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This is a full list of what Dr. Peter Attia uses for monitoring and optimizing his health, fitness, sleep, and longevity including nutrition, supplements and technology.
If you’re interested in a like-minded community, join my Dr. Peter Attia Health & Longevity Facebook Fan Group (Dr. Attia has no affiliation with this group…yet ;-))
QUICK OVERVIEW
QUICK LOOK AT PRODUCTS HE USES DAILY
- 4K Weeks Life Calendar – Dr. Attia mentioned using this calendar to remind himself how many weeks of life he has left. Use code ANTIFRAGILEFIT at this link to save 12.5%
Food/Supplements
- Protein powder – Attia cycles between:
- Jocko Fuel Molk Protein Powder (Amazon) or Save 10% with code MTOR here
- BioSteel
- Outwork Nutrition
- According to The Tim Ferriss Show eps #690 (9/1/23), Attia’s new favorite whey protein is Promix. Get $10 off using this link.
- AG1 (formerly Athletic Greens) – He takes 1 scoop 1-2 times a day; Subscribe to get a FREE year supply of Vitamin D3+K2 and 5 Travel Packs gift.
- UCAN LIVSTEADY (use this link to get 15% off) – Attia uses this to improve endurance.
- Maui Nui venison sticks (get 20% off with code TROY20 here)
- Carnivore Crisps (use code ATTIA10 for 10% off)
- Pique Tea (use code TROY for 5% off)
- Doc Parsley’s Sleep Remedy (use code antifragile10 for 10% off)
- Morning Supplements
- AG1 – He takes 1 scoop 1-2 times a day
- Pendulum Glucose Control Probiotic – most rigorously tested and validated probiotic he has found
- Carlson brand fish oil – 4 capsules for a total of 2g EPA, 1.5g DHA
- Vitamin D – 5000 IU (brand unknown)
- Jarrow Methyl B12 & Folate
- Pure Encapsulations B6 (only takes 50mg, 3x/week)
- Evening Supplements
- Solgar Ashwaganda – 300mg
- Thorne Glycine – 2g
- Magnesium – He takes about 1 gram total from 3 forms:
- In the morning, magnesium carbonate (2 tablets SlowMag brand)
- In the evening, ~400-500mg mag. oxide (for bowel function / does not take this during a fast)
- Before bed, 2 tablets MagTein – crosses blood-brain barrier and good for sleep
Exercise
- Blood Flow Restriction cuffs – He is currently using the Kaatsu brand of cuffs (use code TROY for 5% off). Prior he was using SmartCuffs (use code TROY for 10% off here)
- Xero Minimalist Shoes for everyday use
- GORUCK Shoes for rucking
- GORUCK Rucker 4.0 bag – He loads 50-60 lbs when rucking and also uses it in the weight room. He incorporates 3-4 hours a week of rucking, typically in the evening.
Sleep
- Eight Sleep cooling pad
- Dr. Attia’s “Sleep Cocktail” as of AMA #42 (12/5/22) – all taken around 8.5 hours before he wants to wake:
- 2g glycine
- 300mg ashwagandha or 3x capsules phosphatidylserine (400mg) if he needs a “hammer”
- 3x capsules Magnesium L-Threonate
- His wife just takes Sleep Remedy; Use code antifragile10 for 10% off.
Table of Contents
ABOUT DR. PETER ATTIA
Dr. Attia is medical doctor who focuses on the science behind living a longer, healthier life. He remains unbiased and sticks to what the science indicates while also willing to experiment on himself.
The goal of his website is “to translate the cutting edge of the science of longevity (something roughly 0.01% of people are able to truly understand) into something that is accessible, digestible, and actionable for everyone, with the help of my research team and through in-depth interviews with the leaders in this space.“
4K Weeks Life Calendar – Attia mentioned using this calendar to remind himself how many weeks of life he has left. Use code ANTIFRAGILEFIT at this link to save 12.5%: troydelaney.com/4kweeks
Here is a link to an Instagram post by Attia explaining the calendar.
