Building My Health Stack
The health supplements I took in 2024
This is a short post on the health supplements I took through 2024.
Over the past year, I’ve shared posts about the individual supplements I take and the science behind them. While I haven’t done a deep dive on every single one yet, I wanted to share the list of what I’ve been taking and briefly explain why.
What I consistently take:
Collagen Peptide
Dose: 10g daily
Rationale: Collagen is the key structural protein in your body. Studies have shown it has several clinical effects including improved skin health, hydration, elasticity, thickness, and reduces wrinkles. Also improves body composition by increasing the ratio of lean muscle mass, bone density, and joint health by reducing osteoarthritis. A full deep dive can be found at the link below.
Literature backing: Strong. Multiple meta-analyses confirm benefits.
Personally Observed Effect: Difficult to observe and quantify without long-term assessment.
Creatine (5g daily)
Dose: 5g daily
Rationale: Creatine plays an important role in the body’s energy metabolism, particularly during high-intensity tasks. Supplementation has been definitively shown to improve strength, muscle gain, and cognitive performance, particularly when sleep-deprived.
Literature Backing: Very strong. Widely supported by robust meta-analyses and clinical trials.
Personally Observed Effect: Subtle but noticeable improvement in athletic performance.
NAD+
Dose: 500mg daily
Rationale: NAD+ is critical for cellular energy production and repair. Longevity research suggests supplementation may support healthy aging by maintaining mitochondrial function and DNA repair mechanisms.
Literature Backing: Moderate. Promising studies, though some findings are preliminary.
Personal Observed Effect: No specific changes were noticed, taking for long-term health maintenance.
Vitamin D
Dose: 1,000 IU
Rationale: Essential for bone health, immune function, and mood regulation. Blood tests revealed a deficiency earlier this year, which has since normalized with supplementation.
Literature Backing: Strong. Numerous studies confirm benefits for immune health, bone density, and overall well-being.
Observed Effect: Blood work normalized. A slight improvement in energy accompanied this.
Fish Oil
Dose: (fish oil 2,000 mg, EPA 800 mg, DHA 600 mg)
Rationale: Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for cardiovascular, joint, and cognitive health.
Literature Backing: Strong. Numerous studies highlight its benefits, especially for heart and brain health.
Observed Effect: No specific changes were noticed, taking for long-term health maintenance.
Super B-complex
Dose: (Vitamin C 160mg, B1 20 mg, B2 14mg, Niacin 48mg, B6 20 mg, Folate 667 mg, B12 900 mcg, Biotin 300 mcg, Pantotheric acid 36 mg)
Rationale: B vitamins are essential for energy metabolism, red blood cell production, and cognitive function.
Literature Backing: Moderate to strong. Well-supported for energy and cellular health, though individual responses vary.
Observed Effect: Dramatic improvement in energy levels and mental clarity—one of the most impactful supplements in my regimen.
L-theanine + Caffeine
Rationale: This combination smooths out the energy boost from caffeine, reducing jitters and improving focus.
Literature Backing: Strong. Well-documented synergy for cognitive performance and stress reduction.
Observed Effect: Subtle, but noticeable improvement in focus and sustained energy throughout the day.
Men’s Multivitamin
Rationale: Provides a broad spectrum of essential vitamins and minerals to cover any potential gaps in dietary intake.
Literature Backing: Moderate. While multivitamins are widely used, evidence for their efficacy in improving health outcomes is mixed and often depends on individual deficiencies.
Observed Effect: Hard to isolate specific benefits, but taken as a general safety net for overall health.
What I experiment with:
Lions Mane
Rationale: Lion’s Mane is a mushroom known for its neuroprotective properties. Research suggests it may promote nerve growth, improve cognitive function, and potentially support mood through enhanced neurogenesis.
Literature Backing: Moderate. Emerging studies, primarily preclinical, support its benefits, but large-scale human trials are limited.
Observed Effect: Subtle improvements in focus and mental clarity.
7,8 Dihydroxyflavone
Rationale: This compound is a small molecule BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) mimetic, believed to enhance neuroplasticity, support learning, and potentially improve mood through its impact on brain signaling pathways.
Literature Backing: Moderate. Preclinical research is promising, but human studies are limited and still developing.
Observed Effect: Subtle improvements in mental clarity and mood during consistent use, though harder to quantify.
Semax
Rationale: A synthetic peptide derived from ACTH, Semax is primarily used for its neuroprotective and nootropic properties. It is believed to enhance focus, mental clarity, and resilience to stress by modulating neurotrophic factors.
Literature Backing: Emerging. Early studies and anecdotal evidence support its efficacy, but large-scale human trials are limited.
Observed Effect: Significant improvement in focus and reduced mental fatigue during cognitively demanding tasks.
Final thoughts:
Health supplements are not a panacea. The three most important things that will impact your health are your diet, sleep, and exercise—in that order. Everything else is extra. If these three things make up the sundae, supplements are just the cherry on top. And while the cherry can enhance the experience, it’s certainly not the sundae itself.
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I don’t see any mention of magnesium as a supplement?
Thanks for the article. As a person suffering from a chronic inflammatory disease learning about anti-oxidant foods and supplements has drastically improved my quality of life.
I think we should all do some gentle exploration of supplements. My general rule is the weirder the supplements name the higher caution you should employ.
I.e. do you research and don’t do multiple things at once.
Great piece.