203 replies to this topic

[TheFountain]

Oh I forgot to mention melatonin, which has pretty much single handedly fixed my insomnia, for the most part. But this is silly, there is no theoretical top 5 in my opinion, only a bunch that work in synchronization. That could be 5 for one function, 5 for another, 10 for another.

[yucca06]

If I just keep 5 :

D3
Resveratrol
Rhodiola
idebenone
Taurine

[Rich D]

D3
Vitamin C
Ubiquinol
K2
Carnosine

[DeadMeat]

1 methylene blue
2 curcumin
3 DIM
4 carnosine
5 purslane extract + melatonin + ALCAR + d3 + k2 + b12 + magnesium (well, it could have been one supplement if only someone would have thought of stuffing it in one capsule)

[niner]

Shanek's subthread split off to here. -mod

[Baird]

EGGS
Benefit: Weight loss
GREEN TEA
Benefit: Longer lifespan
GARLIC
Benefit: Cardiovascular strengthening
GREEK YOGURT
Benefit: Feeling fuller for longer

[blueinfinity]

This is a very personal list, based mostly on my experiences with different supps. Doses per day.

1. Lithium
Oh god yeah. 5-10mg Lithium 1h before bed replace the Ambien I need in stressful times (read: most of the time) to get to sleep, while FREAKING PROTECTING MY BRAIN. I am really, really thankful for this.

2. St. Johns Wort
750mg untreated powder, aerial parts. Very probably saved me from burnout during internships. Stops the development of psychosomatic problems I often have when stressed (pain in thoracic spine for me).

3. Xylitol
10g. Really a sup? Don't care. Saved my teeth from otherwise nearly inevitable decay. Again, very thankful for this.

4. Vitamin B12 (Methylcobalamine)
1g Reduces fatigue in me. Good, clean energy.

5. Maca
Ca. 5g. Relaxes my nether regions, increases sexual performance. Would be very interested in what Chinese Medicine has to say about it. Too much cools my body temperature to the point where I couldn't go outside in cold weather.


Runner-Up.
Vit D, because everybody says so
Good data, cheap as dirt, reasonable amount won't hurt you.

would be great if more people explained the reasoning behind their top 5 like this one here, i would be interested in learning more

[mustardseed41]

1) Lithium Orotate
No question for me which is my number one. I've taken it for 1.5 years now. 15mg daily in divided doses. I'm so much at ease with life now. Less stress=huge anti-aging. I wanna shout to the world about this supp.....but keep quiet cause they will only think I'm a loony..."Hey...that's for crazy people...right?"

2)Vitamin D3
No need to explain this one

3)Vitamin K2 (especially MK7)
Love knowing its helping to keep the calcium out of my arteries and into my bones.

4)Melatonin
3 mg nightly

5)Benfotiamine
600mg Potent anti-glycation supp

Hard to fit my top supps into just 5. Fish oil would be there but I could always eat more oily fish.
Other top supps...magnesium, beta-alanine, dhea, astaxanthin, lutein, stinging nettle root (helps keep testosterone from binding...probably should be in my top 5)

[Kevnzworld]

1) Lithium Orotate
No question for me which is my number one. I've taken it for 1.5 years now. 15mg daily in divided doses. I'm so much at ease with life now. Less stress=huge anti-aging. I wanna shout to the world about this supp.....but keep quiet cause they will only think I'm a loony..."Hey...that's for crazy people...right?"

2)Vitamin D3
No need to explain this one

3)Vitamin K2 (especially MK7)
Love knowing its helping to keep the calcium out of my arteries and into my bones.

4)Melatonin
3 mg nightly

5)Benfotiamine
600mg Potent anti-glycation supp

Hard to fit my top supps into just 5. Fish oil would be there but I could always eat more oily fish.
Other top supps...magnesium, beta-alanine, dhea, astaxanthin, lutein, stinging nettle root (helps keep testosterone from binding...probably should be in my top 5)

I would cut back on the benfotiamine , I have. I now take a more moderate 100 mg. you can search out the benfotiamine thread on longecity for the discussion. I concluded that there is a cancer promotion risk at higher doses.
Add carnosine, taurine ( not at the same time ) and B6 ( P5P) to your antiglycation regimen.....

