If I had to say when my journey into understanding supplementation and how it can benefit longevity started, it was when I found out that my dad was diagnosed with ALS . At the time, I was extremely depressed in knowing that the remaining time I had to spend with my father was in terms of months and maybe a few years. At the time, the diagnosis was a life expectancy of 3 to 5 years and one in 10 people with ALS would survive 10 years and only one and 20 people would live 20 years. It was about that time that I began to experiment with supplementation with hope that I could somehow crack the code to longevity and repair the neurological damage that was causing the rapid degradation of his physical form. I remember spending countless hours online reading both popular and also scholarly academic research into supplements and their benefits for anti-aging as well as anti-inflammation and antioxidant support. And I hatched this crazy notion that I would buy the supplements and then force my father to take them with me and that we would both embark on this journey of consuming supplements with the hope that we could slow down the progression of ALS and I could somehow extend his life.
It began with a caterpillar fungus that was harvested by Tibetans in the Himalayan at a value of more than the price per ounce of gold, but this powder made from the fungus that infested a caterpillar in the high mountain plateau of the Himalayan Range was known by local apothecaries to have amazing antioxidant and anti-aging properties. I bought the powder and brought it to my father‘s house and insisted that he consume copious teaspoons of this horrible tasting ingredient, and I promised him that I would also take it and that there might be a chance, even if it was a longshot that could slow down the rapid acceleration of his neurodegeneration.
This one ingredient, then became a handful of supplements and here was my father at first walking with a cane and then in a wheelchair and then in a power scooter and he’s losing his functionality and at the same time, he’s indulging my wildest ambitions to keep him alive against all odds .
Meanwhile, he’s taking intravenous treatments that cost $1500 a bag and several thousands of dollars a month which are approved by the FDA and claimed to reduce the progression of ALS between 15 and 20% which in a matter of months and years equates to may be a few weeks or months of extended lifespan .
We would count and calculate the cost per milliliter every drop costing a quarter for this FDA approved treatment, which by the way was only covered under insurance by the government with special exclusion for those who were declared disabled and I remember how difficult it was for my parents to rationalize spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on not-quite experimental treatment just for the sake of having the hope of being alive a little bit longer.
It was a lesson in endurance and resilience at the time and it probably did help to keep my father alive a little bit longer, but eventually he succumbed to the disease and I put aside my notion of being able to save him or at least extend his life and I moved on with my own.
That was in May 2020 and it wasn’t until a few years later when I learned of a man named Brian Johnson, who had created a program called the blueprint which was touted as a multi million dollar program designed to reverse the aging process and in learning about this, I watched some of the videos where this gentleman claimed that his biological processes, organs and physical systems had somehow reversed in age.
It sounded too good to be true, so I did a little investigating into his protocol, and I discovered that several of the supplements that he had integrated and in the process spent millions of dollars to determine they were affective and reversing the age and extending the life or utility of his physical systems were the supplements that I had discovered on my own.
I decided then that I would put some more time and effort into developing my own protocol of supplementation . But this really didn’t take on much momentum until my grandfather passed away at the age of 92 last year. My grandfather had spent years riding his mountain bike with me and riding in fundraisers for cancer treatment because he had been a cancer survivor several times over and this was something we both shared and the activity that was sacred for the fact that we could raise money and cure a disease at the same time. When he passed away, I had this realization that each of us lives on borrowed time, and while we cannot determine the manner or the time or place of our ending in this form in this physical life, I felt that I could at least honor the gift of life by working to do my best with the resources I had to make my life as productive as possible.
So I went back to the research and evaluated the supplements that I had already discovered, and the ones that I had cross referenced to multi million dollar programs for anti-aging and continued to develop my own protocol .
Now I should say that I’ve been married and I’ve been divorced and before my marriage, I was in exceptional shape, but as time would allow, I gained quite a bit of weight and it was so that when I found myself on my own after 10 years of a relationship, I had gained significant weight. In middle to late 20s I weighed around 155 to 165 pounds and lean with muscle but not bulked up like a bodybuilder…more fit than big; and when I found myself single and alone again, I was up to 220 pounds. And as much as I tried to lose weight the years after my separation and divorce, I was never able to really break the 200 pound mark and my weight would fluctuate from year to year with seasonality and I would gain about 20 pounds in the winter and lose it in the summer and my weight would swing between 200 and 220 pounds.
