The Only Three Supplements I Take

The speaker, a family medicine doctor, highlights omega-3 as his first chosen supplement, emphasizing its benefits for brain and heart health. He notes its potential to reduce heart attack risk by 28% based on the VITAL trial and 13% for heart attacks (35% for fatal heart attacks) in a Mayo Clinic meta-analysis. However, he warns about incorrect usage, citing studies showing increased atrial fibrillation risk with high doses (e.g., 4g in the STRENGTH study), while lower doses (840mg in the VITAL trial) showed no such risk. He personally uses a 1g dose to maximize benefits and minimize risks. He then delves into omega-3's role in brain health, explaining that DHA forms brain building blocks and EPA reduces inflammation. Observational studies like the Framingham Offspring study show a strong correlation between high DHA levels and a 49% lower risk of dementia. While randomized controlled trials have been inconsistent, new research provides a crucial clue.

The inconsistency in omega-3's brain benefits was clarified by the VitCog trial, which initially showed B vitamins reducing brain shrinkage by 29.6%. A re-analysis in 2015 revealed that B vitamins' benefits were only observed in individuals with high omega-3 levels, where brain shrinkage was reduced by 40%. Conversely, B vitamins had no effect on those with low omega-3. A 2019 re-examination of a 2006 study (which initially found no omega-3 brain benefits) further confirmed this: omega-3 improved brain performance and reduced dementia symptoms by 7.1% and 22.3% respectively, but only in those with healthy B vitamin levels (indicated by low homocysteine). This suggests B vitamins are essential for omega-3 to be effective in the brain, possibly by facilitating its transport across the blood-brain barrier. While acknowledging these findings are promising, the speaker emphasizes the need for more research to establish definitive causation.

Regarding omega-3's effects on healthy individuals, a meta-analysis of 25 randomized controlled trials showed a statistically significant, albeit small, benefit in memory. This benefit might be limited to people who don't consume fish regularly. The speaker concludes that combining omega-3 with healthy B vitamin levels is likely to benefit both brain and heart. He then discusses his search for a multivitamin to ensure adequate B vitamin intake, and beyond, finding existing supplements problematic due to excessively high doses of certain vitamins. He cites vitamin E and A as examples, explaining how high doses can be harmful (e.g., increased prostate cancer risk with vitamin E, bone weakening and liver damage with vitamin A).

The speaker discusses the importance of correct vitamin D dosage, noting that high doses (e.g., 4,000 to 10,000 IU) can surprisingly decrease bone density and weaken muscles in older adults. He aims for 1,000 IU daily along with 90mcg of vitamin K2 (MK7). For magnesium, he sought magnesium taurate. Unable to find a multivitamin that met all his specific requirements and appropriate dosages, he decided to create his own supplement, Microvitamin, emphasizing that he can adjust its formula as new research emerges. He mentions tweaking vitamin B6 to its more bioactive form (PLP).

The speaker further explains other key ingredients in his Microvitamin formulation. Hyaluronic acid is included for skin health, with studies showing an 18.8% reduction in wrinkles. TMG (trimethylglycine) is added for exercise performance and to lower homocysteine levels, which can augment omega-3 and B vitamin benefits for cognition. For his Microvitamin Plus powder, he added four more ingredients: collagen peptides for skin hydration and elasticity (supported by a 2023 meta-analysis), psyllium husk as a soluble fiber for constipation, cholesterol reduction, weight management, and inflammation, creatine for muscle strength and recovery based on numerous studies, and additional taurine, which a recent meta-analysis linked to improved metabolic health (lowering blood sugar, blood pressure, triglycerides, LDL, HBA1C, and insulin). He reiterates that these are his personal choices and others can source these ingredients independently.

The third and final supplement is for sleep, also custom-designed. It includes melatonin, but at a crucial low dose of 300 micrograms, contrasting with many commercially available high-dose supplements (up to 10mg) with unknown long-term effects. This dose is chosen to match the body's natural melatonin production, with an absorption rate of about 15%. Melatonin should be taken two hours before sleep to regulate the sleep-wake cycle effectively. The sleep supplement also contains magnesium glycinate (different from the taurate form taken during the day) which, based on a recent meta-analysis of randomized control trials, has shown improvements in at least one aspect of sleep in five out of eight studies. Lastly, glycine is included; double-blind studies have shown it significantly improves feelings of liveliness, clear-headedness, and reduces fatigue the next day for individuals with sleep difficulties.