Skip to content
Huberman LabHuberman Lab

How to Enhance Your Immune System | Dr. Roger Seheult

My guest is Dr. Roger Seheult, M.D., a board-certified physician in internal medicine, pulmonary diseases, critical care, and sleep medicine at Loma Linda University. We discuss the powerful benefits of light therapy, including infrared light, red light, and sunlight, for improving mitochondrial function in all the body’s organs. We also explore ways to reduce the risk of influenza, colds, and other illnesses that affect the lungs, sinuses, and gut. Topics include the flu shot, whether handwashing truly prevents illness transmission, and treatments for mold toxicity. We review the efficacy of N-acetylcysteine (NAC), the power of hydrotherapy for combating infections, and strategies for improving sleep and overall health. Additionally, we discuss air quality. This episode provides actionable, science-based tools for preventing and treating infectious illnesses. Read the full episode show notes: https://go.hubermanlab.com/3B2olpP *Thank you to our sponsors* AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman Joovv: https://joovv.com/huberman Eight Sleep: https://eightsleep.com/huberman LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman Function: https://functionhealth.com/huberman Our Place: https://fromourplace.com/huberman *Follow Huberman Lab* Instagram: https://go.hubermanlab.com/instagram Threads: https://go.hubermanlab.com/threads X: https://go.hubermanlab.com/x Facebook: https://go.hubermanlab.com/facebook TikTok: https://go.hubermanlab.com/tiktok LinkedIn: https://go.hubermanlab.com/linkedin Website: https://www.hubermanlab.com Newsletter: https://go.hubermanlab.com/newsletter *Dr. Roger Seheult* Med Cram: https://www.medcram.com Academic profile: https://llu.edu/academics/faculty/seheult-roger/education YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Medcram X: https://x.com/rogerseheult Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/medcram Threads: https://www.threads.net/@medcram Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MedCram LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roger-seheult-514147b8 *Timestamps* 00:00:00 Dr. Roger Seheult 00:02:16 Avoiding Sickness, Immune System, Tool: Pillars of Health, NEWSTART 00:08:03 Sponsors: Joovv & Eight Sleep 00:10:46 Sunlight, Mitochondria, Tool: Infrared Light & Melatonin 00:19:09 Melatonin Antioxidant, Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS)/Free Radicals 00:26:38 Infrared Light, Green Spaces, Health & Mortality 00:31:35 Infrared Light, Mitochondrial Dysfunction, Disease 00:38:46 Sunlight & Cancer Risk?, Tools: UV Light, Clothing & Sunlight Exposure 00:41:01 Sponsors: AG1 & LMNT 00:43:32 Sunlight, Incidence of Influenza 00:48:41 Tools: Sunlight Exposure Duration, Winter Months 00:55:18 Infrared Lamps?, Winter Sunlight Exposure; Obesity & Metabolic Dysfunction 00:59:48 Cloudy Days; Sunlight, Primitive Therapy, Hospitals 01:11:33 Sponsor: Function 01:13:21 Artificial Lights, Hospitals & Light Therapy?, ICU Psychosis 01:22:16 Sleep & Darkness, Tools: Eye Mask, Bathroom Navigation; Meals & Light 01:28:27 Influenza, Flu Shots, Swiss Cheese Model; Flu Shot Risks? 01:38:13 Masks?, Flu; Handwashing 01:42:16 Sponsor: Our Place 01:43:57 Water, Sodium; Innate Immune System, Fever & Hydrotherapy 01:53:46 Fever, Heat Hydrotherapy, Interferon & Immune System 01:58:25 Cold Hydrotherapy, Vasoconstriction & White Blood Cells 02:09:56 N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC), Glutathione, White Clots, Flu 02:19:28 Tool: NAC Dose & Regimen; Mucous, Flu Symptoms 02:25:25 Zinc Supplementation, Copper; Exogenous Interferon 02:28:40 Eucalyptus Oil, Inhalation 02:32:22 Air, Smoking, Vaping, Nicotine Gum 02:36:49 Fresh Air, Forest Bathing, Tool: Go Outdoors 02:40:09 Nature vs Inside Environments, Dark Days/Bright Nights Problem 02:52:38 Mitochondrial Dysfunction, Intermittent Fasting, Sunlight 03:00:43 Smell Loss Recovery 03:05:04 Mold Toxicity, Lungs, Germ vs Terrain Theory, Immunocompromised 03:11:46 Trust, Spirituality, Community, Faith; Forgiveness 03:19:46 Hospital Admission, Tool: Asking Questions 03:25:42 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow & Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter #HubermanLab #Science #Health #ImmuneSystem Disclaimer & Disclosures: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer

Andrew HubermanhostDr. Roger Seheultguest
Feb 24, 20253h 28mWatch on YouTube ↗

CHAPTERS

  1. 0:00 – 28:20

    Introduction, Dr. Seheult’s Background, and NEW START Framework

    Huberman introduces Dr. Roger Seheult, a pulmonologist, critical care and sleep medicine physician, and founder of MedCram. They set the stage: how to avoid and recover from colds, flus, COVID, and other infections. Seheult presents the NEW START mnemonic as the core pillars of immune and overall health.