[blueinfinity]

1) Lithium Orotate
No question for me which is my number one. I've taken it for 1.5 years now. 15mg daily in divided doses. I'm so much at ease with life now. Less stress=huge anti-aging. I wanna shout to the world about this supp.....but keep quiet cause they will only think I'm a loony..."Hey...that's for crazy people...right?"

2)Vitamin D3
No need to explain this one

3)Vitamin K2 (especially MK7)
Love knowing its helping to keep the calcium out of my arteries and into my bones.

4)Melatonin
3 mg nightly

5)Benfotiamine
600mg Potent anti-glycation supp

Hard to fit my top supps into just 5. Fish oil would be there but I could always eat more oily fish.
Other top supps...magnesium, beta-alanine, dhea, astaxanthin, lutein, stinging nettle root (helps keep testosterone from binding...probably should be in my top 5)

I am really suprised at how many are taking the vitamin D, i heard toxic at high enough levels, and must be people from areas without much sun, i heard for californians or other areas with sun, vitamin d supplementation is not necesary, could be toxic, not sure though.

lithium orotate, morning or night?

[mustardseed41]

1) Lithium Orotate
No question for me which is my number one. I've taken it for 1.5 years now. 15mg daily in divided doses. I'm so much at ease with life now. Less stress=huge anti-aging. I wanna shout to the world about this supp.....but keep quiet cause they will only think I'm a loony..."Hey...that's for crazy people...right?"

2)Vitamin D3
No need to explain this one

3)Vitamin K2 (especially MK7)
Love knowing its helping to keep the calcium out of my arteries and into my bones.

4)Melatonin
3 mg nightly

5)Benfotiamine
600mg Potent anti-glycation supp

Hard to fit my top supps into just 5. Fish oil would be there but I could always eat more oily fish.
Other top supps...magnesium, beta-alanine, dhea, astaxanthin, lutein, stinging nettle root (helps keep testosterone from binding...probably should be in my top 5)

I am really suprised at how many are taking the vitamin D, i heard toxic at high enough levels, and must be people from areas without much sun, i heard for californians or other areas with sun, vitamin d supplementation is not necesary, could be toxic, not sure though.

lithium orotate, morning or night?

Something not often talked about is the older you get, the less vitamin D you absorb from the sun.
I take the lithium morning, mid day, evening

http://www.lef.org/m...s-Deaths_01.htm

http://www.lef.org/m...-Members_01.htm

http://rockcreekfree...9440581/lithium

[DukeNukem]

D3
K2
Magnesium
Fish oil
B-complex


Next 5:

Resveratrol + grape seed extract
Pomegranate extract
Blueberry extract
Green tea extract
CoQ10

[Mind]

Right now I take ( in no order of importance)

Low dose aspirin
Fish oil
D3
Melatonin
(low dose multi vitamin/mineral....if that counts)

Lithium would probably be on my list but since Vimmortal is currently out of production I haven't been taking it, because I didn't want to buy it seperately.

[mikey]

I am about to order some of LE's "super bio curcumin"...worth it? Or should I go with their one that has bioperine and is cheaper?

I don't know about their super biocurcumin. Are those claims supported in any way? Piperine has research supporting its use with curcumin. I can't quite work out what the magic ingredient is in the biocurcumin that is supposed to increase bioavailability. At any rate, I would recommend Swanson's curcumin with piperine. I used it first - very good I thought. Right now I'm using Jarrows' without piperine and I don't find it to be very good at all.

Super bio curcumin is not even close to as absorbable as Meriva curcumin, which is curcumin enclosed in liposomes.
http://www.swansonvi...-mg-60-veg-caps

There are numerous companies that sell the licensed product called Meriva, so shop.

[renfr]

1. Vitamin D3 (really a must be for anyone who's deficient)
2. Liposomal glutathione (this one has amazed me by its abilities to really give a new boost physically to my body)
3. Vitamin C (all forms especially liposomal form except ascorbic acid)
4. Cholinergics (especially soy lecithin, choline bitartrate and citicholine)
5. Magnesium

[chung_pao]

Growing up, my parents knew nothing about nurition and I was a naive candy-gobbling fatface.
These supps, among other things, have helped me recover from childhood malnutrition.

