Developing a Rational Approach to Supplementation for Health & Performance

View morning sunlight to support circadian rhythm, alertness and a healthy cortisol peak early in the day.

Avoid bright light exposure to your eyes between 10pm and 4am to protect circadian health.

Get 75–80% or more of food intake from unprocessed or minimally processed sources; avoid highly processed foods.

Eat four servings per day of low-sugar fermented foods (sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, kombucha, low-sugar Greek yogurt, natto) to support gut microbiome and reduce inflammation.

AG1 is a foundational vitamin/mineral/probiotic/adaptogen drink that the host has taken daily since 2012 to cover foundational nutrition needs.

Avoid eating within 2 hours of bedtime to facilitate growth hormone release during the first hours of sleep (but don't go to bed hungry).

Take ~900mg myo-inositol to shorten time to fall back asleep after middle-of-night waking.

Excellent resource for evidence-based information on supplements, dosages, and effects.

100–400mg theanine before bed can aid sleep onset, but avoid if you have excessively vivid dreams that wake you.

Magnesium bisglycinate is interchangeable with threonate for sleep onset; crosses blood-brain barrier and induces mild drowsiness.

Magnesium threonate crosses the blood-brain barrier and helps shorten time to fall asleep and deepens sleep.

Apigenin (a chamomile derivative) before bed reduces anxiety and aids falling asleep.

Brief intense resistance training twice per week (per Duncan French) can raise testosterone, free testosterone, and growth hormone.

Shilajit (Ayurvedic, active ingredient fulvic acid) can increase FSH and indirectly support testosterone, estrogen, libido and fertility.

Ashwagandha potently reduces cortisol and may indirectly support testosterone; should be cycled and not used continuously at high doses for more than ~2 weeks.

L-carnitine (oral or injectable prescription form) can improve sperm motility, egg quality and supports fertility.

Maca root can increase libido, particularly in women and in people with SSRI-induced lowered libido, likely via dopamine pathways.

Fadogia agrestis ~600mg/day may increase luteinizing hormone, testosterone and libido; must be cycled and dosage strictly observed due to potential testicular toxicity.

InsideTracker offers in-home blood tests and panels useful for monitoring hormone and biomarker changes.

Get blood work before and ~4–8 weeks after starting/stopping any hormone-augmenting supplement to objectively evaluate effects.

Tongkat Ali at 200–600mg/day can raise free testosterone (by reducing SHBG) and libido in men and women; does not need cycling.

Caffeine at 1–3 mg/kg body weight ~30 minutes before mental/physical work enhances alertness and focus.

Yerba mate is a recommended caffeine source, but avoid smoked varieties because they are carcinogenic.

Alpha-GPC 300–600mg enhances focus via acetylcholine; host personally takes 300mg before cognitive work or workouts.

L-tyrosine 500–1000mg as a dopamine precursor can tighten focus; some people experience a crash afterward.

Host uses phenylethylamine as a shorter-acting dopamine augmenter instead of L-tyrosine.

Take 1–3 grams of EPA per day from fish oil to support mood, offset depression, cardiovascular and metabolic function, and cognitive performance.

Aim for roughly 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight per day, per Layne Norton's framework.

Whey protein supplements are useful for meeting protein thresholds for muscle building and other purposes.

Potato protein may be a good plant-based substitute for whey, per data discussed with Layne Norton.

For non-foundational supplements, use single-ingredient formulations and test one at a time (~1 week each) to identify what actually works for you and find minimum effective doses.

Momentous Supplements is the host's partnered supplement brand featuring single-ingredient formulations and international shipping.