I never felt overweight because I had always been active, but I began to realize that for all of the physical exertion in hiking and biking and rock climbing, I had become accustomed to carrying extra weight and a sedentary daily lifestyle with a desk job only added to the inability to lose weight while the convenience of quick meals and eating out, coupled with the office responsibilities of my academic development, prevented me from actively living a physically engaged lifestyle like I had done in my early 20s.
So I carried a lot of that weight around, even after my father died, and while I worked out routinely, including running on the treadmill and lifting weights, I really wasn’t losing the pounds and I was consuming more and more proteins and fats to maintain a built and muscular physique probably on top of a lot of unnecessary weight .
When my grandfather died, I made a promise to myself that I was going to change the way I approached my diet and my exercise and my mindset along with the supplementation because I wanted to see what I could do to improve the chance of living past 100 years old .
I tell people I’d like to be 150 and most people say they would never want to live that long because they wouldn’t be able to manage their mindset and they wouldn’t know what they were doing or who they were or they would lose their identity or their body would breakdown or they would be miserable or in some facility somewhere and that their quality of life would be so poor that why would anybody wanna live past 100 .
I totally disagree with that attitude, so I got to work defining my protocol and while it is a work in process and bound to evolve to include other supplementation and ingredients, I think my protocol has gotten to a point where it is sufficient enough to give me the results or at least the baseline requirements so that my body can heal itself, reduce inflammation, improve the chance of extending cell life and contribute to optimal biological and physiological support so that I can have the best chance of living a healthy, long lasting life.
I should tell you I’ve been on my supplementation protocol for nearly 9 months, adding to it only modestly, and in that time, I’ve realized some amazing alterations in my body, mind and possibly even my soul .
As far as my body goes, I’ve lost significant weight to the tune of over 40 pounds since I began this supplementation protocol and I am currently at around 175 pounds on track to hit 165 pounds in the next few months with a goal to get to a manageable weight of 155 pounds. Part of that weight loss is due to consumption of just simply less food because the supplementation provides a significant portion of essential nutrients which are found in some of the healthiest foods. I take supplements that are super food nutrients that can be found in berries and cruciferous vegetables and herbs and nootropics, also focusing on amino acids and fatty acids and other essential ingredients for optimal health.
From a holistic perspective, my protocol is developed to improve anti-aging , anti-inflammatory response, and antioxidants which are shown to reduce the quantity of free radicals in the blood and organ systems and the idea here as that a tripartite approach to supplementation will reduce the likelihood or susceptibility to cancer, while also increasing the longevity of cells, thereby extending life because in many cell programs in the body there are only so many cells that can be generated and replaced, and if we can extend the life of a cell, then we are required to replace and generate fewer times resulting in a longer lifespan while the antioxidant effect reduces the inherent damage that cells absorb due to free radicals which are shown to compromise cellular, integrity, and cause cell death.
That sounds like a hefty promise and so I’m not promising that this supplementation protocol will extend your life or will anyway improve the quality of your life or somehow reverse your aging process or even prevent pain and suffering, although I truly hope that it will .
This is a protocol where the sample size is one, because I am to my knowledge the only person on the planet, consuming this combination of supplements with the intent of extending my lifespan, reducing the rate of cell death and alleviating the inherent pain and suffering that is caused by inflammation .
But I wanna share some experiences that I think lend credibility to the concept of supplementation and nutrient protocols as a complement to a healthy diet and responsible exercise routine .
I began this supplementation protocol in September 2023 and in the first week of January 2024 while snowboarding I injured myself breaking my proximal humerus at the end of the second day on the slopes, and when I returned home from that trip, I was in excruciating pain, not withstanding the bruising and potential concussion that I had suffered from the accident but at that same time while I was being told this would take 12 weeks before I could load weight on my arm or do any type of load-bearing exercises. I was feeling a sense of repair and a rapid accelerated healing process so that within a three weeks, I was able to sleep without a sling to keep my arm in traction, and I was somehow able to outpace the timeframe for healing and recovery that the doctor suggested I would be required to follow.