  2. 28:20 – 51:40

    Sunlight Beyond Circadian Rhythms: Infrared, Melatonin, and Mitochondria

    They move from circadian-focused morning sunlight to less-known effects of red and infrared light penetrating the body. Seheult explains how infrared light reaches deep tissues, how mitochondria generate huge amounts of local melatonin, and why this matters for oxidative stress, aging, and chronic diseases.

  3. 51:40 – 1:18:20

    Evidence for Sunlight’s Systemic Benefits: Green Spaces, Mortality, and Metabolism

    Seheult highlights epidemiologic and interventional data connecting sunlight and green environments to lower inflammation, better metabolic markers, and reduced mortality. They discuss tree-planting natural experiments and glaucoma/vision research showing red-light benefits.

  4. 1:18:20 – 1:43:20

    Seasonality of Flu and COVID: Latitude, Light, and Hospital Design

    The conversation turns to why flu and COVID surge in winter and how sunlight explains patterns better than temperature or humidity. They revisit historic sun-based hospital design and reflect on how modern indoor life suppresses these benefits.

  5. 1:43:20 – 3:00:00

    Practical Light Protocols: Winter Exposure, Artificial Red Light, and Dark Nights

    Huberman presses for concrete sunlight prescriptions and strategies for those in cloudy, high-latitude regions. They also address indoor lighting, artificial red/IR devices, and the critical role of darkness and melatonin preservation for metabolic health.

  6. 3:00:00 – 3:41:40

    Flu Risk, Vaccination, and Masking: Nuanced Risk–Benefit Discussion

    Huberman and Seheult tackle flu severity, the flu shot, and masks. Seheult explains why he vaccinates given his ICU exposure, outlines known risks and benefits, and frames vaccination as one more ‘slice of Swiss cheese’ rather than a magic shield.

  7. 3:41:40 – 4:00:00

    NAC, Zinc, Eucalyptus, and Supportive Therapies for Colds and Flu

    They catalog pharmacologic and natural tools to reduce symptom severity and support recovery from respiratory infections. NAC stands out with strong data; zinc, eucalyptus/steam, and forest volatiles get mechanistic and practical context.

  8. 4:00:00 – 4:48:20

    Heat, Fever, Hydrotherapy, and Cold: Turning Temperature into Therapy

    They dive deep into how body heating and brief cooling affect interferon, white blood cells, and overall antiviral defense. Historical data from 1918 influenza sanitariums and Nobel-winning fever therapy contextualize modern sauna and hot–cold practices.

  9. 4:48:20 – 5:22:30

    Long COVID, ACE2, Clotting, and Mitochondrial Repair Strategies

    Seheult explains long COVID’s diverse presentations and recurring theme: persistent mitochondrial and redox dysfunction. They connect ACE2’s true role in redox balance, the clotting findings in COVID, and interventions like time-restricted eating and light to support recovery.

  10. 5:22:30 – 5:39:10

    Mold, Terrain vs. Germ Theory, and Pulmonary Nuances

    They tackle mold toxicity, clarifying when mold is a real pulmonary threat versus a co-factor that exploits weakened host defenses. Seheult uses Aspergillus as a model and revisits the false dichotomy between ‘terrain’ and ‘germ’ theory.

  11. 5:39:10 – 5:57:10

    Trust, Forgiveness, Spirituality, and Their Measurable Health Impacts

    They close the NEW START loop by exploring ‘Trust’—faith, community, and psychological factors—and how these measurably influence anxiety, somatic symptoms, and even end-of-life peace. Seheult shares research on forgiveness and his ICU experience addressing spiritual distress.

  12. 5:57:10

    How to Navigate Hospitals and Advocate for Better Care

    Responding to a direct question, Seheult explains what non-donor, non-VIP patients can do to get better inpatient care. The key lever is informed, respectful advocacy, not status, plus an understanding that some constraints are truly not negotiable.

Get more out of YouTube videos.

High quality summaries for YouTube videos. Accurate transcripts to search & find moments. Powered by ChatGPT & Claude AI.

Add to Chrome