Sign in Subscribe

Peter Attia's Supplement Stack: A Comprehensive Guide

Peter Attia's Supplement Stack: A Comprehensive Guide

Improve Healthspan, longevity, and fitness performance with Peter’ Attia's Recommended Supplements 

Supplement Overview

For transparency links are affiliates. This costs you nothing and any money will be used for supplement experiments and reviews to give back the value.

Daily Supplements

Sleep Supplements:

Jet Lag Supplements:

Overview 

Peter Attia is renowned as a longevity physician and has dedicated himself to exploring the means by which we can extend our lives while enhancing their quality.  Much of his strategy for promoting longevity is encapsulated in his bestselling book Outlive: The Science & Art of Longevity. Today we are going to take a look Peter’s personal supplement regimen, aimed at bolstering health, longevity, and athletic performance

Attia emphasizes that supplements and vitamins are not substitutes for a healthy lifestyle or balanced diet. There's no panacea, no magical sequence of supplements that can optimize health and vitality without the foundation of sensible nutrition, regular exercise, and adequate restorative sleep.

Nevertheless, delving into the supplementation practices of experts like Peter Attia can offer valuable insights into potential benefits and available options for improving health or performance. Let's explore the daily regimen of Dr. Peter Attia, bearing in mind that consulting with a healthcare professional before incorporating any supplement is essential. 

For transparency, the supplement links provided are affiliated with Amazon, with any income aimed at supporting further exploration and writing about supplements and health-related topics. Peter has expressed preferences for certain brands, including Thorne, Jarrow, , and Pure Encapsulations, which are reflected in the provided links. I have no affiliations with any brands or companies.

Omega-3 Fish Oil Capsules

Two fundamental Omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, play a vital role in promoting heart health and optimizing cholesterol levels. These fatty acids, abundant in sources like fatty fish such as salmon and select nuts, possess anti-inflammatory properties, elevate glutathione levels, and regulate cortisone levels.

Attia states he takes 4 capsules of 1200mg daily to aim for 2 grams of EPA and 1.5 grams of DHA. Attia prioritizes supplements with the highest EPA concentration available.

Peter’s Recommended Brands: Carlson, Nordic Naturals, Sports Research

Vitamin D

Attia underscores the minimal risk associated with vitamin D consumption, calling it "insanely low." Vitamin D plays a crucial role in facilitating calcium absorption, thereby fortifying bone density, and facilitates the uptake of phosphorus into the body. Additionally, it contributes to muscular strength and exhibits anti-inflammatory properties. Vitamin D is a misnomer as a name as this molecule is actually a steroid hormone rather than a vitamin. 

While Attia advises adjusting vitamin D intake based on your situation he personally opts for a dosage of around 5,000 IUs per day. Ideally, this dosage should be determined based on individual blood test results and consideration of sunlight exposure. Personally,  I take 5,000 IUs on days I am not getting sun to keep blood test levels between 40-60 ng/ml. 

Peter’s Recommended Brands: Jarrow , Thorne

Magnesium

There are three magnesium types Attia takes: magnesium oxide, magnesium chloride, and magnesium L-threonate. Magnesium,benefits bone health, helps with muscle and nerve regulation, and may play a part in blood pressure control and reducing blood sugars. It also can aid cells reaping the maximum protein from whatever you’re eating, and turn that into energy. 

Why the mixture of three magnesium? “All in, I’m trying to get a gram of elemental magnesium in my system per day,” he says. And each magnesium variation is absorbed differently, and also affects your body in unique ways. Magnesium oxide is poorly-absorbed, though it can help with digestion. Attia takes 400 to 500 milligrams of magnesium oxide daily.  

Attia also wants a more efficiently-absorbed magnesium, so he turns to SlowMag’s Magnesium Chloride pills, taking two or three each day. (The salt helps the absorption.) Attia fasts frequently, and this tablet raises potassium and sodium levels, both of which mitigate cramping. 

Lastly, Attia backs magnesium L-threonate. Early research indicates that L-threonate ushers magnesium through the blood brain barrier, readily elevating magnesium levels in the brain. Once in our brains, some studies show magnesium may help cognitive function, treat cognitive impairment, and better our sleep. Attia prefers two capsules of Magtein and takes these prior to sleep.