LONGEVITY 101
WEARABLES & TECH
- Blood Pressure – In addition to using a manual process (manual cuff and stethoscope), Attia also use two electronic blood pressure cuffs: Withings (which I personally like) and Omron (both available on Amazon)
- As of the Oct. 2023 podcast, Peter has been using the Morpheus heart rate monitor and app to determine zone 2 training. He has found it pretty accurate. You can get a discount on Morpheus here (coach’s discount).
- Glucose: Dexcom G6 Mobile CGM System. “This device continuously monitors my blood glucose and provides streaming feedback on my health interventions.” (Doctor’s prescription required)
- Attia tells his patients to use the following CGM metrics to determine their carb tolerance:
- Avoid spikes over 140-150
- Try to keep your average below 100
- Keep standard deviation below 15
- Although Peter has never mentioned it, NutriSense is a good alternative to the Dexcom and you can get $25 off with code TROY25. No prescription required.
- Attia tells his patients to use the following CGM metrics to determine their carb tolerance:
- BIOSENSE Breath Ketone Monitoring System (Use code PATTIA20 for $20 off) – Biosense is the only clinical-grade, U.S. Food and Drug Administration Class I device that tracks shifting fat-burning levels as they change throughout the day. It can help those who want to monitor their nutrition, ketone supplementation, exercise, and fasting protocols to provide insight and feedback for actionable steps towards optimizing your metabolic health. Peter prefers this over other breath-based acetone testing devices because it covers a broader range of endogenous ketone production, from mild nutritional ketosis to deep ketosis in the middle of an extended fast. Peter recommended this device in his Exclusive Membership site.
- Keto Mojo Ketone & Glucose Meter – 10% off with this link
- Abbott Precision Xtra Ketone Meter
- OneTouch Ultra2 Blood Glucose meter
- Arkray Lactate Pro
- Nova Medical Lactate Plus
- Ten Percent Happier app – With the Ten Percent Happier app, you’ll discover guided meditations and practical teachings you can carry anywhere.
- ŌURA Ring ($50 off with this link) is a wellness ring and app, designed to help you get more restful sleep and perform better. Dr. Attia is an investor in OURA and has said he compared it to PSG and another sleep tracker for accuracy.
- Omega Speedmaster Pro watch
- Blood Flow Restriction – Peter has become a pretty big fan of blood flow restriction (BFR) training. If you are not familiar with this, you should definitely check out his podcast with Dr. Jeremy Loenneke (#179) in which they do a super deep into all of the science that supports this method of training. He is currently using (per this Instagram post) the Kaatsu brand of cuffs (use code TROY for 5% off). Prior he was using SmartCuffs (use code TROY for 10% off here) pictured below.
- Sauna / Contrast Therapy – Right before bed, Dr. Attia gets in a traditional/dry sauna at 198 F for 15 minutes, takes a cold plunge, then 20-25 more minutes of sauna, then bed (discussed in this clip from AMA #42). He uses the sauna 4-6 nights a week (discussed in this clip from AMA #42). He thinks dry and infrared saunas produce different experiences, work on different mechanisms and have different benefits (discussed in this clip from AMA#42).
- Here’s a tour of his custom-built Alpha Wellness Sensations sauna and Cold Tub brand plunge (WOW!).
- SleepMe Ooler – “While the ChiliPad Cube itself may not be on my bedside table, the unit that attaches to the pad is on the table, and together all this gear allows me to regulate the surface temperature of my mattress. I keep it at about 56 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The lowering of our body temperatures at night is a cue for our brains that it’s time to go to sleep and increases the proportion of time we’re in delta-wave (translation: deep) sleep.” Use code SLEEPME for 25% off new CUBE, OOLER, chiliBLANKET and DOCK PRO Sleep Systems.
