The supplement stack we actually take (and why)

The supplement industry is a $50-billion-a-year confidence game. Most products are unnecessary; many are actively contaminated. But a small number of supplements have a strong enough evidence base, and a clear enough mechanism, that they belong in most adult routines.

Here's the stack. No proprietary blends, no hype, no cult.

1. A real multivitamin (with methylated B's)

Foundational nutrient insurance. The standout is methylated B vitamins — specifically 5-MTHF folate and methylcobalamin B12. About 30–40% of people have an MTHFR variant that makes converting synthetic folic acid difficult; methylated forms bypass the bottleneck.

Our pick: Thorne Basic Nutrients 2/Day.

2. Omega-3 (ideally as cod liver oil, not capsules)

Capsule fish oils oxidize on the shelf. Raw cod liver oil — taken by the spoon — gives you EPA, DHA, and a natural ratio of vitamins A and D.

Our pick: Rosita Extra Virgin Cod Liver Oil.

3. Creatine monohydrate, 5g/day

The most-studied supplement in human history. Originally an athletic supplement; now we know it supports cognitive function, especially under sleep deprivation and stress.

Our pick: Momentous Creatine.

4. Magnesium glycinate or a multi-form, in the evening

Magnesium is depleted by stress, alcohol, and intense exercise. The glycinate form is gentle on the gut. Take in the evening for a small but real sleep benefit.

Our pick: Moon Juice Magnesi-Om.

5. Vitamin D3 + K2, October through March

If you live north of Atlanta, you're not making meaningful vitamin D in winter. Test your levels (25-hydroxy vitamin D); aim for 40–60 ng/mL. K2 helps direct calcium where it belongs.

What we don't take daily

• AG1 / Athletic Greens: $99/month for what's mostly an undisclosed-dose multivitamin in greens form. Skip.
• Mega-dose melatonin: 5–10mg is way more than physiology asks for. Use 0.3mg if anything.
• Most "longevity stacks": Resveratrol, fisetin, spermidine, NMN — interesting, evolving research, mostly not yet at the level of the five above.

The stack above costs less than $200/month combined and rests on decades of human research. That's the bar.