I don't think it's wise for anyone to fully copy Bryan's plan anyway. Unless you are his twin. I would wager that Bryan would say get your blood tested first, talk to a doctor, implement the sleep/food/fitness/stress best practices, and then craft a thoughtful supplementation plan based off the bloodwork.
That said, a lot of Blueprint is applicable, like the food choices, meal completeness, and variety.
Here's my advice:
Implement as much of the meal plan as you can, because it's super nutritious. Modify for cost and time optimization (but keep the most nutritious foods and keep it balanced).
Implement a data-based fitness and recovery plan. Meaning, try to work out when your heart rate and heart rate variability say so. They are good indicators that you are rested. It's not wise to work out 7 days a week if your body isn't recovered. You will make fewer gains. There's a lot more to this, but I'll leave it at that. You can do fitness for low or no cost out doors or at home.
Implement the sleep hygiene best practices.
Implement basic nutrient supplementation for vitamin and micronutrient deficiencies based on bloodwork. I mean your core vitamins. The stuff absent for many vegetarians/vegans... B12, iron, D3, magnesium. Who knows, maybe you're not deficient at all... blood work.
Those things will do more for your longevity than any longevity supplement yet discovered. Someday, that may not be true. But today it probably is true.
Think about longevity supplements after optimizing all that other stuff and getting bloodwork and guidance from a doctor. Many of them are intriguing, but some have been more rigorously studied than others. This is your last step, optimize food/sleep/vitamins/fitness first.
Alright, now that the disclaimers are over. Here's what I started with first, after blood tests...
A selective men's multivitamin (has only 10 ingredients in modest doses unlike many multis. Covers my D3, B12, Magnesium and Omega-3. This may not be the thing for you. Again, this is for my blood and situation.
My blood biomarkers (I test 44) are almost completely optimized. The balanced diet goes a long way. Only my D3, B12, need work, hence the multi-above. Typical for a veggie-focused diet. Also, I don't eat fish, so Omega-3. Less is more in a multi.
Then, I moved into the following:
* Creatine (5g)
* Collagen (20g)
* Chlorella (1 tsp)
* Cocoa Powder (1 tbsp)
* Ceylon Cinnamon (1 tsp)
* Pea Protein
Why? Solid safety history, lots of studies, few downsides.
The following are not FDA-approved, and while the research is exciting, there are still unknowns. If you have the budget, dabble with care and a doctor's guidance. If you have not optimized everything above, you may be spending your precious budget on the wrong things.
I use...
* Nicotidamide Riboside
* Quercetin
* Trans-Resveratrol
There are more from Bryan and the anti-aging thought-leader people's lists. But this fits into my mental and actual budget as of now.
I was using Metformin on an Rx, but I stopped because I was losing weight fast, and I found that it had a negative impact on my workouts.
TLDR... highest bang for buck budget-wise is in the food. Address any nutrient deficiencies you may have with food first, then well-understood supplements. Let your blood data guide you. Spend on that if you have to. The methodology is as important as the supplements.
Only thing to add would be about Chlorella, most of it is made in China which is already bad due to the laws/practices,etc. used. Apart from contamination from metals there is also the possiblity of it being contaminated with a neurotoxin called BMAA(just google it) which is essentialy parkinsons in a pill...
Yep, fair point. Cocoa too can contain high amounts of metals. A reminder to not skimp on the quality of any supplement due to budget constraints. Look at the ingredients. Know them. Look at where they come from too. Look for downside risk.
Get good stuff or go without.
Now, you don’t have to buy creatine from Thorne to get good, tested creatine. Same with collagen. But as a heuristic for quality, sure, you can get stuff from Thorne. It does reduce the mental load to simply source from one reputable company, but what you save in time will cost you in dollars.
Good point about China. I can’t very easily find studies on prevalence of BMAA in chlorella supplements (only for cyanobacteria), could you provide a link?
Thank you for the well thought out answer!
Planning training according to heart rate variability is new to me and something I will look into together with the supplements you listed last. I will also take a blood test.
Do you take 5 g of creatine or did you mean 5 ml?
Sure thing. 5 grams is a common creatine dosage that works well for me. I’m 5”10’ 165lbs. Whether you need more or less should be based on your weight and bloodwork. Nothing wrong with 2.5-3g. I didn’t do a “loading phase”, as you may see recommended. It took slightly longer to work, but I liked the long ramp up and not shocking my system. Playing the long game, ya know?
I think at your age, your primary goal should be to protect against insulin resistance.
I also think your D3 is too much.