RECOMMENDED LABS, TESTS & METRICS
Markers for Healthspan: Cognitive Scores, Hormone Levels, VO2 Max & Emotional Health Podcast Clip (2:07) Recommended Labs- Lp(a) (Lipoprotein A): Phenotype – Peter recommends knowing Mass and Particle number
- APOE Genotype: Risk for Alzheimer’s/greater risk from head injury. People have a mix of 2, 3, and 4 (one from each parent)
- Having 2 ApoE4 alleles can increase risk of AD (Alzheimer’s Disease) by 10-20x. Peter argues that this is definitely worth checking as you can in fact prevent Alzheimer’s disease
- Cardiovascular Health
- APOB: APOB is the main protein found in LDL cholesterol. It is the total concentration of LDL and v-LDL which are the big atherogenic particles. Peter thinks a cutoff of less than 90 milligrams per deciliter is good, less than 70, you’re doing great, and less than 50 is pretty optimal and close to perfect. If you want to live to 100, keep it below 30.
- Small LDL-P: Peter wants this to be below 500 nmol/L or ~ 25th percentile (20 mg/dl)
- Trigs: Most responsive to diet changes (lower carbs); reference is < 150 mg/dL (< 1.7 mmol/L) but Peter wants this < 100 mg/dL (< 1.13 mmol/L); trigs should be lower than HDL.
- LDL synthesis: The most preset/not variable
- Better predictive markers than LDL-C (despite C being the more common test)
- VLDL Cholesterol: Non-HDL cholesterol and subtract LDL cholesterol below 15mg/dl
- Total cholesterol is basically useless, HDL is minimally valuable
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Peter likes to see: TG < HDL-C (when measured in mg/dL)
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- IGF-1 (Growth Hormone surrogate) – strong driver of cancer; likely that cycling between low and high levels of IGF-1 is optimal;
Fasting can dramatically lower IGF-1
- OGTT (oral glucose tolerance test): Metabolic health, try to get it with insulin measurements
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- Goals = Fasting glucose below 90, 1 hour post prandial <130, 2 hour glucose below 100
- Keto diet people will have very high levels after a challenge (low before), but this isn’t accurate
- Fasting glucose: Only directionally interesting. This varies a lot during the day, difference from 90 or 105 is more about your cortisol level than metabolic issues
- Peter uses a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM). He doesn’t like the Abbot Freestyle Libre (not accurate enough), has a test version of the Dexcom G6 which is much better. It has a tiny needle, no calibration needed and can connect with your phone
- A month of CGM data is > an OGTT test to Peter
- On CGM, “I like to see my patients with a mean glucose below 100 mg/dL, a glucose variability below 15 mg/dL, and, as noted above, no excursions of glucose above 140 mg/dL.”
- DEXA: Look at three things: Appendicular lean mass index (ALMI) and fat-free mass index (FFMI). “I [Peter] aim for my ALMI to be in at least the 90th percentile, if not above the 97th percentile as I age. The data are unequivocal: people live longer, better lives with an ALMI above the 75th percentile.”
- He also looks at:
- Segmental BMD
- VAT
- FMI Total
- He also looks at:
- ALT (alanine aminotransferase): Liver health
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< 20 U/L and (reference upper limit: 42-44) and AST 40 but Peter wants patients below 20
- Best test to see if your liver has issues (side note: ALT elevations are a signal that you should stop taking a new medication – many potential new drugs are stopped if they elevate ALT)
- Don’t simply accept it if your Dr. tells you your levels are “normal” as those levels have drifted up over time as the average person has gotten less healthy)
- Fatty Liver/NASH will be the leading driver of liver transplant in the future in US
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- Heart Disease: The younger you are, the more blood tests can tell you about your risk of cardiovascular disease, older people need to rely more on scans (e.g. CT angiograms)
- Omega Index Plus Test: Likes to see EPA/DHA index above 8.5; OmegaQuant offers a good at-home test (use code TROY for 10% off). This is the same test used in Peter’s concierge medical program.
