mental and psychological aspects required for sustained high-level competition. Throughout, Tommy sheds light on the intersection of neuroscience, lifestyle, and cutting-edge recovery and performance techniques.

Understanding Dementia and Cognitive Decline

Tommy Wood opens by framing dementia not as a singular disease but as a clinical syndrome characterized by significant loss of cognitive function impacting daily life. He distinguishes between various types, noting Alzheimer's disease as the most common, followed by vascular dementia, with other forms like frontotemporal and Lewy body dementia also contributing. A critical point he makes is that 70 to 90 percent of dementias are closely related to lifestyle and environmental factors, with estimates suggesting that up to 70% of cases could be preventable.

Genetics, however, still play a role, particularly the ApoE4 gene variant, which increases risk but does not make dementia inevitable. Tommy explains the concept of ApoE4 being a "risk multiplier," intensifying the negative effects of poor lifestyle habits like excessive alcohol use, physical inactivity, and low-quality diets. Still, even people with a strong genetic predisposition can offset a substantial portion of their risk through lifestyle changes.

The Brain as a Stimulated Organ

Tommy challenges the common notion of "overstimulation" in today's world by introducing the idea that the brain is both overstimulated and understimulated simultaneously. He clarifies that while we receive a constant influx of information, much of it lacks meaningful challenge. The brain, like muscles or bones, requires specific, targeted stimulus to maintain and improve its function.

He emphasizes that cognitive health depends on active engagement with challenging tasks—whether creative, social, or intellectual—to build "headroom" or cognitive reserve. This reserve allows individuals to maintain functionality through stress, injury, or aging. Failure and learning from mistakes are integral to neuroplasticity, with studies showing that the brain adapts best when confronted with challenges and initial incompetency. The frustration of "sucking" at a new skill is vital for driving brain adaptation.

The Influence of Modern Technology and AI

The discussion tackles the impact of tools like AI and social media on cognitive function. Tommy references studies showing that reliance on AI tools like ChatGPT for straightforward tasks can reduce brain engagement and retention. Instead, he advocates using AI as an "orthotic" to augment, not replace, critical thinking—using the tool after one has engaged their own mental faculties.

Social media's design is criticized as promoting shallow connection and distraction, exploiting our social instincts by presenting socially salient but isolating content. The algorithms aim to maximize attention by strategically distributing content to encourage endless scrolling, which can diminish cognitive engagement and exacerbate feelings of isolation.

Strategies for Futureproofing the Brain

Tommy outlines a holistic approach he calls the "3S model": Stimulus, Supply, and Support. Stimulus involves challenging the brain with new and creative tasks, especially those involving social connection and active problem solving. Supply refers to the physical infrastructure supporting brain function, such as cardiovascular health ensuring adequate blood flow, and proper nutrition with essential nutrients like omega-3s, vitamin D, iron, and B vitamins.

Support includes recovery processes—most importantly, adequate sleep—and managing factors that inhibit neuroplasticity like chronic stress, smoking, excessive alcohol, and air pollution. Tommy stresses the interconnectedness of these elements, explaining that improvement in one area tends to ripple beneficially into others, for example, better sleep improves blood sugar control and reduces inflammation.

Physical Activity and Brain Health

Physical exercise emerges as a cornerstone of brain health throughout the conversation. Tommy drives home that exercise is critical not just for cardiovascular and metabolic health but also for stimulating brain resilience. He cites evidence that exercise improves white matter integrity, vital for information processing and executive functions.

They discuss the misconception that people need to engage in extreme regimens; rather, even modest increases over a sedentary baseline confer cognitive benefits. Physical movement also serves as a fundamental biological necessity baked into human evolution, and its absence creates pro-aging disease states.

ADHD and Physical Activity

The episode explores ADHD through both personal and scientific lenses. Tommy acknowledges the complex nature of ADHD, including how stimulants paradoxically calm many with ADHD rather than overstimulating them. He posits that traits associated with ADHD, such as hyperfocus and restlessness, may have been evolutionary advantages for hunters who needed sustained attention in dynamic environments.

Importantly, physical activity plays a profound role in managing ADHD symptoms. When inactive, individuals with ADHD may experience worsened symptoms, and exercise can serve as a natural modulator of brain function. Current systems, however, often fail to integrate exercise adequately as part of treatment, instead defaulting to pharmaceutical solutions without addressing underlying biological needs.

Behavior Change Challenges and Societal Solutions

Tommy candidly discusses the difficulty of changing health behaviors despite widespread knowledge about what's beneficial. He explains that while many people understand the importance of exercise, diet, and sleep, numerous barriers exist including environmental constraints, lack of resources, and insufficient support.

