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Can you be ‘addicted to dopamine’?

Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken unpack the hype around dopamine. What is it, what does it really do in our bodies, and why has it become such a wellness buzzword?

Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken untangle the confusion around every aspect of our health and wellbeing.

In this episode, they’re diving into dopamine – one of the most talked-about chemicals in modern wellness culture. But what is dopamine, really? What role does it play in pleasure, motivation, learning, and movement? And how accurate are ideas like “dopamine hits”, “dopamine detoxes”, or being “addicted to dopamine”?

Chris and Xand speak to Masud Husain, Professor of Neurology & Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Oxford, to cut through the myths and find out what dopamine does, what it doesn’t do, and why understanding it properly might change the way we think about our behaviour and our brains.

If you want to get in touch, you can email us at whatsupdocs@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08000 665 123.

Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken
Guest: Professor Masud Husain
Producer: Maia Miller-Lewis
Executive Producer: Rami Tzabar
Editor: Jo Rowntree
Researcher: Grace Revill
Tech Lead: Reuben Huxtable
Social Media: Leon Gower
Digital Lead: Richard Berry
Composer: Phoebe McFarlane
Sound Design: Melvin Rickarby

At the 鶹:
Assistant Commissioner: Greg Smith
Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts

A Loftus Media production for 鶹 Radio 4

Available now

29 minutes

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Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Chris van Tulleken
Presenter Xand van Tulleken
Producer Maia Miller-Lewis
Editor Jo Rowntree
Executive Producer Rami Tzabar
Composer Phoebe McFarlane
Commissioning Editor Rhian Roberts
Production Company Loftus Media

Broadcast

  • Yesterday 16:30

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