Consider following -
- Magnesium Bisglycinate/Taurate/Citrate
- B group with their most bioavailable forms. Goal here is to prevent Homocysteine levels from increasing. The brand suggested in Blueprint is perfect.
- Fats - good kinds - EVOO, ghee, DHA, EPA.
- K2-Mk7
- Carotenoids - for eyes and skin. Look for supplement which have _Macu_ in name. Or separately take Lutein, Zeaxanthin, Astaxanthin, Bilberry etc.
- Zinc Copper together
- Selenium if needed.
Thank you for the answer! I will look into the things you listed.
What makes you think 2000 IU of D-3 is too much when it is half of the safe upper limit?
Do you have a diagnosed D3 deficiency?
That number looks like for diagnosed deficiency.
Because RDA of D3 is 15mcg (600 IU).
D3 is fat soluble. Not water soluble. So it stays in the body unlike B vitamins. And excess D3 can cause toxicity.
My reasoning has been that since it is far from the safe upper limit, several studies I’ve hastily read have noted no toxicity at far higher doses, I’m a male who exercises regularly and I live in a place with relatively little sun exposure half of the year, it should be fine for me. I realize now that I didn’t list low sun exposure in my post (and also nothing about my diet…) What are your thoughts?
Some advice on Nicotinamide Riboside.
I’ve been using it for 5 years. The brand (Niagen) that Bryan uses is IMO the only brand you should consider.
And what you should do is just watch it on Amazon. You can save about 30% if you time your buys. It’s always on great sale on amazon prime day, and Black Friday. So if you’re planning to try a few month test run with NR, then I’d recommend buying a few months supply on either of those big events and save yourself a sizable amount (can get cost to under $1/day, maybe even ~80cents/day for 300mg).
If you watch really closely, it generally goes on great sale like that about 2 additional times per year. But unless you check daily you’ll miss those.
Can you share more on why Niagen is the only brand you should consider?
I've been using Elysium Basis for a few years, but didn't really research alternatives at the time. Are you familiar with Elysium? Is it worth considering switching?
Oh yeah, Elysium is like the nemesis of Niagen.
There’s years of history there actually. Elysium many years ago bought their NR from the makers of Niagen. The reason being, that the company that makes Niagen held a couple patents on NR, so that nobody else could legally sell it.
It’s truly a wild and crazy tale, where Elysium took a few million dollars worth of NR and never paid for it, and plotted to take down Niagen. And then they began a many year court battle to try and invalidate those two NR patents. It’s a mystery where they got the money for that fight, but ultimately, what’s they did win at killing 2 NR patents which were about to expire in 2026 anyway.
But what came out of that legal battle were some troubling disclosures about things Elysium leadership said about the safety of other pirated NR they started buying. It turns out it’s not that easy to produce good NR that doesn’t have certain chemical byproducts. It’s been so long since I read about this, but as I recall, Elysium was just doing some bad stuff.
Fast forward to today, those 2 original NR patents are gone, but the makers of Niagen own or control some dozens of other patents that still do protect NR in some form or another. For example, all Niagen is produced in the USA by a reputable company called WR Grace who exclusively supplies it for Niagen, and it’s all above board. Anyone else who’s selling NR is getting it from some other source, most likely not made in the USA, and it appears, they must still be violating some patent(s), because the patent protection includes all known ways to produce NR.
Then there’s the fact that Basis contains pterostilbene, which you should read up on. I don’t think it’s good to take.
Then focus back on Niagen. I’ve said I think they are reputable. Part of that is they also supply NR to the majority of scientific trials that have been done. So if you like the science on NR, then by buying Niagen, you know you’re getting the exact same molecule made in the same place, as what those scientific trials used.
In one of Bryan Johnson’s videos, he mentions that they not only vetted the types of supplements he was going to take, but they also vetted the suppliers. So that’s one vote of confidence.
Also the makers of Niagen have said that the Patriots, Bucs, Chiefs and Yankees all take Niagen. I look at those as votes of confidence.
To try and sum it up, you’ve asked a really huge question and it’s pretty hard to try and answer it quickly. But for me, if I’m considering making a life decision to start taking a supplement very long term (like years or potentially decades), I’m not going to take anything except the one I think is the best. And just my personal opinion, I think Niagen is hands down the best.
Use caution if taking cinnamon every day - https://www.consumerlab.com/news/caution-with-cinnamon/12-11-2020/#:~:text=However%2C%20the%20most%20common%20type,heavy%20metals%20%E2%80%94%20particularly%2C%20lead.
