Compare experts › Andrew Huberman vs Brad Stanfield

Andrew Huberman vs Brad Stanfield

Andrew Huberman (neuroscientist) and Brad Stanfield (general practitioner (gp)) side by side: how they train, eat, supplement and sleep, how strong the evidence is, and how to build a plan from either or both.

Build a plan from bothSee the protocols
Words explained (11)
Zone 2
Steady cardio at a pace where you can still talk in full sentences, but not sing.
Intervals
Short hard efforts with easy recovery in between, such as 30 seconds fast, 90 seconds slow.
4 × 4
Four rounds of 4 minutes hard with 3 minutes easy in between. Also called Norwegian intervals.
Mobility
Moving your joints freely through their full range.
Creatine
A well-studied supplement that supports strength and muscle.
Omega-3 (EPA, DHA)
Healthy fats found mostly in oily fish such as salmon, herring and sardines.
Fibre
The part of plant foods you don't digest. It feeds healthy gut bacteria and keeps you full.
Time-restricted eating
Eating all your meals within a set window of the day, for example 8am to 6pm.
ApoB
A blood test that counts the particles carrying cholesterol. Linked to heart disease risk.
Rapamycin, metformin
Prescription drugs that some experts take hoping to slow ageing. Not proven for that, and never part of your plan.
NAD
A molecule cells use for energy. Supplements are sold to raise it, but evidence in people is limited.

At a glance

MeasureAndrew HubermanBrad Stanfield
BackgroundNeuroscientistGeneral practitioner (GP)
Training split45% strength · 40% aerobic · 15% intervals · 0% mobility40% strength · 30% aerobic · 25% intervals · 5% mobility
Signature habitMorning light4 × 4 intervals twice a week
ProteinNo fixed target~1.2 g/kg ideal weight
Training styleBalancedGuideline-first
Overall evidenceMixedStrong
FollowingInstagram 8.1M · YouTube 7.9MYouTube 364K

Training splits are our estimates from each expert’s published routine. Following checked October 2026.

The key differences

  • Huberman puts more of the week into aerobic base (zone 2): about 40% against 30%.
  • Stanfield puts more of the week into intervals: about 25% against 15%.
  • In plans in their style, Huberman's hard sessions are short sprints; Stanfield's are 4-minute intervals (Norwegian 4 × 4).
  • We rate the evidence behind Stanfield's protocol higher: strong, against mixed for Huberman.
  • Supplements that go into a plan: Huberman, omega-3; Stanfield, creatine monohydrate, omega-3, psyllium husk. Prescription items and personal stacks stay out of every plan.
  • Neither has a separate mobility routine; plans add 10 minutes a day of basics.

Protocols side by side

Each line is rated for the evidence behind it. “Doctor only” items never go into a plan.

Training

Andrew Huberman

  • Three resistance days a week (legs; chest, shoulders and back; arms and neck), about 50–60 minutes eachStrong evidence
  • Build toward 180–200 minutes of Zone 2 cardio a week, including one long 60–75 min sessionStrong evidence
  • One moderate cardio session of about 35 minutes at 75–80% effortSome evidence
  • One interval session: 20–30 s hard, 10 s rest, 8–12 rounds, at about 95% effortSome evidence
  • Alternate months of heavier (4–8 reps) and moderate (8–12 reps) liftingPersonal habit
  • Avoid cold-water immersion within about 4 hours after training if building muscle is the goalSome evidence

Brad Stanfield

  • Cardio: 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous activity a week. His template: two interval sessions and three brisk 30-minute walks.Strong evidence
  • Intervals: 4 rounds of 4 minutes hard and 3 minutes easy, after a 10-minute warm-up, twice a week and never on consecutive days.Strong evidence
  • Strength at least twice a week (4–5 if you can): 2–3 sets of 10–15 reps per exercise, stopping 1–2 reps short of failure, about 2 minutes' rest, with pushing, pulling and compound lifts.Strong evidence
  • Add power training as you age: heavier weights moved quickly.Some evidence
  • Zone 2 only if you have time beyond your vigorous minutes; he argues the evidence favours harder cardio for fitness.Note

Eating

Andrew Huberman

  • Has described eating his first meal around 11 am–noon (2021)Personal habit
  • Protein and fats at lunch. Carbohydrates mainly on training days and at dinnerPersonal habit
  • Gives no protein target of his own. His guests suggest about 1.6 g per kg a dayNote

Brad Stanfield

  • Protein about 1.2 g per kg of ideal body weight a day (check with your doctor if you have kidney disease).Some evidence
  • Favour plant protein over red meat and dairy.Some evidence
  • Salt (sodium) under 1,500 mg a day, water as the main drink, few sugary drinks including juice.Strong evidence
  • Two to three cups of coffee at most, early in the day.Personal habit

Supplements

Andrew Huberman

  • Omega-3: 1–3 g of EPA a daySome evidence
  • Sleep stack 30–60 min before bed: magnesium threonate 145 mg or bisglycinate 200 mg, apigenin 50 mg, theanine 100–400 mg. Add one at a timePersonal habit
  • Has taken the greens powder AG1 since 2012. AG1 is a long-time podcast sponsorPersonal habit
  • Alpha-GPC 300 mg before mental work or training (personal use)Personal habit
  • Herbal hormone products such as tongkat ali (200–600 mg) or Fadogia agrestis (about 600 mg) only with blood tests before and after, and taken in cyclesDoctor only
  • Not a fan of melatonin except occasionally for jet lagNote

