Highlights

  • Dr. Kaeberlein’s supplement list includes rapamycin, vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, protein shakes with prebiotics and collagen, creatine powder, and magnesium.
  • He is considering taking low-dose tadalafil (also known as Cialis for erectile dysfunction), calcium alpha-ketoglutarate, and urolithin A.
  • His conservative philosophy for choosing supplements entails taking them to fix a measured deficiency, like low vitamin D, and optimizing blood markers for conditions such as diabetes.

Dr. Matt Kaeberlein, an aging research expert and professor at the University of Washington, presented a list of supplements that he takes in his Optispan Podcast. These supplements include the following:

  • Rapamycin
  • Vitamin D
  • Omega-3 fatty acids
  • Vitamin B12
  • Protein in shakes
  • Collagen
  • Prebiotics — nutrients for beneficial gut bacteria — including inulin powder and chia seeds
  • Creatine powder
  • Magnesium

Dr. Kaeberlein’s conservative rationale for including these compounds in his supplement stack includes fixing a measured deficiency, such as low vitamin D. He also takes them to alter levels of specific biomarkers — biological markers found in the blood or other tissues that are signs of normal physiological processes or diseases. An example of a biomarker is blood HBA1C levels, which are sugars attached to hemoglobin that serve as an indicator of blood sugar (glucose) levels. High levels of HBA1C can predispose one to type II diabetes.

Additionally, Dr. Kaeberlein will only try a supplement after conducting a thorough investigation of the research and finding that the potential benefits of the supplement outweigh the risks. Finally, if taking a supplement makes you feel better, this may be a good sign to continue taking that supplement, according to Dr. Kaeberlein.

Dr. Kaeberlein does not provide the doses he uses for each of his supplements. Even so, he gives a method for testing a supplement’s efficacy. To do so, one can measure for blood marker deficiencies — like a vitamin deficiency — then take a supplement for a period of time to address that deficiency. If blood markers improve after supplementation, this may be a sign to continue supplementing with the same dose.

One reason not to take supplements, Dr. Kaeberlein says, is out of fear, i.e., fear of getting sick. In this regard, some people may feel they need to at least do something to optimize their health, like take a supplement, even though they may not be aware of all of the associated risks.

Another bad reason to take a supplement is based on an influencer’s recommendation alone. According to Dr. Kaeberlein, most influencers are not experts on whatever supplements they are promoting and fail to do their homework weighing the risks against the benefits of their promoted supplements.

Dr. Kaeberlein is also not a fan of taking many random supplements. Along those lines, he says that in a complex system, like the body, adding a bunch of supplements with side effects that are not well known increases the chances of things going awry. He says that the chances of improving the body’s function are significantly lower than the odds of triggering adverse physiological reactions with excessive supplementation.

The Potential Benefits Surrounding Dr. Kaeberlein’s Supplements

As for the potential benefits associated with the supplements Dr. Kaeberlein takes, he says that he thinks rapamycin has helped heal a sore, frozen shoulder that he previously suffered from. He cycles his intake of rapamycin, taking low doses for around 12 weeks, and then takes six months to a year without rapamycin.

(Rapamycin’s chemical structure | pharmaffiliates.com)

He also says he takes vitamin D, vitamin B12, and omega-3 fatty acids, because he is deficient for all three of these. As such, he knows these supplements work, because he has measured their effects at restoring their levels in his blood.

Dr. Kaeberlein also supplements with protein in his shakes, which he drinks in the morning. He says protein supplementation seems to work pretty well for him. He adds collagen to his protein shakes, and although he does not understand the physiological mechanism behind it, he says there is some data suggesting benefits like improving skin elasticity. Also taken with Dr. Kaeberlein’s morning protein shake are prebiotics like inulin powder and chia seeds, good sources of fiber, according to Dr. Kaeberlein.

Furthermore, Dr. Kaeberlein uses creatine powder. He says that he believes his lean body mass compared to fat mass has improved due to taking creatine. At the same time, he says he is not 100% positive about creatine’s positive benefits but thinks there is very little risk associated with taking it.

Dr. Kaeberlein also takes magnesium, deciding to do so after listening to Dr. Peter Attia talking about its benefits on his podcast. Magnesium may help prevent high blood pressure. Also, adults with magnesium deficiencies are more likely to have elevated inflammation, which can lead to heart disease.

Supplements that Dr. Kaeberlein is considering adding to his supplement stack include low dose tadalafil, also known as Cialis for erectile dysfunction. According to Dr. Kaeberlein, taking 2.5 mg a day of tadalafil may improve blood flow, and he also thinks the risks of taking tadalafil are low.

He also says the evidence for calcium alpha-ketoglutarate is pretty positive. He adds that calcium alpha-ketoglutarate may improve bone health.

Urolithin A is another compound that has drawn Dr. Kaeberlein’s interest. He says supplementing with this natural product produced by microbes in our gut has boosted muscle and cell powerhouse — mitochondria — function in animal models like mice. There is also evidence that urolithin A improves exercise performance in middle-aged adults.

Unlike Sinclair and Huberman, Kaeberlein Does Not Use NMN or NR

Dr. Kaeberlein’s conservative approach to supplements means he takes fewer supplements compared to Harvard’s Dr. David Sinclair or Stanford’s Dr. Andrew Huberman. In that regard, Dr. Kaeberlein takes about nine supplements, while Dr. Sinclair takes around 11 and Dr. Huberman takes about 15.

Perhaps a more striking difference between Dr. Kaeberlein’s supplement stack and those of Dr. Sinclair and Dr. Huberman is that Dr. Kaeberlein does not include a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) precursor. NAD+ precursors like nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) or nicotinamide riboside (NR) are meant to enhance cellular function by increasing cellular energy and enhancing DNA repair. Even so, Kaeberlein briefly alludes to not believing there is sufficient evidence for the benefits of NAD+ precursors. Dr. Kaeberlein does not specify what qualms he has with using NMN or NR, but as with any other type of supplement, the possibility remains that future research developments will change his mind.