He suggests comprehensive approaches such as integrating skill-building (e.g., cooking classes), improving access to physical activity through public gyms or community programs, and leveraging technology for tailored online programs that promote autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Tommy advocates for systemic change alongside individual responsibility, noting that sustainable behavior change often requires coaching and social support structures.

The Role of Recovery and Sleep for Elite Athletes

Transitioning to elite performance, Tommy sheds light on his work with Formula 1 drivers through Hinta Performance. Unlike the layperson focused on stimulus, much of their concern is managing recovery amid grueling travel, jet lag, and demanding seasons.

He explains circadian rhythm strategies including timed light exposure, exercise, and meal timing to mitigate jet lag. Exercise immediately upon arrival, for example, signals the body to adjust to new time zones. Sometimes melatonin is used cautiously due to doping regulations. Coaches prioritize maximizing recovery through optimized sleep routines, nutrition, and individualized strategies to maintain peak performance throughout the season.

Nutrition and Supplementation in High-Performance Settings

Tommy discusses the supplementation protocols within strict anti-doping frameworks. He emphasizes reliance on well-established, third-party tested supplements to avoid contamination while focusing on nutritional adequacy and correcting deficiencies.

Substances like caffeine, creatine (noted for cognitive benefit especially during sleep deprivation), and novel caffeine metabolites are common. Use of peptides remains controversial and largely unsupported due to lack of rigorous human trials and regulatory concerns. The focus is on balancing arousal levels carefully to avoid overactivation detrimental to concentration and performance, often balancing stimulant use with breathwork and other calming techniques.

Psychological Skills and Mental Coaching

A significant portion of the conversation centers on sports psychology. Tommy stresses that while natural mental toughness is valuable, sustained success is more often associated with athletes practicing self-compassion, mindfulness, and resilience. These athletes embrace failure as an opportunity to learn rather than a reason to self-criticize destructively.

Mental coaching offers tools for reframing stress as performance-enhancing rather than debilitating, building routines that foster confidence, and managing in-the-moment anxiety through breathwork, visualization, and grounding techniques. High performers visualize mistakes as transient setbacks and maintain focus on their process rather than outcomes beyond their control.

Impact of Social Comparison and Inspiration

Tommy explores the dual-edged nature of social comparison, especially in the age of social media. Elite athletes often find inspiration and motivation in observing peers or predecessors' achievements, which elevates their own performance expectations and standards.

In contrast, for many general users, constant exposure to curated images of wealth, success, and beauty can lead to feelings of inadequacy and stress, contributing to mental health burdens. The podcast underscores the importance of one's mindset when interpreting social information: are you inspired and motivated, or demoralized and overwhelmed?

Learning from Elite Performance and Maintaining Cognitive Function with Age

Tommy highlights studies showing that cognitive decline with age is not inevitable; rather, many people maintain or even improve function through consistent cognitive engagement. He cites longitudinal data revealing that a substantial fraction of adults show stable cognitive abilities well into their 80s.

A key driver of this maintenance is continuing to challenge the brain with new and complex tasks, akin to the continual skill refinement seen in elite athletes. The narrative challenges societal assumptions that aging must bring decline, urging a re-engagement with lifelong learning and physical activity to preserve brain health.

Motivation, Process vs. Outcome, and Inspiration from Sports

The dialogue touches on the mindset of elite competitors who focus on the process rather than micromanaging outcomes. Examples from professional pool and Olympic running illustrate this principle: success comes from controlled arousal, letting go of failure quickly, and committing to routine practice rather than obsessing over winning or losing.

The concept that "you can be the best you've ever been and still not win if someone else is better" reinforces the primacy of internal motivation and continual self-improvement over external validation.

The Challenge of Sustained Commitment

Tommy acknowledges the difficulty many face in maintaining long-term adherence to beneficial habits, comparing the trajectory of professionals who sustain high performance through disciplined attention to all aspects of their life versus those distracted by outside influences.

The conversation stresses the importance of honesty in assessing one's priorities and the recognition that while talent and opportunity matter, long-term success largely hinges on consistent behaviors and supportive environments.

The Scope and Vision of Tommy Wood's Book

Tommy reveals the content and structure of his upcoming book, which blends neuroscience history, practical frameworks, and up-to-date research on brain health, dementia prevention, exercise, nutrition, sleep, stress management, and cognitive training. He stresses an evidence-based approach with extensive referencing to over 2,000 scientific papers.

The book aims to provide actionable, accessible guidance for improving and maintaining brain function in an age of rapid technological change, emphasizing adaptable strategies that remain relevant despite evolving futures.

Availability of the Book and Audio Version

Tommy confirms that alongside the print release scheduled for March 24th, an audio version of the book will be available simultaneously to reach a wider audience and allow people to engage with the material in multiple formats.