Thread by @BrandonLuuMD

I’ve worked countless 26-hour shifts. Zero sleep. No room for error.

I joined @InVivoPodOnX to break down the protocols I developed to keep my brain sharp.

Here’s the science behind creatine, nicotine, binaural beats, and circadian alignment 🧵 1/9

Creatine isn't just for the gym. Under stress, it boosts brain energy by regenerating ATP.

21-hour sleep deprivation study: A single high dose (0.35 g/kg) restored several cognitive tests to baseline (or even better)

👉 I take 10g/day regularly /2

Nicotine is mildly cognitively enhancing, improving attention in humans.

In mice, it reverses learning deficits from severe sleep-deprivation up to 48 hours (figure below).

But it's addictive, may raise HR/BP, and human studies are lacking. I use cautiously (gum only) /3

🎧 Binaural beats (different tones in each ear) entrain your brainwaves:
• 20 Hz boosted long-term memory recall by ~30%
• 14 Hz preserved attention under stress (+3.8%), whereas control groups dropped -30% /4

🏃 Aerobic exercise is your strongest defense against fatigue-related cognitive decline.
Stabilizes:
• Mood
• Insulin sensitivity
• Cognitive performance
Even short bouts of movement can protect your brain when sleep falls short.

When sleep deprived, morning bright light is a performance enhancer.

The sun is your best friend. /6

👉 Night owls improve strength, cognition & mood significantly in just weeks following these tips:
• Get bright AM sunlight ☀️
• Limit screens at night 📵
• Eat earlier 🥗
• Avoid late caffeine or naps ☕️ /7

📌 My Personal Protocol
• Creatine: 10g/day
• Binaural Beats: 14 Hz (attention), 20 Hz (memory)
• Daily aerobic exercise
• Circadian alignment (early meals, AM sunlight, reduced screens at night)
• Nicotine: rarely, gum only (still experimental) /8

🎙 Big thanks to Tim for the incredible conversation. Check out the full video here: