Current Supplements

Last Updated: April 3, 2026

Health  |  Pillars  |  Food  |  Supplements  |  Training  |  Biomarkers

My supplementation strategy is downstream of my food lifestyle. I want to get most of my nutrients from food. What I supplement is for acute support of critical areas: things my food can’t fully cover given my training volume, my genetics, and my specific biomarker targets.

I prefer endogenous production pathways over exogenous supplementation when the data supports it. For most things, I’d rather activate my body’s own systems than take the finished product — but if labs show the endogenous approach can’t keep pace with demand (as with glutathione and my training volume), I’ll layer in exogenous support alongside the endogenous stack rather than stubbornly undershoot my targets. I isolate variables when making changes: test, change one thing, retest. Every item in this stack has a reason tied to blood work, and every change is logged in my health decisions log.

The stack is built around six priorities, each tied to my health pillars:

  1. Cardiovascular protection: omega-3, CoQ10 (statin offset), taurine, NAC
  2. Inflammation control: turmeric/curcumin, astaxanthin, broccoli seed extract (Nrf2)
  3. Methylation & blood health: 5-MTHF, P-5-P, TMG (targeting homocysteine <8.0, MCV <96)
  4. Cognitive support: Magnesium L-Threonate (AM + PM)
  5. Bone, vascular & thyroid: Vitamin D3 (10k IU split), K2 MK-7, selenium
  6. Recovery & sleep: glycine, Cadence Sleep, L-theanine

Supplement Protocol

Morning (~10am, post-training)

Dose Item Why
2x Turmeric Curcumin w/ Saffron I use this for inflammation control given my joint load from sprinting and lifting. Saffron smooths out nervous system stress.
2x Seed Daily Synbiotic Prebiotic + probiotic for gut barrier integrity, microbiome diversity, and nutrient absorption. Supports the foundation that everything else in this stack depends on.
2x Magnesium L-Threonate I take this for cognitive performance, neuroplasticity, and nervous system recovery.
1x Carlson Max Omega 2g I use this for cardiovascular health and inflammation. High-quality EPA/DHA that complements my statin.
1x NatureWise Vitamin D3 5000 IU AM dose: 5,000 IU in cold-pressed olive oil softgel. Split 10k IU/day (5k AM + 5k PM) to improve absorption after single-dose failed to move serum D to target 70-75 ng/mL. Must take with fatty food.
1x Vitamin K2 MK-7 Calcium transport and arterial calcification prevention. Paired with D3 but taken separately now that D3 was switched to a standalone formulation.
1x Astaxanthin 10mg I take this for antioxidant protection and skin/eye resilience. Daily defense layer for sun exposure and training load. Haven’t gotten a sunburn since starting it.
1x NAC 500mg I use NAC to maintain glutathione and detox support. AM dose keeps antioxidant status steady.
1x CoQ10 100mg I take this for mitochondrial energy and CV protection. Offsets CoQ10 depletion from the statin.
2x 5-MTHF (methyl-folate) 400µg I take this to address rising MCV (101 → target <96). Macrocytosis fix alongside B6.
1x P-5-P (active B-6) 25mg I take this alongside 5-MTHF to address rising MCV (101 → target <96). Macrocytosis fix.
2x Broccoli Seed Extract I take this to activate Nrf2 and boost my body’s own glutathione production. Mitochondrial defense, inflammation, and lipid oxidation support.
1x Pure Encapsulations Liposomal Glutathione Exogenous glutathione to close the gap to my >320 target. Nrf2 pathway alone moved me from 229 to 255 over 4 months but can’t keep up with my training-induced oxidative turnover. Setria (reduced L-glutathione) in liposomal softgel for gut survival. Running alongside the Nrf2 stack, not replacing it.
1x Taurine 1g I added this for endothelial function, vascular tone, and bile acid metabolism (relevant with my lipid meds). Also a mitochondrial stabilizer.
1x TMG (Trimethylglycine) 500mg Accelerates homocysteine reduction via the alternative BHMT pathway. Added after 5-MTHF alone moved homocysteine from 10.3 to 9.1 but hasn’t yet reached <8.0 target.
1x Thorne Selenium 200mcg Selenomethionine form. Supports thyroid peroxidase function and T4→T3 conversion. Added after Free T4 and Free T3 declined and TPO antibodies crept up (13 from <9).

Evening (~5pm)

Dose Item Why
1x NatureWise Vitamin D3 5000 IU PM dose: second 5,000 IU softgel. Split dosing for better absorption. Must take with fatty food.
2x Magnesium L-Threonate PM dose for wind-down and neurological reset after stacked physical and cognitive stress.
1x NAC 600mg I split NAC to support recovery at night and ease oxidative stress from the day.
1x Broccoli Seed Extract PM dose for sustained Nrf2 activation (sulforaphane half-life is only ~2–3 hours).

Medications (evening)

Dose Item Why
10mg Rosuvastatin (Crestor) I take this to lower LDL and ApoB, reducing atherosclerotic risk. Last ApoB: 56 mg/dL (desirable, Feb 2026).
10mg Ezetimibe I use this for deeper ApoB reduction without upping my statin dose. Last ApoB: 56 mg/dL (desirable, Feb 2026).
0.5mg Anastrozole (Mon/Thu) I take this to manage estradiol on TRT. Goal: keep E2 between 20–40 pg/mL.

Bedtime

Dose Item Why
— Chamomile Tea Base of the bedtime routine.
1x Cadence Sleep Powder I dropped my pile of sleep supplements for just this and it transformed my sleep quality and HRV. Electrolytes and key ingredients, no melatonin.
3g Glycine (2x 1.5g) I take this as a direct glutathione precursor (pairs with NAC), to improve sleep architecture, and to offset methionine load from my heavy red meat intake. Cardiometabolic support too.
1x L-Theanine 100mg (optional) I use this for acute calm before high-stress events, sleep, or with caffeine to smooth the stimulation curve. Flexible tool I lean on when needed.

As Needed

Dose Item Why
1x L-Theanine Same as above. I keep this on hand for daytime use too.
1pk LMNT Electrolytes (Citrus / Orange) I sweat heavy and lose a lot of sodium. I use these before and during training to avoid cramping.

Nutrition & Fueling

First Thing

With Coffee

Preworkout (Strength)

Preworkout (Endurance / Distance)

During Training

Post Workout

Nighttime

Change Log

[!note]+ 4/3/26 - Added Seed Synbiotic, Removed Zinc

[!note]+ Added Seed Daily Synbiotic (2 caps) to morning stack. Prebiotic + probiotic for gut barrier integrity and microbiome diversity. Supports nutrient absorption foundation for the rest of the stack.

[!note]+ Removed Zinc Picolinate from morning stack. Dietary intake from oysters, sardines, and heavy red meat consumption (elk, bison, beef) more than covers zinc needs. The testosterone-support rationale is largely redundant on TRT, and methylation is well-covered by the 5-MTHF + P-5-P + TMG stack. Keeping the bottle on hand for acute immune support if needed. Net pill count change: +1 (added 2 Seed, removed 1 zinc).

[!note]+ 4/2/26 - Added Liposomal Glutathione

[!note]+ Added Pure Encapsulations Liposomal Glutathione (Setria) to morning stack. Two consecutive draws showed the Nrf2-only approach (broccoli seed extract 5 caps/day + NAC 1,100mg + glycine 3g) moving glutathione too slowly: 229 → 255 over 4 months, still 65 points short of >320 target. Training-induced oxidative turnover is outpacing endogenous production. Adding exogenous liposomal glutathione alongside the existing Nrf2 stack to close the gap. Retest at June 12-week draw to assess combined effect. If glutathione hits 320+, will evaluate whether exogenous form can be tapered while Nrf2 stack maintains levels.

[!note]+ 3/14/26 - Post-Feb 24 Labs Optimization

[!note]+ Removed DIM 100mg from morning stack. Estradiol dropped to 19.0 pg/mL (from 47.8 in Oct 2025) — the combination of anastrozole 0.5mg Mon/Thu plus DIM was over-suppressing estrogen. Below 20 pg/mL carries risks for joint health, bone density, lipids, and cognition. Removing DIM first (the supplement lever) before adjusting the pharmaceutical. Target: bring E2 back to 25-35 pg/mL. Retest at 6 weeks.

[!note]+ Removed Beef Organ Tabs entirely. B12 surged back to 1374 pg/mL (target <1000) despite being at 1x/day. Diet alone (red meat, oysters, eggs) provides ample B12, retinol, iron, and choline. Also contributes to persistent macrocytosis (MCV 101 fL). Removing to let B12 normalize and give MCV a chance to come down.

[!note]+ Replaced D3+K2 combo with standalone NatureWise D3 5000 IU softgels — 2 pills/day split AM and PM (10k IU total). Previous 10k IU single-dose (old combo pill at 2x plus additional D3) barely moved serum D from 46.9 to 49 ng/mL over 3+ months. Switching to olive oil-based softgels and splitting the dose for better absorption. Target: 70-75 ng/mL.

[!note]+ Added Vitamin K2 MK-7 separately in AM. Was previously bundled in the D3+K2 combo pill. Now standalone since D3 formulation changed. Still needed for calcium transport and arterial calcification prevention.

[!note]+ Reduced CoQ10 from 2x/day to 1x/day (AM only) — removed the PM dose. Serum CoQ10 came back at 2.73 µg/mL, above the reference range (0.37-2.20). One dose is sufficient to offset statin depletion; the second was pushing levels supraphysiologic unnecessarily. Simplifies the evening stack.

[!note]+ Added TMG (Trimethylglycine) 500mg to morning stack. Homocysteine improved from 10.3 to 9.1 µmol/L on 5-MTHF 800µg alone, but hasn’t reached the <8.0 target. TMG provides an alternative methylation pathway (BHMT) to close the remaining gap. Previously declined to keep variables minimal — now that folate efficacy is confirmed, adding this targeted lever.

[!note]+ Added Thorne Selenium 200mcg (selenomethionine) to morning stack. Thyroid function is declining: Free T4 dropped from 1.36 to 1.08, Free T3 from 3.0 to 2.8, TSH rising from 1.59 to 1.98, and TPO antibodies crept up from <9 to 13. Selenium is critical for thyroid peroxidase function and T4-to-T3 conversion. Addressing before subclinical decline becomes clinical.

[!note]+ 2/17/26 - Simplification

[!note]+ Removed Berberine 450g, risk blunting hypertrophy, statin covers the original intent of it.

[!note]+ Reduced beef organ to 1x from 2x, reduce ferritin and b12

[!note]+ Added 5mg glycine at night

[!note]+ Added 1mg taurine to morning stack

[!note]+ Moved creatine to first thing with electrolytes

[!note]+ 11/12/25 - Ezetimbe, D3, glutathione, homocysteine focus changes, for retest in November

[!note]+ SUPPLEMENT GUIDE UPDATE NOTE

▼ 11/12/2025 - Biomarker-Driven Optimization (Post-Ezetimibe Addition)

Context:

  • Added ezetimibe 10mg on ~10/20/25 (3 weeks before planned retest)
  • ApoB dropped 105 → 126 initially after starting rosuvastatin + ezetimibe (8/15/25), but this likely reflects pre-medication baseline being higher than 105
  • Retest scheduled 2 weeks from today to isolate ezetimibe efficacy
  • Holding additional ApoB interventions (aged garlic increase, niacin, plant sterols) until ezetimibe impact is fully assessed

Changes Made:

Supplement Previous Dose New Dose Biomarker Driver
Vitamin D3 125mcg (5,000 IU) 250mcg (10,000 IU) Vitamin D: 46.9 ng/mL → Target 70-75 ng/mL
5-MTHF (Methyl-Folate) 400µg 800µg Homocysteine: 10.3 µmol/L → Target <8.0 µmol/L
Broccoli Seed Extract 2 caps AM 3 caps AM + 2 caps PM Glutathione: 229 µmol/L → Target >320 µmol/L

Rationale by Marker:

Vitamin D (46.9 ng/mL):

  • Current dose insufficient to reach target range (70-75 ng/mL year-round)
  • Doubling intake should achieve target within 8-10 weeks
  • K2-MK7 at 180mcg already in place for calcium transport/arterial calcification prevention
  • Retest in 8-10 weeks to confirm trajectory

Homocysteine (10.3 µmol/L):

  • Target <8.0 µmol/L for optimal vascular health (aligns with atherosclerotic disease prevention—primary mortality risk per Health Pillars)
  • 5-MTHF + P-5-P (25mg continuing) directly support methylation pathway
  • 400µg dose was conservative; 800µg is well within safe range (1,000µg is clinical upper limit)
  • Declined TMG (betaine) addition to keep intervention minimal
  • Continuing glycine at bedtime (already in stack) provides secondary methylation support

Glutathione (229 µmol/L):

  • Oxidative stress marker reflecting 7-day/week training load (high-intensity running, heavy lifting, circuits)
  • Target >350 µmol/L for adequate antioxidant capacity under training volume
  • Initially declined liposomal glutathione (preferred endogenous production pathway). Revisited in April 2026 after two draws showed Nrf2 alone couldn’t keep pace with training-induced oxidative turnover (229 → 255 over 4 months, target >320). Added liposomal glutathione alongside the Nrf2 stack.
  • Broccoli seed extract = sulforaphane → Nrf2 activation → upregulated glutathione synthesis
  • Increased from 2 caps AM to 5 caps/day (3 AM + 2 PM) provides ~150mg sulforaphane equivalent
  • Clinical threshold for glutathione upregulation: 100-200mg sulforaphane
  • Split dosing (AM/PM) maintains sustained Nrf2 activation across training windows (sulforaphane half-life ~2-3 hours)
  • Retest glutathione at 8-10 weeks to assess efficacy

Strategic Holds:

ApoB Management:

  • Rosuvastatin 10mg + ezetimibe 10mg continuing
  • NOT increasing rosuvastatin to 20mg (diminishing returns; mitochondrial/performance concerns)
  • NOT adding aged garlic, niacin, or plant sterols until ezetimibe impact fully assessed (retest in 2 weeks)
  • If ApoB ≤90 mg/dL at retest: hold current approach
  • If ApoB 90-100 mg/dL: add single targeted intervention (likely aged garlic to 1,200mg)
  • If ApoB >100 mg/dL: physician discussion re: PCSK9 inhibitor

Cortisol:

  • Cortisol AM at 11.5 µg/dL (mid-to-low range) does not support training stress hypothesis for elevated ApoB
  • No cortisol-modulating interventions needed

Other Markers Stable:

  • CRP <0.5 mg/L (excellent)
  • Calcium score = 0 (no arterial calcification)
  • Fasting glucose 75 mg/dL, HbA1c 5.0-5.2% (tight metabolic control)
  • Insulin at 1.2 µIU/mL (low, but addressed via post-workout carb timing adjustments, not supplementation)

Next Actions:

  • Retest labs in 2 weeks (late November 2025): ApoB, lipid panel, homocysteine, MCV
  • Retest Vitamin D + glutathione in 8-10 weeks (mid-January 2026)
  • Reassess ApoB strategy based on ezetimibe response

Philosophy:

  • Isolate variables: assess ezetimibe efficacy before layering additional ApoB interventions
  • Prioritize endogenous production pathways (Nrf2/glutathione) over exogenous supplementation (liposomal GSH)
  • Target root causes (methylation, antioxidant capacity, vitamin D optimization) rather than symptom management
  • Maintain performance capacity while optimizing longevity biomarkers (no aggressive statin dosing, no interventions that compromise mitochondrial function or VO2 max)

Implementation Date: 11/13/2025

Next Review: Late November 2025 (post-retest) + Mid-January 2026 (D3/glutathione recheck)

[!note]+ 9/29/25 - Removed Ashwaganda, Phosphatidyl-serine, Apigen from sleep stack to keep it simple, built around magnesium biglycinate.

[!note]+ I think the other elements were making me a bit crazy. Phosphatidyl-serine is a cortisol reducer but is known to have the opposite effect in some people and I think I’m one of those people.

