Highlights

  • Dave Pascoe is leading longevity guru Bryan Johnson in a contest to reverse aging called the Rejuvenation Olympics.
  • In an effort to attain his position ahead of Johnson, Pascoe takes over 100 supplements five days a week, giving his body a break from supplementation on the weekends.
  • Some of Pascoe’s most important supplements are discussed.

In the Rejuvenation Olympics competition, participants compete to see who can best slow down their aging. In this competition, Dave Pascoe, a 61-year-old retired systems engineer, sits ahead of Bryan Johnson on one of the leaderboards. Accordingly, he has surpassed Bryan Johnson in the degree to which he has slowed his pace of aging since the competition began.

To do so, he spends about $15,000 annually on his longevity routine compared to Bryan Johnson’s approximately $2 million. A large percentage of his yearly budget goes toward buying about 100 different supplements.

The supplements he takes, presented in a LongevityDxTx YouTube segment, have a variety of effects. With his extensive supplement repertoire, he has tailored specific compounds, doses, and intake timing to optimize the function of certain organs, physiological systems, and aging itself. Pascoe takes these carefully curated supplements five days a week, cycling off on weekends to allow his body, especially his liver, to take a break.

Longevity enthusiast Dave Pascoe spends about $15,000 per year on his longevity regimen.
(Dave Pascoe spends ~$15,000 a year to optimize his body’s health and slow aging | YouTube)

Supplements for Muscles

One of the organs that Pascoe tries to target with supplemental compounds is muscle. He does so since, starting at age 30, muscles tend to deteriorate about 3% to 8% per passing decade. This can lead to the increased risk of disability, disease, and even death in later years of life. To preserve his musculature, Pascoe has chosen to supplement with the following compounds:

One of the major supplements contributing to the optimization of muscle preservation and performance is beta-alanine. One human trial suggested that this compound enhances exercise performance and reduces fatigue.

Another key supplement included in this list for the preservation of Pascoe’s physical prowess is creatine monohydrate. This compound has been associated with enhanced muscle performance and reduced recovery time.

Supplements Meant to Benefit the Cardiovascular System

Since cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the US, Pascoe takes a number of supplements to preserve heart function. The following lists all of the supplements he takes to preserve cardiovascular health:

Of the important supplements used to preserve cardiovascular health from this list is nattokinase, a compound derived from fermented soybeans. Animal studies suggest that nattokinase alleviates the buildup of plaques from fats and cholesterol in blood vessels (atherosclerotic plaques). What’s more, a human trial suggested that nattokinase significantly lowered blood pressure in subjects with high blood pressure (hypertension). These data support that taking nattokinase may help preserve cardiovascular function as we age.

Another key supplement for the preservation of cardiovascular function in Pascoe’s repertoire is taurine. Supplementing with taurine for only a week has been found to improve blood vessel function and lower blood pressure in hypertension patients. Such findings point to the potential of taurine to maintain cardiovascular function as we age.

Compounds for Joint Health

Age-associated joint diseases, such as arthritis, affect roughly 47.3% of people over the age of 65. These joint diseases can cause severe joint pain and stiffness. To preserve his joints as he grows older, Pascoe takes a number of supplements:

Of the supplements Pascoe takes for joint preservation during aging, collagen peptides are key. They consist of protein fragments from animal collagen — a protein providing structure, support, and strength to skin, muscle, and bones — and are believed to improve the function of joints.

Another critical supplement to maintain joint health and avoid knee pain is glucosamine and chondroitin. In line with this, research suggests that glucosamine and chondroitin alleviate pain, reduce stiffness, and improve physical function in arthritis.

Hyaluronic acid constitutes another important compound among Pascoe’s joint-preserving supplement protocol. Hyaluronic acid serves as a key constituent molecule that helps give cells their overall structure. Although evidence is still lacking, some research suggests that hyaluronic acid alleviates pain and inflammation in arthritis.