The injury itself also put me off of my routine seasonal schedule of exercises which included a hefty amount of mountain biking, and technical riding, which I usually would start in March but because of my injury was unable to really endure a bike ride until May, so I had a delay of two months due to my injury to start riding my bike this year, but when I started riding, I was also able to ride my bike longer with fewer breaks; and maintain higher levels of innate energy on my rides. And my recovery times between bike rides were much less to the point where I could ride 15 to 20 miles for several days in a row without fatigue whereas only a year ago when riding my bike, I could only ride a 15 to 20 mile ride once or maybe twice in a week.
I have to believe that the rapid acceleration of my healing process for my arm, as well as the ability to ride longer and more frequently with less time to recover in between bike rides, is due to the combination of my diet, along with mindfulness in my daily routines and the supplementation which complement this very active lifestyle.
Since I began this supplementation protocol, I’ve lost around 40 pounds . And there’s obviously more weight that I can lose. I haven’t yet put back on the muscle in my upper body and I’m still carrying extra body fat that with continued progress will melt away as I continue this diet and exercise with supplementation protocol.
But I want to talk a little bit more about the supplementation protocol because when I designed this, I focused on the inherent weaknesses in my genetic composition, as well as my family medical history and other factors that I knew needed to be attended based on what I had seen relatives endure. I paid special attention to the organs and systems that I knew might be areas of concern based on my genetics.
So I wanted to focus on both the organs and systems, but also the whole body and the refraction time of recovery between exercise when building this protocol, also adhering to the sound scientific research that promoted or supported the supplements that I integrated into my routine .
It would take me an entire book to explain each supplement and why I selected it as part of my protocol, but I wanted to give you an overall sense or general impression of how my protocol might help heal the various systems and processes in my physical body and how they complement a healthy diet and exercise routine .
Know that this protocol is custom designed for my personal benefit, but I believe that most if not all of the ingredients in this protocol can help anybody who is looking to augment their lifestyle or to find ways other than over-exercise or extreme weight loss programs to find a balance and consistency in a routine that complements an active healthy lifestyle.
So this protocol works in a holistic way both at the organic level for systems like endocrine or cognition or digestion, but also focuses on organs themselves like the heart, the brain, the kidney, liver and so forth .
My protocol is taken over 48 hours and includes nearly 70 ingredients, but I have to say that it is a couple dozen pills and the premise of my protocol is that recommended daily allowances for most nutrients are overkill and the industry is driven by over supplementation and in fact, many of the recommended daily allowances do not exist for many supplements so unregulated nutrients are often suggested in doses that exceeded our bodies’ ability to digest or process or put to good use those ingredients. So my protocol is designed to extract beneficial amounts of nutrients without needing to take ridiculous volumes of ingredients, and that’s the key to being able to maintain so many nutrients and a supplementation protocol within a narrow timeframe. It simply would be impossible to consume the recommended daily allowances or the suggested dosing of many of these ingredients otherwise. This benefits the supplementation practitioner because the cost for supplements is decreased significantly because the dosing is significantly less, but also this enhances the dietary function which compliments the protocol because most of the ingredients that do not meet recommended daily allowances for vitamin and minerals in the supplementation can be found in regular foods that are both sustainable to consume and also beneficial because of their inherent nutritious properties.
What follows is a list of all of the nutrients that make up my supplementation protocol as well as a summary of the functional areas that my protocol is found in research to support or improve as well as recommendations for foods to consume to complement those ingredients which have recommended daily allowances what are not met by my protocol in and of itself.