[!note]+ 8/15/25 - Finally added a statin based on badgering from Zack Kanter. Removed herbal stack focused on ApoB

[!note]+ Reasoning. Labs show consistently high ApoB and LDL but all other cv markets and inflammation are good. Aiming to get ApoB down to 50-60 from 120. In the words of my doctor “you’re doing everything right, you just have bad genes”

[!note]+ 6/20/2025 - Check-in labs complete. | When | Keep & Tweak | Remove / Pause | Add | | — | — | — | — | | Morning (09-10 a.m.) | • Beef-Organ caps → 2 caps (was 3) to curb Vitamin A load • Red Yeast Rice moved to bedtime (see below). • Everything else unchanged (turmeric, fish-oil, Mg-L-Threonate, nicotine-taper stack, etc.) | • Alpha-Lipoic Acid → stop for 4 wks (insulin too low) | • 5-MTHF (methyl-folate) 400 µg
• P-5-P (active B-6) 25 mg
• Citrus Bergamot 500 mg | | Afternoon (~15:00) | Routine stays the same (CoQ10, NAC, Mg-L-Threonate, nicotine-taper stack). | — | • Citrus Bergamot 500 mg second dose | | Bedtime (30-60 min pre-sleep) | • Mag Glycinate, Taurine, Glycine, PS, Ashwagandha remain.
• Red Yeast Rice (200 mg double-strength) + CoQ10 200 mg – single nightly dose replaces the AM/PM split | — | • Aged-Garlic Extract 1 000 mg • Calcium-D-Glucarate 500 mg (E2 clearance)
• (Optional) DIM 100 mg here or with breakfast if estradiol > 45 pg/mL next draw | | Nutrition add-on | — | — | • 20 g casein + 15 g raw honey shake at lights-out (soft insulin bump, recovery)
• Psyllium Husk 5 g in yogurts (soluble fibre for LDL/ApoB) |

What Goes Away (for now)

  • Alpha-Lipoic Acid – pause completely; reassess once fasting insulin ≥ 3.0 µIU/mL.
  • No other deletions—nicotine-recovery stack stays active through Summer.

Why the Moves Matter

  • ApoB control: higher RYR bolus + bergamot + garlic + fibre target a ≥ 15 mg/dL drop in 6 weeks.
  • Macrocytosis fix: folate + B-6 directly address rising MCV (100.8 → ≤ 96).
  • Vitamin A drift: cutting organ caps shaves ~3 000 IU/day of retinol.
  • Estradiol tune: D-Glucarate improves hepatic clearance without tanking TRT levels.
  • Insulin floor: removing ALA and adding the casein/honey bump should nudge fasting insulin into the anabolic sweet-spot (3–5 µIU/mL).

[!note]+ 5/31/25: Removed GABA, replaced bedtime GABA with taurine.

[!note]+ 3/20/2025: Removed Methyl B supplement. Found in labs that I do not have a methylization issue (homocysteine is normal at 9.0 µmol/L, B12 is high, and not folate deficient). And tested higher in B12 than is recommended.

  • Removed multivitamin for similar reasons to above. Vitamin A intake (pastured eggs) is strong. B and zinc are strong (smoked oysters daily).
  • Switched to a 1/2 dose (3 of 6) beef organ supplement

[!note]+ 4/6/2025: Added nicotine cessation stack that’s half focused on cravings, half on sleep.

  • Morning (AM – with or after breakfast). Best for dopamine precursors and adaptogens.
    • L-Tyrosine – 500 mg
    • DLPA – 500 mg
    • Rhodiola Rosea – 500 mg
    • NAC – AM dose
    • Magnesium L-Threonate (optional 1st dose if splitting AM/PM)
  • Afternoon (Midday/Pre-dinner) Supports sustained neurotransmitter support without overstimulation before bed.
    • DLPA – 500 mg (second dose)
    • Rhodiola Rosea – Optional second 250 mg if needed
    • Magnesium L-Threonate (optional 2nd dose if splitting)
  • Bedtime (30–60 min before bed) Supports parasympathetic recovery, HRV improvement, and better sleep depth:
    • GABA + L-Theanine – GABA 200 mg + Theanine 200 mg
    • Apigenin – 50 mg
    • Magnesium L-Threonate – PM dose (if not split, take full dose here)
    • NAC – PM dose