Peter’s Recommended Brands:

Magnesium Oxide: PureGen
Magnesium Chloride: SlowMag
Magnesium L-threonate: Magtein , Jarrow 

Athletic Greens / Multivitamin 

Attia is transparent about his involvement with Athletic Greens, serving as both an advisor and investor in the superfood powder supplement company. He incorporates one scoop of AG1, the brand's flagship product, into his daily routine. AG1 is a green powder packed with over 75 nutrients, encompassing vitamins, minerals, probiotics, and digestive enzymes .

That green goodness doesn’t come cheap; it can start at $79 per month and notch up from there. Joking that he “knows how the sausage is made,” Attia believes AG1 has precisely what he needs, and adds a scoop of this to water daily. 

For those who do not want to pay the premium for Athletic Greens this supplement is just a fancy multivitamin and replacing this with a quality multivitamin like ones below will cover same bases. 

Recommended Brand: AG1

Peter’s Recommended Brands Multivitamin: Thorne, Pure Encapsulations  

Glucose Control Probiotic

Attia takes two of these capsules each morning as the first thing he consumes. His trial of Glucose Control by Pendulum is a few months in, and he’s testing to see if the probiotic can help regulate his blood sugar levels when lab-tested. 

Probiotics, generally, propagate a healthy gut microbiome, meaning your stomach inflammation is decreased. When you’ve got chronic gut inflammation, your body can become more resistant to insulin, the hormone that controls how your body processes sugar. This can, in theory, stave off diabetes. 

Glucose Control is a pricey bottle, costing between $165 and $215 for 30 pills—meaning Attia’s two-capsules are running him around $10. It’s got an extra strain of probiotic bacteria in there (clostridium, for the curious), which is noteworthy and thought responsible for this blood sugar modulation effects.   

Brand: Pendulum Probiotics

They also make a less potent and less expensive version of this same supplement that can be found on Amazon 

Protein Powders

The aim, per Attia, is to ingest as much protein without overdoing the fat and carbohydrates. If you want to hear his exact approach, check out this AMA on his podcast where he talks about taking a blend of different protein powders. Peter said he combines 25 milligrams of flavored protein powder with 25 milligrams of unflavored protein powder to help reduce the sugars and calories. 

Peter Attia mentions using the Promix brand of protein on his podcast. He notes looking for a quality whey isolate that doesn’t contain a significant amount of sucralose or other non-protein components. As for how much to take, that’s more a personal diet calculus but if you are aiming to increase muscle mass you want to aim for at least one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. 

Peter’s Recommended Brands: Promix, Thorne, Levels 

Folate and Methylated B12 

Our body needs folate to prevent heart disease. Naturally, folate or B9 can be found in the likes of leafy greens, peanuts, sunflower seeds, eggs, beans, and more. But if you’re not getting enough from your diet, it’s a solid idea to supplement with methylfolate. Methylfolate has an advantage in that it helps the folate enter the blood-brain barrier, and, once inside, it can help modulate the homocysteine amino, just like vitamin B6. Additionally, if you’re on antidepressants, methylfolate has been proven to elevate the efficacy of that SSRI. 

Methylated B12 also positively affects our homocysteine, in addition to helping thwart anemia, in folks with B12 deficiencies. While we can extract B12 from foods—animal meats, yogurt, milk, etc—our ability to absorb correct amounts decreases as we age, so a supplement is often recommended. Methylated B12 is also easier on the kidneys, per Attia. Peter states he takes a Folate + B12 daily from Jarrow but I have also included a separate Methylfolate and Methylated B12 from Jarrow below for anyone interested.

Peter’s Recommended Brands: Folate + B12: Jarrow
Methylfolate: Jarrow
Methylated B12: Jarrow

Vitamin B6

Attia used to take vitamin B6 every day but has recently adjusted his regimen to three times per week. This change stems from concerns of excessive vitamin B6 causing nerve damage or neuropathy. Nonetheless, vitamin B6 offers notable benefits, particularly in promoting emotional well-being.

As Attia highlighted on a podcast episode, vitamin B6 plays a role in regulating homocysteine levels, crucial for mitigating risks associated with dementia, heart disease, and stroke, as outlined by the Cleveland Clinic. Moreover, vitamin B6 contributes to the synthesis of serotonin and other neurotransmitters, thereby enhancing mood and reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety, as evidenced by a 2022 study.