Here are daily dosages for each ingredient in my protocol, based on a 48 hour supplementation regimen. And while this does not specifically identify the particular supplements I use to achieve these levels of supplementation, I have included both the individual benefits of each supplement as well as the overall system or organic benefits of the supplements and inherent risks or potential side-effects of the ingredients. My protocol should not be taken without consultation with medical doctors, herbists, homeopathic healers and common sense. But for me it is a good foundation for living a healthy life when adhered to with diet and exercise:
Supplementation Protocol – Values are per day based on taking all ingredients over a 48 hour period:
1. Brain and Nervous System
– Ingredients:
– Ginkgo Biloba Extract (60 mg): Enhances cognitive function and memory.
– Korean Ginseng Extract (100 mg), Red Chinese Ginseng (100 mg), Manchurian Ginseng (100 mg), American Ginseng (5 mg): Improve mental clarity and energy.
– Rhodiola Rosea (500 mg): Reduces mental fatigue and enhances cognitive function.
– NAD+ (500 mg): Supports cellular energy and brain health.
– Nicotinamide Riboside (750 mg): Boosts NAD+ levels, aiding brain function and longevity.
– Omega 3 Fish Oil (500 mg): Supports brain health and reduces inflammation.
– Vitamin B1 (1 mg), Vitamin B2 (1.13 mg), Vitamin B6 (1.33 mg), Folate (221.67 mcg): Essential for neurotransmitter synthesis and brain function.
– Vitamin B6 (1.5 mg): Supports neurotransmitter synthesis.
– Benefits: Enhanced cognitive function, reduced mental fatigue, improved memory, and overall brain health.
– Risks: Overstimulation in sensitive individuals, possible interactions with medications.
2. Immune System
– Ingredients:
– Vitamin C (80 mg + 10 mg): Boosts immune function and acts as an antioxidant.
– Vitamin D (7142 IU + 20 mcg): Enhances immune response.
– Zinc (5 mg): Critical for immune function.
– Selenium (23.33 mcg): Supports antioxidant defenses and immune function.
– Probiotic Complex (325 mg): Supports gut health, a major component of immune health.
– Astragalus Extract (250 mg): Enhances immune response.
– Cordyceps Sinensis (1000 mg): Modulates immune function and improves energy.
– Black Pepper Extract (0.83 mg + 1.25 mg): Enhances bioavailability of other supplements.
– Benefits: Enhanced immune response, better gut health, and overall resistance to infections.
– Risks: High doses of Vitamin D and Zinc can be toxic over time; ensure balance and monitoring.
3. Musculoskeletal System
– Ingredients:
– Calcium (50 mg): Essential for bone health.
– Magnesium (75 mg + 50 mg): Supports muscle and bone health.
– Vitamin D (7142 IU + 20 mcg): Facilitates calcium absorption for bone health.
– Complex of Glucosamine, Chondroitin, MSM, Turmeric, Boswellia Serrata, Collagen, Citrus Bioflavonoid Extract, Hyaluronic Acid (900 mg): Supports joint health and mobility.
– Boron (0.5 mg): Supports bone density.
– Collagen (part of the 900 mg complex): Supports joint and skin health.
– Benefits: Improved bone density, joint health, and muscle function.
– Risks: Excessive Calcium or Vitamin D can lead to calcification issues; balance is key.
4. Cardiovascular System
– Ingredients:
– CoQ10 (100 mg): Supports heart health and energy production.
– Resveratrol (166.67 mg): Antioxidant properties, supports cardiovascular health.
– Omega 3 Fish Oil (500 mg): Reduces inflammation and supports heart health.
– Vitamin E (14.4 mg): Antioxidant that supports heart health.
– Pterostilbene (75 mg), Trans-Pterostilbene (100 mg): Cardiovascular health and antioxidant properties.
– Magnesium (75 mg + 50 mg): Regulates heart rhythm.
– Potassium (59 mg): Important for heart function.
– Benefits: Reduced cardiovascular risk, improved heart function, and overall cardiovascular health.
– Risks: Over-supplementation can lead to imbalances; monitoring is essential.
5. Endocrine System
– Ingredients:
– D-Aspartic Acid (166.67 mg): Supports hormone production, particularly testosterone.
– Tribulus Terrestris Extract (100 mg): Enhances testosterone levels.
– Maca Root Powder (33.33 mg): Balances hormones and supports libido.
