Supplements

Use whey protein as a high-quality protein supplement to help meet daily protein needs, especially around training. It’s favored because it’s rapidly digested and rich in leucine, which supports muscle protein synthesis, recovery, and gains in muscle mass and strength.

Using nicotine in very small doses as a cognitive enhancer, typically discussed for short-term attention, alertness, or plasticity support via cholinergic signaling. It’s also sometimes mentioned as a symptomatic aid in Alzheimer’s-related cholinergic dysfunction, but the emphasis is on cautious, minimal use because nicotine is highly addictive and can raise blood pressure.

A daily NMN regimen used as an NAD precursor to support sirtuin activity and cellular energy metabolism. The common protocol is 1,000 mg taken in the morning, with the goal of raising blood NAD levels; one cited effect is that about two weeks of use can roughly double NAD on average.

A serotonin precursor used by some people as an over-the-counter way to raise serotonin and support mood or gratitude-related states. The common practice is to use it cautiously or avoid it altogether, since it can push serotonin too directly and is often viewed as a poor fit for routine self-experimentation.

An over-the-counter herbal source of L-DOPA, the direct precursor to dopamine. It’s used to produce a strong, short-lived dopamine boost, which is why people discuss it for Parkinson’s symptom support, lowering prolactin, and other dopamine-related effects.

Use an electrolyte mix in water, especially first thing in the morning and around training, rather than relying on plain water alone. The common protocol is to add sodium-rich electrolytes before and/or during workouts, with many recommendations landing around 200–400 mg sodium per serving and higher amounts for heavy sweaters. This helps replace sweat losses, support hydration, and maintain normal nerve and muscle function during exercise.

A studied protocol of roughly 6 to 8 grams per day of vitamin C, usually taken with the goal of preventing or shortening colds and flu. The consensus here is that the evidence for meaningful benefit is weak, so it is generally not considered a high-value intervention despite the popularity of the approach.

Rhodiola rosea is commonly used to reduce physical and perceived fatigue, with some early evidence suggesting it may also support memory and cognition. It’s often taken strategically rather than as a blanket cortisol-lowering supplement, since it appears to act more like a stress-response modulator and may be better suited for later-day use or fatigue-heavy periods than right before hard training.

A very low-dose daily tadalafil protocol, typically around 2 to 5 mg rather than standard higher doses. It’s used mainly to improve urinary symptoms and prostate/bladder congestion, with reports of reducing nighttime urination frequency, likely by improving pelvic blood flow and smooth-muscle relaxation.

Oral L-arginine is commonly taken in doses around 3 to 10 grams, often before bed or before exercise. The main rationale is to support a substantial growth hormone pulse, though doses above about 9 grams may blunt that effect and it can have cardiovascular effects, so it should be used cautiously.

A daily oral saffron supplement, typically around 30 mg, used as an anxiolytic. It’s been supported by multiple human studies, including double-blind trials in both men and women, and is associated with lower scores on standard anxiety measures such as the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale.

A 600 mg garlic capsule or extract taken alongside alpha-GPC, mainly to blunt a possible rise in TMAO. The practice is used as a precaution because the TMAO effect of typical alpha-GPC doses is uncertain, while garlic may also offer broader cardiovascular and immune-support benefits.

Use exogenous ketones—typically ketone esters or ketone salts—after a potential brain-trauma event to acutely raise blood ketones and provide an alternative fuel source for the brain. The goal is short-term support of brain energy metabolism and recovery, especially in athletes, rather than general performance enhancement or replacing a ketogenic diet.

A consistent low-to-moderate prebiotic intake is recommended under normal conditions, with higher doses sometimes used after antibiotics, severe stress, heavy travel, illness, or major diet changes. The idea is to feed beneficial gut microbes directly, which may support a healthier microbiome more reliably than taking probiotics alone. Some recommendations favor prebiotics because they are thought to be better supported by evidence and more likely to produce lasting gut benefits.

