Compare experts › Andrew Huberman vs Gabrielle Lyon

Andrew Huberman vs Gabrielle Lyon

Andrew Huberman (neuroscientist) and Gabrielle Lyon (physician (do)) 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 (7)
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.
Mobility
Moving your joints freely through their full range.
Leucine
A building block of protein that helps switch on muscle building. Meat, fish, eggs, dairy and soy are rich in it.
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.
Time-restricted eating
Eating all your meals within a set window of the day, for example 8am to 6pm.

At a glance

MeasureAndrew HubermanGabrielle Lyon
BackgroundNeuroscientistPhysician (DO)
Training split45% strength · 40% aerobic · 15% intervals · 0% mobility60% strength · 20% aerobic · 15% intervals · 5% mobility
Signature habitMorning light30–50 g protein a meal
ProteinNo fixed target~2.2 g per kg ideal weight
Training styleBalancedMuscle-first
Overall evidenceMixedStrong
FollowingInstagram 8.1M · YouTube 7.9MInstagram 1.2M · YouTube 288K

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

The key differences

  • Lyon puts more of the week into strength: about 60% against 45%.
  • Huberman puts more of the week into aerobic base (zone 2): about 40% against 20%.
  • In plans in their style, Huberman's hard sessions are short sprints; Lyon's are 1-minute intervals.
  • We rate the evidence behind Lyon's protocol higher: strong, against mixed for Huberman.
  • Supplements that go into a plan: Huberman, omega-3; Lyon, creatine monohydrate. Prescription items and personal stacks stay out of every plan.
  • Only Lyon has a mobility or movement routine of their own.

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

Gabrielle Lyon

  • Resistance training 3–4 days a week, done with focusStrong evidence
  • 1–2 days a week of short, higher-intensity intervalsSome evidence
  • Steady aerobic work, such as a 30-minute session or a brisk walkStrong evidence
  • Move after meals: a walk, some air squats or a short bodyweight circuitSome evidence
  • For older adults who do nothing yet, any regular resistance training is the priorityStrong evidence

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

Gabrielle Lyon

  • About 2.2 g per kg of ideal body weight a day (she also gives 1.2–1.6 g per kg, sometimes up to 1.8 g per kg)Some evidence
  • 30–50 g of high-quality protein at the first meal, and a similar large dose at the last mealSome evidence
  • About 2.5 g of leucine (roughly 30 g of quality protein) per meal, and about 9 g of leucine across the daySome evidence
  • People eating mainly plants may need more total protein, around 1.6 g per kg, because plant protein is lower quality per gramSome evidence
  • For inactive people, about 130 g of carbohydrate a day, roughly 40–50 g per meal, with more after exercisePersonal habit
  • Older adults should avoid long fasts, which can speed muscle lossSome evidence

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

Gabrielle Lyon

  • Creatine supports muscle; she mentions possible brain benefits at higher dosesSome evidence
  • Prefer complete protein foods over leucine alone; amino acid supplements make most sense when a meal is low in proteinNote
  • She regards the official leucine allowance (about 2.7 g a day) as too low because it was based on young menNote

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

Gabrielle Lyon

No specific guidance in what we reviewed.

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

Gabrielle Lyon

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

Gabrielle Lyon

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.

Gabrielle Lyon

  • Her daily target of about 2.2 g per kg of ideal body weight is well above the official allowance of 0.8 g per kg and the 1.0–1.2 g per kg that an expert group recommends for over-65s; whether intakes that high add further benefit for most older adults is still debated.
  • The 'leucine threshold' idea behind her per-meal targets and her food rankings is contested; critics such as Simon Hill argue that total protein matters more and that well-chosen plant proteins can meet needs.
  • Some of the foundational research she draws on, such as Layman's 2005 study, was partly funded by beef and food industry groups.

Build a plan from Huberman, Lyon 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 Lyon's styleMix both

Questions

What is the main difference between Andrew Huberman and Gabrielle Lyon?

Their training split differs most in aerobic base (zone 2): Huberman about 40%, Lyon about 20% (our estimate from their published routines). Huberman's signature habit is Morning light; Lyon's is 30–50 g protein a meal.

How much protein do Huberman and Lyon recommend?

Huberman: No fixed target. Lyon: ~2.2 g per kg ideal weight.

Whose advice has stronger evidence?

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

Do Huberman and Lyon disagree?

Not directly in what we reviewed. Their differences are in emphasis: lyon puts more of the week into strength: about 60% against 45%.

Can I combine Huberman and Lyon?

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 · Gabrielle Lyon. Reviewed October 2026.