– Mucuna Pruriens Extract (33.33 mg): Supports dopamine production, indirectly affecting hormone balance.
– Vitamin D (7142 IU): Supports hormonal balance.
– Vitamin B6 (1.5 mg): Supports hormone regulation.
– Benefits: Improved hormonal balance, increased testosterone, and enhanced overall endocrine health.
– Risks: Hormonal imbalances if not properly managed; monitor hormone levels.
6. Digestive System
– Ingredients:
– Probiotic Complex (325 mg): Supports gut flora and digestion.
– Digestive Enzymes (part of the 325 mg complex): Aid in the breakdown and absorption of nutrients.
– Oat Straw Extract (33.33 mg): Supports digestive health.
– Banaba Leaf Extract (33.33 mg): Regulates blood sugar levels, aiding digestion.
– Black Pepper Extract (0.83 mg + 1.25 mg): Enhances nutrient absorption.
– Phosphatidylcholine (50 mg): Supports liver function and digestion.
– Organic Mustard Seed (30 mg): Supports digestion and liver function.
– Benefits: Improved digestion, nutrient absorption, and gut health.
– Risks: Potential for digestive upset if not balanced with diet.
7. General Health and Antioxidant Support
– Ingredients:
– Vitamin A (970 mcg): Supports vision and immune function.
– Vitamin C (80 mg + 10 mg): General antioxidant and immune support.
– Vitamin E (14.4 mg): Antioxidant that protects cells.
– Alpha Lipoic Acid (300 mg): Antioxidant that supports overall health.
– Quercetin (83.33 mg): Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.
– French Maritime Bark Extract (200 mg): Antioxidant and supports circulation.
– Saffron Extract (44.25 mg): Mood enhancement and antioxidant.
– Royal Jelly (50 mg): General health and vitality.
– MCT Oil (283.33 mg): Supports energy and cognitive function.
– Liposomal Sulforaphane (150 mg): Supports detoxification and antioxidant defense.
– Myrosinase Enzyme (125 mg): Enhances sulforaphane absorption.
– Betaine Anhydrous (750 mg): Supports liver function and methylation.
– Taurine (500 mg): Supports cardiovascular and overall health.
– Benefits: Enhanced antioxidant protection, overall health, and vitality.
– Risks: High doses of antioxidants can sometimes interfere with cellular processes; balance is key.
Implementation and Monitoring
To implement this supplementation protocol effectively, consider the following steps:
1. Initial Assessment: Conduct a thorough health assessment to identify any deficiencies or health concerns.
2. Customized Dosing: Adjust dosages based on individual needs and health status.
3. Monitoring: Regularly monitor health parameters, including blood work, to ensure efficacy and safety.
4. Adjustments: Make necessary adjustments based on feedback and health outcomes.
5. Balanced Diet and Lifestyle: Ensure the supplementation is complemented with a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle practices.
Conclusion
This supplementation protocol covers a wide range of health benefits across various systems. Regular monitoring and individualized adjustments are crucial to maximize benefits and minimize risks.
For many of these ingredients, there is no FDA approved recommended daily allowance, but for several of these ingredients US RDA levels are not achieved by the supplementation protocol and this routine must be accommodated by diet and natural food sources in particular. In addition because this protocol was custom designed for me individually, I must disclaim that there are a few supplementation levels that an average user would not benefit from and in fact, these levels may be detrimental to a person who does not have my particular physical nutrition circumstances.
For example, I have a Vitamin D deficiency so I must take max doses of Vitamin D, which is usually not recommended. Because Vitamin D and Calcium interact, I do not take calcium as a supplement and eat yogurt etc. instead. For the few items that are below RDA here are the suggested foods to correct those levels. So this makes up the diet and eating portion of the regimen and I eat lots of cheese, spinach, avocados, and dark chocolate, but need to eat more potassium like bananas etc.