1. Fish oil + Eggs.
Has helped me recover from severe ocd and neurosis. How? It has probably contributed to neurogenesis and generation of a stronger nervous system.
Also helps my nervous system recover from strength training when used in higher doses.
The eggs provide a superior source of choline. (this is just my experience)

2. Green tea and supplemental egcg; fat loss, through many mechanisms.
Green tea suppresses appetite, stimulates me in a unique way (caffeine, l-theanine and other substances) and provides thermogenesis.
EGCG is the best hormetic I've experimented with so far.

3. Calcium, Magnesium, D3, K2 (mk-7) (it's all in one supplement, taken with other dairy products for absorption).
Has helped me gain bone-mass and strengthen my entire body.

4. Ginkgo biloba: awesome nootropic. Vasodilation and perfect MAO-inhibition. Decent half-life.

5. Modafinil. Potentially risky, but life's supposed to be as enjoyable and productive as one can make it (IMO).
Modafinil helps with that sometimes

Also want to give a shout out to L-tyrosine and Piracetam. They both place 6th.

Right now I take ( in no order of importance)

Low dose aspirin
Fish oil
D3
Melatonin
(low dose multi vitamin/mineral....if that counts)

Lithium would probably be on my list but since Vimmortal is currently out of production I haven't been taking it, because I didn't want to buy it seperately.

Why aspirin?
I've used it sometimes lately for nootropic purposes. I find it's awesome for circulation and really helps cognition in a very pleasant way.
But I avoid consistent use because of the purported risk of ulcers.

Edited by chung_pao, 04 February 2013 - 01:58 AM.

[Thorsten3]

I am about to order some of LE's "super bio curcumin"...worth it? Or should I go with their one that has bioperine and is cheaper?

I don't know about their super biocurcumin. Are those claims supported in any way? Piperine has research supporting its use with curcumin. I can't quite work out what the magic ingredient is in the biocurcumin that is supposed to increase bioavailability. At any rate, I would recommend Swanson's curcumin with piperine. I used it first - very good I thought. Right now I'm using Jarrows' without piperine and I don't find it to be very good at all.

Super bio curcumin is not even close to as absorbable as Meriva curcumin, which is curcumin enclosed in liposomes.
http://www.swansonvi...-mg-60-veg-caps

There are numerous companies that sell the licensed product called Meriva, so shop.

Well, in terms of psychoactive effects the effects of super bio curcumin are far stronger than that of Meriva. The piperine appears to play a crucial role in its effects.

Have you tried the super bio version? It's much stronger. If you haven't, try it, and compare it to Meriva.

[cuprous]

I'm suprised there isn't more mention of NAC / L-cysteine here. It's the only proven way, AFAIK, to boost your glutathione levels which basically stop your mitochondria from becoming worn-out pollution generators. Is there a down side people know about that I'm unfamiliar with?

[mikey]

Very high potency multivitamin/mineral/antioxidant formula that includes 5,000 IU of vitamin D - must cover all the essential nutrients
High dose fish oil - 4,000 mg net EPA/DHA
Carnosine - 2,000 mg/day
Solgar Astragalus Extract - four a day -- increases NK telomeres
GPLC (Glycine Propionyl L-Carnitine) 4,000 mg/day - works as well as Viagra and supports heart health

I'm suprised there isn't more mention of NAC / L-cysteine here. It's the only proven way, AFAIK, to boost your glutathione levels which basically stop your mitochondria from becoming worn-out pollution generators. Is there a down side people know about that I'm unfamiliar with?

I agree. If I could have six one would be NAC. It's one of the true anti-aging immune boosters.
3200 - 8000 mg of NAC was shown to reduce mortality in people with HIV at the Herzenberg Lab at Stanford.
600 mg twice a day was shown to reduce flu symptoms 54% better than placebo in a six month study.

I am about to order some of LE's "super bio curcumin"...worth it? Or should I go with their one that has bioperine and is cheaper?

I don't know about their super biocurcumin. Are those claims supported in any way? Piperine has research supporting its use with curcumin. I can't quite work out what the magic ingredient is in the biocurcumin that is supposed to increase bioavailability. At any rate, I would recommend Swanson's curcumin with piperine. I used it first - very good I thought. Right now I'm using Jarrows' without piperine and I don't find it to be very good at all.