Use Adderall only if it has already been prescribed by a board-certified physician, and pay attention to when you take it relative to studying or learning. The key protocol is to match dosing to the drug’s duration of action and whether you want it active before, during, or after the learning session. This matters because timing can change how well it supports focus and consolidation without leaving you overstimulated at the wrong time.

Curcumin is the active anti-inflammatory compound from turmeric, used here as a targeted supplement for reducing migraines and headaches. The common protocol is simply taking curcumin regularly as an oral supplement, with the rationale that it may calm inflammatory pathways and nitric-oxide-related signaling that can contribute to head pain.

Supplementing with beta-alanine, typically around 2–5 g per day, is used to support efforts that last roughly 60–240 seconds. It appears most useful for interval training, rowing, sprinting, and other moderate-duration hard efforts because it can help buffer fatigue and sustain performance during repeated high-intensity work.

A magnesium malate supplement used as part of a broader “golden three” recovery stack. It’s taken to help reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness after training, likely by supporting muscle relaxation and energy metabolism during recovery.

A peptide used mainly for soft-tissue injury recovery and, secondarily, gut support. The common protocol described is a low-dose injection placed locally near the injured area, with one example using 200 micrograms near an upper trap strain; the appeal is faster healing and reduced pain/inflammation, with some users also reporting benefit for digestive issues.

A herbal sleep aid used to support falling asleep, staying asleep, and waking up feeling more refreshed. It’s typically taken in the evening as a calming, clinically studied option for improving sleep quality rather than acting as a strong sedative.

A prescription antidepressant class used for conditions like obsessive-compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and some depressive subtypes. Benefits are not immediate: symptom reduction typically emerges after about 4 weeks and can continue improving through 8–12 weeks, reflecting the delayed neurochemical adaptation these drugs require.

A low-dose psilocybin protocol used repeatedly over long periods, commonly around 1 mg per day and sometimes up to 3 mg per day. The goal is to gently support mood, focus, and emotional resilience without the intensity of a full psychedelic session, while still requiring careful attention to dosing and individual risk.

A growth-hormone–promoting peptide used primarily to reduce visceral abdominal fat. It’s typically dosed about 3 times per week rather than daily because it lasts longer than sermorelin, and it is the FDA-approved ingredient in Agrifta for this specific body-composition benefit.

Use protein powder to cover the remaining gap in daily protein intake, typically around the last 30% after food, and sometimes up to about 50% when it’s hard to eat enough. It’s meant as a convenience tool to complement whole-food protein, helping people reliably hit their targets without forcing large meals.

A nicotine replacement approach that uses gum to keep nicotine levels steadier while cutting back on smoking or vaping. The practical protocol is to gradually reduce the number or size of gum pieces per day, which can ease withdrawal while avoiding the lung irritants from inhaled tobacco or vape aerosol.

A brief course of ibuprofen used as an anti-inflammatory intervention, typically over a few weeks, to test whether reducing inflammation can improve mood. The rationale is that inflammation may contribute to depression, so lowering it could help identify or relieve an inflammatory subtype of depressive symptoms.

A prescription antidepressant used for depression and smoking cessation, typically taken as an extended-release or divided-dose regimen around 300 mg per day under a physician’s supervision. It works by increasing dopamine and norepinephrine signaling, which can improve motivation, focus, and withdrawal control, but it carries important seizure-risk cautions in susceptible people.

Supplementing selenium, typically around 100 to 200 micrograms daily, is used to support thyroid hormone production. It helps the thyroid use iodine and L-tyrosine effectively, which can improve hormone synthesis and overall thyroid function.

A mineral-rich shilajit supplement taken at about 250 mg twice daily. It’s used to support testosterone and follicle-stimulating hormone, with reported benefits for libido and for egg and sperm quality. Women are advised to check with an OB-GYN before using it.

A carotenoid supplement used to support eye health, especially in people with age-related macular degeneration. The evidence suggests it may be most helpful in moderate to severe AMD, where it can help offset some of the disease’s detrimental effects, while showing little benefit in people with normal vision or only mild issues.