Dr. Konstantina Stankovic on Huberman Lab: Why Noise Hurts

Ringing after concerts signals real damage. Hearing loss raises dementia risk; ear plugs and magnesium supplementation are two well-supported preventive tools.

Dr. Konstantina StankovicguestAndrew Hubermanhost

Oct 13, 20252h 27mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: October 13, 2025
Duration: 2h 27m
Channel: Huberman Lab
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

My guest is Konstantina Stankovic, MD, PhD, Professor and Chair of Otolaryngology at Stanford School of Medicine. She explains how hearing works and why hearing loss—affecting over 1.5 billion people—impacts people of all ages. We discuss how hearing loss impairs focus and increases the risk of cognitive decline, as well as the role of menopause and other biological milestones in hearing health. We share science-backed protocols to protect your hearing and highlight risks to avoid. And we discuss tinnitus—its causes and treatment options. Episode show notes: https://go.hubermanlab.com/jT1A1kk *Thank you to our sponsors* AGZ by AG1: ⁠https://drinkagz.com/huberman Wealthfront*: ⁠https://wealthfront.com/huberman Our Place: ⁠https://fromourplace.com/huberman David: ⁠https://davidprotein.com/huberman Joovv: ⁠https://joovv.com/huberman LMNT: ⁠https://drinklmnt.com/huberman _*This experience may not be representative of the experience of other clients of Wealthfront, and there is no guarantee that all clients will have similar experiences. Cash Account is offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC. The Annual Percentage Yield (“APY”) on cash deposits as of September 26, 2025, is representative, subject to change, and requires no minimum. Funds in the Cash Account are swept to partner banks where they earn the variable‭ APY. Promo terms and FDIC coverage conditions apply. Same-day withdrawal or instant payment transfers may be limited by destination institutions, daily transaction caps, and by participating entities such as Wells Fargo, the RTP® Network, and FedNow® Service. New Cash Account deposits are subject to a 2-4 day holding period before becoming available for transfer. Investment advisory services are provided by Wealthfront Advisers LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. Securities investments are not bank deposits, bank-guaranteed or FDIC-insured, and may lose value._ *Follow Huberman Lab* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hubermanlab Threads: https://www.threads.net/@hubermanlab X: https://twitter.com/hubermanlab Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hubermanlab TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hubermanlab LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-huberman Website: https://www.hubermanlab.com *Dr. Konstantina Stankovic* Stanford academic profile: https://profiles.stanford.edu/konstantina-stankovic Stanford Health Care medical profile: https://stanfordhealthcare.org/doctors/s/konstantina-stankovic.html Research lab: https://med.stanford.edu/stankovic-lab.html Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=0_-hMy8AAAAJ Stanford Head & Neck Surgery Department: https://med.stanford.edu/ohns.html LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/konstantina-stankovic-3a58891b3 *Timestamps* 00:00:00 Konstantina Stankovic 00:03:27 Hearing Loss, How Hearing Works, Types of Hearing Loss 00:10:58 Sound Waves, High vs Low Frequency, Communication, Importance of Hearing 00:15:26 Sponsors: Wealthfront & Our Place 00:18:40 Sound Projection, Intensity, Speech; Moving Ears; Larger Ears 00:22:59 Sounds & Emotionality; Tinnitus 00:26:43 Painful Sounds, Hyperacusis, Phonophobia; Memory, Auditory Hallucinations 00:32:19 Concerts & Ringing in Ears, Hidden Hearing Loss; Tool: Safe Sound Threshold 00:39:15 Concerts & Protecting Hearing, Tools: Ear Plugs, Magnesium Threonate 00:43:44 Magnesium Food Sources & Supplements; Migraines & Tinnitus 00:47:30 Tinnitus; Hearing Loss, Genetic & Environmental Factors 00:53:19 Sponsors: AGZ by AG1 & David 00:56:04 Individualization; Tinnitus Examination & Treatment, Supplementation? 01:04:36 Headphones, Tough vs Tender Ears, Children, Tool: Safe Sound Levels 01:09:41 Compounded Damage, Concerts & Hearing Loss, Tool: Ear Plugs 01:12:59 Transitioning Environments, Hyperacusis; In-Utero Hearing 01:15:56 Dogs & Sea Animals, Sound Pollution 01:19:54 Hearing Loss, Dementia & Cognitive Decline; Tool: Slow Speech & Face Listener 01:26:26 Sponsor: Joovv 01:27:38 Lip Reading; AI-Enhanced Hearing Aids 01:30:12 Sleep, Tool: Earplugs; Hearing Yourself Speak, Superior Semicircular Canal Dehiscence 01:36:54 Hearing & Balance, Vibrations; Sound Therapy 01:42:05 Music, Dance, Hearing & Frequency Map; Cochlear Implants 01:48:20 Sponsor: LMNT 01:49:52 Hearing & Social-Cognitive Development, Mental Health; Cochlear Implants 01:56:07 Men vs Women, Estrogen; Hearing Loss, Environment, NSAIDs 02:01:52 Environmental Toxins, Heavy Metals, Plastics; Tool: Heating Plastic 02:06:39 Tool: Avoid Regular NSAIDs Use; Birds & Hair Cell Regeneration; Cancer 02:12:05 Head & Neck, Lymphatic System & Surgery 02:14:44 Adult Auditory Plasticity, Music & Language 02:17:37 Splitting of Senses, Podcasts, AI & Human Progress 02:22:20 Prevent Hearing Loss & Recap 02:25:09 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow, Reviews & Feedback, Sponsors, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter Disclaimer & Disclosures: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer

SPEAKERS

Dr. Konstantina Stankovic
guest
Andrew Huberman
host
Narrator
other

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Huberman Lab, featuring Dr. Konstantina Stankovic and Andrew Huberman, Dr. Konstantina Stankovic on Huberman Lab: Why Noise Hurts explores protect Hearing, Protect Brain: Science-Backed Strategies To Prevent Dementia Dr. Andrew Huberman interviews otologist–neuroscientist Dr. Konstantina Stankovic about how hearing works, why it’s so fragile, and how hearing loss powerfully impacts brain health and dementia risk.

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