Calcium
Protocol Amount: 50 mg
RDA: 1000 mg (adults)
Food Sources:
– Dairy Products: Milk, yogurt, and cheese (1 cup of milk = 300 mg calcium)
– Leafy Greens: Kale, collard greens, and broccoli (1 cup of cooked collard greens = 266 mg calcium)
– Fortified Foods: Fortified plant-based milks (e.g., almond milk) and orange juice (1 cup of fortified almond milk = 450 mg calcium)
– Sardines and Salmon: With bones (3 oz. of sardines = 325 mg calcium)
– Tofu: Made with calcium sulfate (1/2 cup = 253 mg calcium)
Magnesium
Protocol Amount: 125 mg
RDA: 400-420 mg (men), 310-320 mg (women)
Food Sources:
– Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, pumpkin seeds, and chia seeds (1 oz. of almonds = 80 mg magnesium)
– Whole Grains: Brown rice, quinoa, and whole wheat bread (1 cup of cooked quinoa = 118 mg magnesium)
– Legumes: Black beans, edamame, and lentils (1 cup of cooked black beans = 120 mg magnesium)
– Leafy Greens: Spinach and Swiss chard (1 cup of cooked spinach = 157 mg magnesium)
– Dark Chocolate: (1 oz. = 64 mg magnesium)
Potassium
Protocol Amount: 59 mg
RDA: 4700 mg
Food Sources:
– Fruits: Bananas, oranges, and avocados (1 medium banana = 422 mg potassium)
– Vegetables: Sweet potatoes, spinach, and broccoli (1 medium sweet potato = 541 mg potassium)
– Legumes: Beans, lentils, and chickpeas (1 cup of cooked lentils = 731 mg potassium)
– Fish: Salmon and tuna (3 oz. of salmon = 416 mg potassium)
– Dairy: Milk and yogurt (1 cup of milk = 366 mg potassium)
Folate
Protocol Amount: 221.67 mcg
RDA: 400 mcg
Food Sources:
– Leafy Greens: Spinach, kale, and Brussels sprouts (1 cup of cooked spinach = 263 mcg folate)
– Legumes: Black-eyed peas, lentils, and kidney beans (1 cup of cooked lentils = 358 mcg folate)
– Fortified Grains: Fortified cereals and bread (1 serving of fortified cereal = 100-400 mcg folate)
– Citrus Fruits: Oranges and grapefruit (1 cup of orange juice = 74 mcg folate)
– Avocados: (1 avocado = 81 mcg folate)
General Tips for Meeting Nutrient RDAs:
– Varied Diet: Incorporate a variety of foods from all food groups to ensure a balance of essential nutrients.
– Whole Foods: Focus on whole, unprocessed foods to maximize nutrient intake.
– Meal Planning: Plan meals that include a balance of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, and incorporate nutrient-rich foods.
This concludes the dietary supplementation protocol and dietary notes. If you have any further questions or need additional information, feel free to ask!
By including these foods in your daily diet, you can help ensure that you meet the RDAs for calcium, magnesium, potassium, and folate, thereby compensating for the nutrients that are below the RDA in the supplementation protocol.
Again, I want to disclaim that this protocol is inherently developed for my own personal benefit, but I truly believe, and I feel that the anecdotal evidence supports that a similar supplementation protocol can help you and that with a reasonable amount of scientific research and a healthy amount of skepticism with the right diet and exercise, a program like this will give you the best chance of a long, healthful, vigorous lifestyle where you can maintain your energy levels while improving your physical resilience and reduce recovery times between active pursuits. My goal in posting this is not so that you attempt to emulate my protocol or even dispute or compare it to other other protocols which people are charging significant amounts of money to promote and may or may not deliver on the promises or guarantees those programs espouse.
My goal is simply to inspire and motivate you to consider how you can use supplementation along with diet and exercise to improve the quality of your life because there is no reason why we cannot live each of us to be over 100 years old with full mental faculty and full physical ability if we are mindful and considerate of our physical limitations, as well as our inherent, genetic and biologic factors which most likely contribute to our lifespan, as well as the quality of time we put into our years.
I hope you found this interesting. If you have any questions whatsoever, you can reach out to me, and I would be happy to engage in a conversation on how you can benefit from the use of supplementation along with diet and exercise to improve your quality of life.
-Anthony Vatterott, PhD