Super bio curcumin is not even close to as absorbable as Meriva curcumin, which is curcumin enclosed in liposomes.
http://www.swansonvi...-mg-60-veg-caps

There are numerous companies that sell the licensed product called Meriva, so shop.

Well, in terms of psychoactive effects the effects of super bio curcumin are far stronger than that of Meriva. The piperine appears to play a crucial role in its effects.

Have you tried the super bio version? It's much stronger. If you haven't, try it, and compare it to Meriva.

To you have a reference for the psychoactive effects?

Right now I take ( in no order of importance)

Low dose aspirin
Fish oil
D3
Melatonin
(low dose multi vitamin/mineral....if that counts)

Lithium would probably be on my list but since Vimmortal is currently out of production I haven't been taking it, because I didn't want to buy it seperately.

Why lithium and what dose?

[npcomplete]

I think these "what do you take" threads have limited meaning without detailed info on the person, like blood work, gender, age, height/weight, health goals, etc. This is different for everybody.

In my case the basics are that I am 5' 10" at 165 pounds, male, early sixties, low normal lipid profile with (Tot Chol, HDL, LDL, Trig) = (157, 79, 71(Friedewald) 40(Iranian), 35), paleo/Mediterranean diet, moderate weight training, etc., and generally "moderate" in just about everything. My main concern is Barrett's Esophagus (minor, with no signs of dysplasia), so my supplement focus leans towards anti-cancer:

1.) IP-6 + inositol (monitor ferritin levels)
2.) Vit. D (previously titrated to 25(OH)D = 50, now retargeting to 40)
3.) Vit K MK4/MK7 (LEF), historically borderline (high normal) hypercalcemic, K seems to have fixed that
4.) Curcumin
5.) Good wine and beer

I take a number of other things regularly, and cycle other things as part of the anti-cancer protocol, but those are top secret (actually not, but the OP only asked for 5).

If anything, I would like to increase (in a healthy way) my blood lipids, given the association between low total cholesterol and all cause mortality. My goal is to push the limits of a long healthy life under the constraint that moderate consumption of good wine and beer and enjoying life are part of the equation!

[mikeinnaples]

I'm suprised there isn't more mention of NAC / L-cysteine here. It's the only proven way, AFAIK, to boost your glutathione levels which basically stop your mitochondria from becoming worn-out pollution generators. Is there a down side people know about that I'm unfamiliar with?

This: http://www.ncbi.nlm....les/PMC1952618/

Discussion here: http://www.longecity...steine-nacsafe/

However, I am not convinced like some of our community that this is really an issue.

[renfr]

If your HR doesn't go berserk and you don't experience difficulty breathing then NAC shouldn't be a problem.
However I think that doses over 500mg long term are not very safe, not only because of SNOAC and PAH but also because it increases fluid retention and can cause edema.
Apart from that it's a very good supplement.
The safest way to raise your glutathione is to use Liposomal glutathione, it's glutathione encapsulated in lecithin which makes the absorption be near to 100%. And also it goes where it needs to : in your cells.
However this supplement is still expensive compared to NAC.
0,04 cents for a NAC dose, $2,3 for a liposomal glutathione dose :(

[Mind]

Why lithium? Here are some past thoughts about it: http://www.longecity...evity-benefits/

[jadamgo]

In no particular order:

Tea: caffeine, theanine, antioxidants, and by far the best-tasting supplement

Piracetam: effective, and the price is right -- but if money is no object, then noopept takes piracetam's place

Low-dose sublingual selegiline: neuroprotection, neurogenesis, dopaminergic boost, and sublingual administration prevents formation of levoamphetamines

Low-dose methylphenidate: neuroprotection, mild/nonexistent side effects, and of course stellar effectiveness across multiple domains of cognitive enhancement -- but all of this applies ONLY to low doses! High-dose MPH is a different animal, a psychiatric drug with significant side effects

Multivitamin: I don't care what the nutritionists say about "healthy diets include enough vitamins already" because nobody except nutritionists actually eats such diets every single day. I'm no fan of megadosing though, so something with 50% RDA will probably do the trick just as well as some high-potency expensive "superfood"-laced smelly horse pill.

Edited by jadamgo, 04 February 2013 - 08:36 PM.

[mikey]

I am about to order some of LE's "super bio curcumin"...worth it? Or should I go with their one that has bioperine and is cheaper?

I don't know about their super biocurcumin. Are those claims supported in any way? Piperine has research supporting its use with curcumin. I can't quite work out what the magic ingredient is in the biocurcumin that is supposed to increase bioavailability. At any rate, I would recommend Swanson's curcumin with piperine. I used it first - very good I thought. Right now I'm using Jarrows' without piperine and I don't find it to be very good at all.

Super bio curcumin is not even close to as absorbable as Meriva curcumin, which is curcumin enclosed in liposomes.
http://www.swansonvi...-mg-60-veg-caps

There are numerous companies that sell the licensed product called Meriva, so shop.

Well, in terms of psychoactive effects the effects of super bio curcumin are far stronger than that of Meriva. The piperine appears to play a crucial role in its effects.

Have you tried the super bio version? It's much stronger. If you haven't, try it, and compare it to Meriva.

What psychoactive effects are you perceiving?

I have both and have taken both. Meriva uses liposomes to increase intracellular absorption, so that you get something like 90% inside cells.

Super bio curcumin is just the same curcumin95 extract that Jarrow and other companies sell.

It absorbs better than the old version of curcumin but it's not as effective as curcumin with bioperine because bioperine can increase absorption 2000%, as seen in this study.

[Telo]

Cycloastragenol
(I would take TA-65 if I could afford it, although it is likely the same as Cycloastragenol)
for telomerase activation.
Because if I can keep the cells young from the inside out, maybe many of the
other so called anti-aging supplements won't be necessary.

Omega 3
a no-brainer, no explanation needed

Vitamin D
at least when I'm not getting enough sun (which is most of the time where I live)

Vitamin K2
as someone said in this thread; because I want my calcium in the bones and not in the blood vessels

Multivitamin/-mineral
reduced dose, without iron

[niner]

Cycloastragenol
(I would take TA-65 if I could afford it, although it is likely the same as Cycloastragenol)
for telomerase activation.
Because if I can keep the cells young from the inside out, maybe many of the
other so called anti-aging supplements won't be necessary.

TA-65 has been shown to be cycloastragenol. I'm afraid there's more to aging than telomeres, though. Telomere attrition is only one of a number of problems.

[Telo]

Cycloastragenol
(I would take TA-65 if I could afford it, although it is likely the same as Cycloastragenol)
for telomerase activation.
Because if I can keep the cells young from the inside out, maybe many of the
other so called anti-aging supplements won't be necessary.

TA-65 has been shown to be cycloastragenol. I'm afraid there's more to aging than telomeres, though. Telomere attrition is only one of a number of problems.

Yes, indeed. It's far from the only problem. But it may well be, as Bill Andrews puts it: "the shortest fuse".

I'm a bit surprised that I'm the only one that has mentioned telomerase activators in this thread so far.

[monkeywrench]

Fish Oil
Magnesium Chloride
5htp
Glutamine
Taurine

also, I take DPA--when needed-- and L-Tyrosine, in lieu of coffee in the mornings

[mikey]

If your HR doesn't go berserk and you don't experience difficulty breathing then NAC shouldn't be a problem.
However I think that doses over 500mg long term are not very safe, not only because of SNOAC and PAH but also because it increases fluid retention and can cause edema.
Apart from that it's a very good supplement.
The safest way to raise your glutathione is to use Liposomal glutathione, it's glutathione encapsulated in lecithin which makes the absorption be near to 100%. And also it goes where it needs to : in your cells.
However this supplement is still expensive compared to NAC.
0,04 cents for a NAC dose, $2,3 for a liposomal glutathione dose :(

Where do you find data that says that NAC above 500 mg is unsafe or that it causes difficulty breathing or a high heart rate?

I regularly take 3600 mg a day for anti-aging and immune boosting purposes.

And yes, I prefer liposomal glutathione.

NAC dosed at 3200 mg to 8000 mg decreased mortality and was seen to be completely safe at the Herzenberg Lab at Stanford some years back.

A placebo-controlled six-month study showed that 600 mg twice daily decreased flu symptoms 54% better than placebo and found it completely safe.

I have seen no data that show it causing the problems you noted.

Do you have references?