How Many Supplements to Take
Most People Draw the Line at 5 or 6 Supplements
In my conversations with people over the years, many feel that if they are taking more than 6 or 7 supplements, they think that is a lot. This brings up the case of Ray Kurzweil. Ray is an extremely accomplished baby boomer with an impressive list of technical accomplishments such as inventions of certain types of optical character recognition, flatbed scanners, music synthesizers (that bear his name) as well as being an author and sought after speaker. You can read more by doing your usual internet searches.
Ray Kurzwell Thinks Differently
Ray has come to the conclusion that to be healthy, he has to better understand his body's limitations and use supplements to fill the gaps. As we age, we tend to need more physiological help with our health. This can easily be explained by the evolutionary notion that genetic traits that don't limit reproduction are easily passed on to the next generation. As we age, we are more likely to run into these health-limiting genetic roadblocks because they weren't selected out over time.
How Does 77 Supplements Sound to You?
Ray's current list of different supplements is about 77. I will include the link at the bottom for the source of this information, but I will give you the list here as I am sure you are curious as I was. I do want to talk a little about his list as I can't help making a few comments.
For anti-oxidation and general health
Comprehensive multi-vitamin, Coenzyme Q10, Grapeseed extract, Resveratrol, Bilberry extract, Lycopene, Silymarine, Linoleic acid, Lecithinn-acetyl-cystein, Garlic, l-carnitine, Pyrodoxal-5-phosphate, Echinacea, Herbs prescribed by Dr. Glenn Rothfeld, B12 shots.
For treating type 2 diabetes
Chromium, Metformin, Gymnema sylvestra.
For LDL and HDL levels
Policosanol, Gugulipid, Plant sterols, Niacin, Oat bran, Grapefruit powder, Psyllium, Lecithin, Lipitor.
For blood-vessel health
Arginine, TMG, Choline.
To lower blood viscosity
Aspirin, Lumbrokinase.
To reduce inflammation
EPA/DHA, Curcumin.
To reduce homocystein levels
Folic acid, B6.
For detoxification
EDTA, DMPS.
For the Liver
Intravenous glutathione
For cell membranes
Intravenous phosphatidylcholine
For testosterone levels
PtC, DHEA, Testosterone, l-3-C, Chrysin, Nettle, Ginger.
For the prostate
Saw palmetto complex
For stress
l-theanine, Beta-sitosterol, Phosphatidylserine, Green tea extract.
For the brain
GABA, Melatonin, Glycerylphosphatidylcholine, Nextrutine, Quercertin.
For the eyes
Lutein, Bilberry extract.
For the skin
Antioxidant skin creams.
For digestion
Betaine HCL, Pepsin, Gentian root, Peppermint, Acidophilus bifodobacter, Fructooligosaccharides, Fish proteins, l-glutamine, n-acetyl-d-glucosamine.
To inhibit glycolsylated end products
n-acetyl-carnitine, Carnosine, Quercertin, Alpha lipoic acid
It is great to have this list, and many people could use this as their own reference point to design their supplement plan. If you are going to head down this road, I recommend first getting some hard numbers from lab testing to help serve as your guide. We like a good blood test (not just a spot check of a few items that is too typical these days), a genetic profile from 23andme and a supplement analysis by Nutrahacker, maybe some Spectracell tests for micronutrients. And of course, you will want to know which food your body thinks are nourishment, and which are more like poisons. That would be a Cyrex Array 3, 4 and 10. We can help you facilitate these tests for anyone with a Nevada or California address.
For example, curcumin could be good or bad depending on your genetic predispositions. The same is true for quercetin.
The B12 shots may or may not be helpful. The most common type of B12 is methyl cobalamin. This form is OK for certain genotypes and contra-indicated for others. That Nutrahacker report I mentioned will help decide which type of B12 is best.
I have an article and video on GABA. I don't recommend taking GABA as a supplement. GABA is a relatively large molecule and may or may not readily cross the blood brain barrier. Researchers differ in opinions on this. Gaba Basics
Lipitor?? What kind of healthy regimen adds Lipitor? Most people can control HDL and LDL with diet and red yeast rice. CholestGenix link below!
Metformin?? Again, most people can avoid meds for their diabetes with diet and supplements. Metformin is generally used for Type II or Adult-Onset Diabetes. Strict diet control and supplements like NuMedica Gluco-Response can help.
Glutathione levels are critical for a long, healthy life. IV glutathione can be a good approach for some cases but as a routine, I recommend LifeWave Glutathione Patches, BetterGenix NAC and EuroMedica Clinical Glutathione. LifeWave Patches, links below!
We are a big fan of L-arginine to help with cardiovascular integrity. We have seen great things with helping to control heart arrhythmias. Our favorite form at this time is from Pure Encapsulations. Nitric Oxide Support
Will Mr. Kurzweil's strategy pay off. Each of us is a one-off experiment in longevity since we don't have two or three of us to compare different strategies. Like the rest of us, he will just have to gather information and take his best shot. Again, lab test can help us see if we are headed in the right direction. I wish him all the best and hopefully he will find this blog and make a couple of small changes in his routine.