Supplements for the Preservation of Cognition

Our cognitive abilities usually peak, on average, at about age 30. After 30, cognition slowly and subtly declines as we grow older. To preserve his cognition, Pascoe takes the following supplements:

Noteworthy supplements within the protocol for brain health include phosphatidylcholine. This molecule is found in cell membranes and is believed to improve mood and cognition. Also included is fisetin, a plant-derived flavonoid that may enhance cognition.

Supplements to Boost Immunity

Aging also takes a toll on our immune systems, which may increase our vulnerability to infections. In attempts to optimize his immunity, Pascoe takes the following supplements:

Of the potential immunity-boosting compounds in Pascoe’s supplement protocol, one of the most important is quercetin. Like fisetin, quercetin is also a plant-derived flavonoid. Quercetin is believed to have anti-inflammatory properties and may improve immunity.

Gut Microbe Diversity-Promoting Supplements

Studies on the longest-lived people in the world suggest that having a diverse array of gut microbes plays a key role in longevity. To optimize his gut microbe diversity, Pascoe uses the following supplements:

Preventing damage to DNA in our cells may be one way to slow aging. Support from this comes from the fact that DNA damage serves as one of the hallmarks of aging. The hallmarks of aging are biochemical changes that occur in all organisms that undergo age-associated physiological deterioration. In an attempt to stave off this hallmark of aging by keeping his DNA intact and free from damage, Pascoe takes the following supplements:

One important molecule from this stack includes spermidine, believed to work against inflammation, fight obesity, and maybe even slow aging. Spermidine may also protect DNA by suppressing cellular stress from harmful, reactive molecules (reactive oxygen species).

Supplements Targeting Multiple Organs

Using different testing strategies, Pascoe developed a supplement regimen that purportedly targets multiple organs simultaneously. He takes the following supplements for this purpose:

Of the compounds listed to improve the function of multiple organs, trimethylglycine (also called betaine) is thought to promote liver, heart, and brain function. Another called zeaxanthin may quell inflammation to possibly improve eye, heart, liver, and skin health.

Supplements for Overall Health and Wellbeing

Moving on from supplements that may improve the function of multiple organs, Pascoe takes additional supplements that improve his overall feelings of wellbeing. These are as follows:

Of these supplements promoting general feelings of wellbeing, vitamin D3 is thought to support bone, muscle, nerve, and immune system function. What’s more, omega-3s are believed to support heart, joint, and brain function. Moreover, DHEA boosts testosterone levels and may enhance muscle mass and bone density and improve energy levels to improve feelings of wellbeing.

Supplements that May Slow Aging

Although the research surrounding supplements meant to slow aging remains under contentious debate, Pascoe has picked certain supplements for this purpose. These include the following:

Notables in this stack include nicotinamide riboside, shown to slow inflammation and modestly extend lifespan in mice. Another is calcium alpha-ketoglutarate, a molecule associated with slowed biological aging in a small human trial. Moreover, taking lithium has been correlated with a longer lifespan in humans. Finally, rapamycin has been hailed by some as having anti-inflammatory effects that may propel a longer lifespan.

Blood Analyses May Tell Whether Your Supplement Stack Is Working

While it is unclear how Pascoe tested all of these supplements to generate this long list for his protocol, one thing is certain: taking all of these supplements may be cost-prohibitive. Even though Pascoe does not spend nearly the amount that Bryan Johnson spends yearly for his anti-aging regimen — $2 million — most cannot afford the ~$15,000 a year he doles out. For this reason, a few important compounds from each supplement section were identified and their rationale was explained in case anyone on a budget wants to try a few.

You should always consult with a doctor before taking any new supplements. If you do decide to start using any of these supplements, be sure to have a physician perform blood analyses to make sure nothing goes awry. Furthermore, if blood analyses of things like blood fats (triglycerides), sugar (glucose), and cholesterol improve after taking new supplements, this may be a sign that you are on the right track with your new supplementation protocol.