Attia now moderates his intake to 50 milligrams of B6, three times per week, to avoid excessive supplementation.

Peter’s Recommended Brands: Thorne, Pure Encapsulations 

Baby Aspirin

"I don’t believe there's a solid evidence-based rationale for my daily intake of  baby aspirin," Attia states, even though he continues to take one daily. The efficacy of baby aspirin as a prophylactic is indeed subject to mixed research findings. However, it is unequivocally beneficial for individuals with a history of heart attack, stroke, or other cardiovascular diseases.

Aspirin's has blood-thinning properties, which can prevent clotting and heart-related issues but also elevate the risk of fatal bleeding. Consequently, most healthcare providers do not recommend its use for individuals over 60.

Attia’s closely monitoring the science around daily baby aspirin ingestion, saying “I’m always happy to reevaluate the use of this, and any supplement for that matter, in the presence of new data.” 

Peter’s Recommended Brands: Bayer 

Creatine

Peter mentions taking creatine daily on a recent Modern Wisdom podcast. Peter says he takes 5 grams of creatine monohydrate daily during his workouts. He does state timing doesn’t matter and this is just what works best for him.

Creatine has been extensively researched and is known for its ability to enhance athletic performance by increasing the availability of ATP, the primary energy currency of cells. This allows for improved performance during high-intensity, short-duration exercises such as weightlifting and sprinting. This effect results in creatine increasing muscle mass and strength in those who are actively training. 

Beyond its performance benefits, creatine has also been studied for its neuroprotective properties. Recent research shows creatine may support brain health by improving mitochondrial function and energy production in brain cells. This can potentially enhance cognitive function and protect against neurodegenerative diseases.

Peter also mentions that loading high amounts of creatine is not needed and that sticking with around 5 grams daily is fine for most individuals. 

Peter’s Recommended Brands: monohydrate from trusted brand like  Thorne or Optimum  

Sleep Helping Supplements

These are the supplements Peter takes and recommends for improving sleep quality. Sleep is a critical pillar of health as outlined in Peter's book “Outlive” and any improvements one can make to sleep can pay health dividends across many aspects of health and life quality.  

  • Glycine – 2 grams prior to sleep
  • Ashwagandha – 300 mg prior to sleep
  • Magnesium L-Threonate – 100mg prior to sleep (See magnesium section) 

Glycine

Glycine is the smallest amino acid, essential for building proteins in your body and acts as an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brainstem and spinal cord.

Glycine is thought to help calm the central nervous system and also early research shows possible benefits to overall cognitive function. In this study 3 grams of Glycine prior to bed were shown to help people fall asleep more quickly and reduced the time for slow-wave or deep sleep to start. 

Peter mentions taking 2 grams of the Thorne brand in this video Peter’s Recommended Brands: Thorne, Life Extension 

Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is an evergreen shrub with a long history in traditional medicine. It contains chemicals with calming, anti-inflammatory, and immune-modulating effects.

Peter takes 300 mg of Ashwagandha in the evening to help improve the quality of his sleep even though the data on Ashwagandha on sleep quality is lacking.(meta analysis on this subject)  Ashwagandha is thought to help with sleep through its ability to reduce and buffers cortisol levels helping the body relax and prepare for rest. 

Peter’s Recommended Brands: Pure Encapsulations, Jarrow,  Solgar

Supplements Peter Uses for Jet Jag

Lastly we’ll cover supplements Peter takes for combatting jet lag. He does not use these regularly but finds these helpful when adjusting to a new sleep schedule from traveling. 

Melatonin

Peter does not take Melatonin for sleep in general as it can disrupt sleep architecture. He does use it for helping with jet lag when he knows his sleep probably will be disrupted regardless.

He mentions taking 1-3mg on a plane or the first night in a new time zone to help the body start to adjust its internal clock.  

Peter’s Recommended Brands: Life Extension, Thorne  

Phosphatidylserine

Phosphatidylserine is a phospholipid compound found in the brain with a crucial role in nerve cell communication, cell membrane structure, and memory function. Peter says this substance is very potent at reducing cortisol levels and helping with sleep. He only uses it when necessary due to its ability to shut down adrenals. 

Peter will take 400 to 600 mg of phosphatidylserine 

Peter’s Recommended Brands: Jarrow, Thorne 

  1. Rhonda Patrick Supplement List
  2. Andrew Huberman Supplement List