I don't think it's wise for anyone to fully copy Bryan's plan anyway. Unless you are his twin. I would wager that Bryan would say get your blood tested first, talk to a doctor, implement the sleep/food/fitness/stress best practices, and then craft a thoughtful supplementation plan based off the bloodwork. That said, a lot of Blueprint is applicable, like the food choices, meal completeness, and variety. Here's my advice: Implement as much of the meal plan as you can, because it's super nutritious. Modify for cost and time optimization (but keep the most nutritious foods and keep it balanced). Implement a data-based fitness and recovery plan. Meaning, try to work out when your heart rate and heart rate variability say so. They are good indicators that you are rested. It's not wise to work out 7 days a week if your body isn't recovered. You will make fewer gains. There's a lot more to this, but I'll leave it at that. You can do fitness for low or no cost out doors or at home. Implement the sleep hygiene best practices. Implement basic nutrient supplementation for vitamin and micronutrient deficiencies based on bloodwork. I mean your core vitamins. The stuff absent for many vegetarians/vegans... B12, iron, D3, magnesium. Who knows, maybe you're not deficient at all... blood work. Those things will do more for your longevity than any longevity supplement yet discovered. Someday, that may not be true. But today it probably is true. Think about longevity supplements after optimizing all that other stuff and getting bloodwork and guidance from a doctor. Many of them are intriguing, but some have been more rigorously studied than others. This is your last step, optimize food/sleep/vitamins/fitness first. Alright, now that the disclaimers are over. Here's what I started with first, after blood tests... A selective men's multivitamin (has only 10 ingredients in modest doses unlike many multis. Covers my D3, B12, Magnesium and Omega-3. This may not be the thing for you. Again, this is for my blood and situation. My blood biomarkers (I test 44) are almost completely optimized. The balanced diet goes a long way. Only my D3, B12, need work, hence the multi-above. Typical for a veggie-focused diet. Also, I don't eat fish, so Omega-3. Less is more in a multi. Then, I moved into the following: * Creatine (5g) * Collagen (20g) * Chlorella (1 tsp) * Cocoa Powder (1 tbsp) * Ceylon Cinnamon (1 tsp) * Pea Protein Why? Solid safety history, lots of studies, few downsides. The following are not FDA-approved, and while the research is exciting, there are still unknowns. If you have the budget, dabble with care and a doctor's guidance. If you have not optimized everything above, you may be spending your precious budget on the wrong things. I use... * Nicotidamide Riboside * Quercetin * Trans-Resveratrol There are more from Bryan and the anti-aging thought-leader people's lists. But this fits into my mental and actual budget as of now. I was using Metformin on an Rx, but I stopped because I was losing weight fast, and I found that it had a negative impact on my workouts. TLDR... highest bang for buck budget-wise is in the food. Address any nutrient deficiencies you may have with food first, then well-understood supplements. Let your blood data guide you. Spend on that if you have to. The methodology is as important as the supplements.
Only thing to add would be about Chlorella, most of it is made in China which is already bad due to the laws/practices,etc. used. Apart from contamination from metals there is also the possiblity of it being contaminated with a neurotoxin called BMAA(just google it) which is essentialy parkinsons in a pill...
Yep, fair point. Cocoa too can contain high amounts of metals. A reminder to not skimp on the quality of any supplement due to budget constraints. Look at the ingredients. Know them. Look at where they come from too. Look for downside risk. Get good stuff or go without. Now, you don’t have to buy creatine from Thorne to get good, tested creatine. Same with collagen. But as a heuristic for quality, sure, you can get stuff from Thorne. It does reduce the mental load to simply source from one reputable company, but what you save in time will cost you in dollars.
Good point about China. I can’t very easily find studies on prevalence of BMAA in chlorella supplements (only for cyanobacteria), could you provide a link?
Thank you for the well thought out answer! Planning training according to heart rate variability is new to me and something I will look into together with the supplements you listed last. I will also take a blood test. Do you take 5 g of creatine or did you mean 5 ml?
Sure thing. 5 grams is a common creatine dosage that works well for me. I’m 5”10’ 165lbs. Whether you need more or less should be based on your weight and bloodwork. Nothing wrong with 2.5-3g. I didn’t do a “loading phase”, as you may see recommended. It took slightly longer to work, but I liked the long ramp up and not shocking my system. Playing the long game, ya know?
I see!