Brad Stanfield

  • Creatine monohydrate 5 g a day.Strong evidence
  • Omega-3 (EPA and DHA) up to about 1 g a day; higher doses are linked to a higher risk of atrial fibrillation.Some evidence
  • Psyllium husk fibre, building up to about 5 g a day.Some evidence
  • A low-dose multivitamin and mineral.Some evidence
  • Trimethylglycine (TMG), hyaluronic acid, GlyNAC from 45, and a low-dose melatonin formula: on his personal list, with early evidence.Personal habit

Sleep & recovery

Andrew Huberman

  • Outdoors within 30–60 min of waking: about 10 min of light if sunny, 20 if cloudy, 30–60 if very overcastSome evidence
  • No caffeine in the last 8–10 hours before bedStrong evidence
  • Delay the first caffeine 90–120 minutes after waking (his own practice)Personal habit
  • Keep regular sleep and wake times, and a cool, dark bedroomStrong evidence
  • Avoid bright overhead light from about 10 pm to 4 amSome evidence
  • Keep naps under 90 minutes, or use a 10–20 minute rest practice (NSDR or yoga nidra) insteadPersonal habit

Brad Stanfield

  • 7–9 hours, a regular schedule and about 30 minutes of morning daylight.Some evidence
  • Bedroom at about 18–20 °C and dark; no hard exercise in the 2 hours before bed; alcohol stops 4–6 hours before bed, ideally altogether.Personal habit

Stress & mind

Andrew Huberman

  • Cyclic sighing, a breathing practice with long exhales, for about 5 minutes a daySome evidence
  • Deliberate cold: about 11 minutes a week in total, split into 2–4 sessions of 1–5 minutes, early in the daySome evidence
  • Weekly heat and cold session: 3–5 rounds of about 20 min sauna and about 5 min cold bath (7–10 °C)Personal habit
  • Morning walk outdoors, which he says helps calm the stress responsePersonal habit

Brad Stanfield

No specific guidance in what we reviewed.

Brain health

Andrew Huberman

  • Focused work in 90-minute blocks with distractions removedPersonal habit
  • Takes omega-3 EPA for brain health, mood and focusSome evidence
  • Caffeine at 1–3 mg per kg about 30 minutes before a mental task, not after about 2 pmSome evidence

Brad Stanfield

No specific guidance in what we reviewed.

Weak spots to know

Andrew Huberman

  • Supplements: Jonathan Jarry of McGill University's Office for Science and Society (2023) argued that he promotes supplements most people do not need. He said herbal products such as tongkat ali, Fadogia agrestis and shilajit are poorly studied, and that the evidence for some claims, such as myo-inositol for sleep and anxiety, is weaker than presented.
  • Sponsorships: the podcast is funded by sponsors that include supplement, testing and wellness companies. He became AG1's paid scientific advisor in 2022, and past sponsors named by critics include InsideTracker, Thorne and Momentous. Critics say this creates a financial incentive. Neuroscientist David Berson has praised the podcast but said some researchers disapprove of certain sponsorships and supplement promotion.
  • Certainty and extrapolation: scientists including cancer biologist Joseph Zundell and immunologist Andrea Love (Slate, 2024) say he sometimes applies animal or small human studies to everyday advice and speaks outside his field. New York Magazine (2024) said he presents certainty where the science is unclear. For example, the widely quoted dopamine rise from cold comes from a small 2000 study of an hour in 14 °C water, far longer than the short dips he suggests.

Brad Stanfield

  • He sells supplements through his own company, MicroVitamin, alongside his supplement reviews. His site says he discloses this.
  • Several items on his personal list (TMG, hyaluronic acid, GlyNAC, a melatonin formula) rest on small or early studies.
  • His cholesterol targets are stricter than general guidelines for people without heart disease, and his own page gives slightly different ApoB figures in different places.

Build a plan from Huberman, Stanfield or both

Your free plan shows a week of gym sessions, cardio, a day of eating, supplements and mobility, fitted to your age, time and health.

Plan in Huberman's stylePlan in Stanfield's styleMix both

Questions

What is the main difference between Andrew Huberman and Brad Stanfield?

Their training split differs most in aerobic base (zone 2): Huberman about 40%, Stanfield about 30% (our estimate from their published routines). Huberman's signature habit is Morning light; Stanfield's is 4 × 4 intervals twice a week.

How much protein do Huberman and Stanfield recommend?

Huberman: No fixed target. Stanfield: ~1.2 g/kg ideal weight.

Whose advice has stronger evidence?

We rate the evidence behind Stanfield's protocol higher: strong, against mixed for Huberman.

Do Huberman and Stanfield disagree?

Not directly in what we reviewed. Their differences are in emphasis: huberman puts more of the week into aerobic base (zone 2): about 40% against 30%.

Can I combine Huberman and Stanfield?

Yes. In Build my mix you choose one expert per area, for example one for strength and another for eating. Your free plan shows the result straight away.

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Full sources are on each profile: Andrew Huberman · Brad Stanfield. Reviewed October 2026.