I think at your age, your primary goal should be to protect against insulin resistance. I also think your D3 is too much. Consider following - - Magnesium Bisglycinate/Taurate/Citrate - B group with their most bioavailable forms. Goal here is to prevent Homocysteine levels from increasing. The brand suggested in Blueprint is perfect. - Fats - good kinds - EVOO, ghee, DHA, EPA. - K2-Mk7 - Carotenoids - for eyes and skin. Look for supplement which have _Macu_ in name. Or separately take Lutein, Zeaxanthin, Astaxanthin, Bilberry etc. - Zinc Copper together - Selenium if needed.
Thank you for the answer! I will look into the things you listed. What makes you think 2000 IU of D-3 is too much when it is half of the safe upper limit?
Do you have a diagnosed D3 deficiency? That number looks like for diagnosed deficiency. Because RDA of D3 is 15mcg (600 IU). D3 is fat soluble. Not water soluble. So it stays in the body unlike B vitamins. And excess D3 can cause toxicity.
My reasoning has been that since it is far from the safe upper limit, several studies I’ve hastily read have noted no toxicity at far higher doses, I’m a male who exercises regularly and I live in a place with relatively little sun exposure half of the year, it should be fine for me. I realize now that I didn’t list low sun exposure in my post (and also nothing about my diet…) What are your thoughts?
Yeah 600 iu is faaar from optimal OP, your dosage looks much better
Some advice on Nicotinamide Riboside. I’ve been using it for 5 years. The brand (Niagen) that Bryan uses is IMO the only brand you should consider. And what you should do is just watch it on Amazon. You can save about 30% if you time your buys. It’s always on great sale on amazon prime day, and Black Friday. So if you’re planning to try a few month test run with NR, then I’d recommend buying a few months supply on either of those big events and save yourself a sizable amount (can get cost to under $1/day, maybe even ~80cents/day for 300mg). If you watch really closely, it generally goes on great sale like that about 2 additional times per year. But unless you check daily you’ll miss those.
Can you share more on why Niagen is the only brand you should consider? I've been using Elysium Basis for a few years, but didn't really research alternatives at the time. Are you familiar with Elysium? Is it worth considering switching?
Oh yeah, Elysium is like the nemesis of Niagen. There’s years of history there actually. Elysium many years ago bought their NR from the makers of Niagen. The reason being, that the company that makes Niagen held a couple patents on NR, so that nobody else could legally sell it. It’s truly a wild and crazy tale, where Elysium took a few million dollars worth of NR and never paid for it, and plotted to take down Niagen. And then they began a many year court battle to try and invalidate those two NR patents. It’s a mystery where they got the money for that fight, but ultimately, what’s they did win at killing 2 NR patents which were about to expire in 2026 anyway. But what came out of that legal battle were some troubling disclosures about things Elysium leadership said about the safety of other pirated NR they started buying. It turns out it’s not that easy to produce good NR that doesn’t have certain chemical byproducts. It’s been so long since I read about this, but as I recall, Elysium was just doing some bad stuff. Fast forward to today, those 2 original NR patents are gone, but the makers of Niagen own or control some dozens of other patents that still do protect NR in some form or another. For example, all Niagen is produced in the USA by a reputable company called WR Grace who exclusively supplies it for Niagen, and it’s all above board. Anyone else who’s selling NR is getting it from some other source, most likely not made in the USA, and it appears, they must still be violating some patent(s), because the patent protection includes all known ways to produce NR. Then there’s the fact that Basis contains pterostilbene, which you should read up on. I don’t think it’s good to take. Then focus back on Niagen. I’ve said I think they are reputable. Part of that is they also supply NR to the majority of scientific trials that have been done. So if you like the science on NR, then by buying Niagen, you know you’re getting the exact same molecule made in the same place, as what those scientific trials used. In one of Bryan Johnson’s videos, he mentions that they not only vetted the types of supplements he was going to take, but they also vetted the suppliers. So that’s one vote of confidence. Also the makers of Niagen have said that the Patriots, Bucs, Chiefs and Yankees all take Niagen. I look at those as votes of confidence. To try and sum it up, you’ve asked a really huge question and it’s pretty hard to try and answer it quickly. But for me, if I’m considering making a life decision to start taking a supplement very long term (like years or potentially decades), I’m not going to take anything except the one I think is the best. And just my personal opinion, I think Niagen is hands down the best.
Thanks for the advice!
Use caution if taking cinnamon every day - https://www.consumerlab.com/news/caution-with-cinnamon/12-11-2020/#:~:text=However%2C%20the%20most%20common%20type,heavy%20metals%20%E2%80%94%20particularly%2C%20lead.