- Inflammation: Fibrinogen, CRP, oxLDL, and oxPL
- hsCRP: < 1 mg/L (labs say below 2)
- oxLDL: < 40 U/L (labs say < 60 U/L)
- Endothelial Health: Insulin sensitivity, homosystine, ADMA, SDMA
- Cancer: Blood gives up the least insight, until liquid biopsy tests become accurate (company like Grail)
- Most cancers are somatic mutations not germ line mutations so knowing your genotype doesn’t help much with a few exceptions (e.g. BRCA and Lynch)
- As a result, you can focus on inflammation markers and metabolic health
- Alzheimer’s Disease: APOE tells you low/medium/high risk and long with risk driven by the same drivers of heart disease, metabolic component, and toxins which we can’t understand/track the least
- TOMM40: A TOMM40 variable-length polymorphism predicts the age of late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (Roses et al., 2010)
- Grip strength – Dead hang test 2x/week – Goal is 2 minutes for men at age of 40 and 1.5 minutes for women (discounted by decade)
- Eccentric strength – step down from a 16″ block and take more than 3 seconds
- Strict air squat hold at 90 degrees, 2 minutes for men and women at age 40
- Hold 50% of your bodyweight and do a certain number of box step-ups
- Farmers carry – Male carry body weight for 2 minutes, females 75% of your body weight
- VO2 Max
- Ankle mobility
SLEEP
- Night Time Routine per AMA #42 (12/2022): He takes his sleep supplement stack (mentioned below) about 8.5 hours before he wants to get up. Then 15 minutes traditional sauna @ 198 F, cold plunge, 20-25 minutes sauna, bed.
- Dr. Attia’s Sleep Supplement Stack per AMA #42 taken 8.5 hours before he wants to wake (this list excludes two prescriptions he takes):
- 2g glycine
- 600mg ashwagandha
- 3x capsules Magnesium L-Threonate
- His wife just takes Sleep Remedy; Use code antifragile10 for 10% off.
- Uses Felix Gray blue-light blockers
- Gravity Blankets – Gravity is a premium sleep and relaxation company dedicated to improving physical and mental well-being using natural solutions backed by science. The core product, the Gravity Blanket, is premium-grade, therapeutic weighted blanket engineered to be around 10% of your body weight to relax the nervous system by simulating the feeling of being held or hugged.
- Alaska Bear® Natural Silk Sleep mask – Dr. Peter Attia recommended this to Tim Ferriss on his 2019 podcast appearance. He takes one everywhere. I’ve tried many eye masks and was skeptical—aren’t they all basically the same?—but the Alaska Bear is an upgrade. The design checks a couple of basic but critical boxes: (1) it allows you to tighten the head strap, and (2) the soft material blocks light from entering under the bottom edge of the eye mask. If the ridiculous name isn’t enough, you can also choose many ridiculous patterns for your personalized sleep fashion needs. Gravity also carries a nice WEIGHTED sleep mask.
- SleepMe Ooler – “While the ChiliPad Cube itself may not be on my bedside table, the unit that attaches to the pad is on the table, and together all this gear allows me to regulate the surface temperature of my mattress. I keep it at about 56 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The lowering of our body temperatures at night is a cue for our brains that it’s time to go to sleep and increases the proportion of time we’re in delta-wave (translation: deep) sleep.”
- Use code SLEEPME for 25% off new CUBE, OOLER, chiliBLANKET and DOCK PRO Sleep Systems
- Peter has upgraded to the Eight Sleep, a more elegant and effective but more expensive version of the SleepMe Ooler.
FITNESS
The ultimate longevity drug — “Keep exercising throughout life. It is unequivocally the very best weapon in our arsenal when it comes to fending off a deterioration in health and extending lifespan. A well-crafted exercise program that is geared towards strength, muscle mass and respiratory fitness”
Longevity Fitness Metrics (per Joe Rogan interview)
- Grip strength – Dead hang test 2x/week – Two minutes for men at age of 40 and 1.5 minutes for women (discounted by decade)
- Eccentric strength – step down from a 16″ block and take more than 3 seconds (you can use a GORUCK bag to add weight as Peter does here)
- Hold 50% of your bodyweight and do a certain number of box step-ups
- Farmers carry 75% of your body weight
- Ankle mobility
- Uses DEXA to look at two most important things: Visceral fat and ALMI
- Rucking – 3-4 hours per week; 50-80lbs for 3 miles each session using the GORUCK Rucker 4.0 bag; He varies the weight – some days heavy weights and slow pace doing hill repeats and some days lighter weight but faster
- Zone 5 – 1x/week VO2Max for 30 minutes – 4 min. for as long as you can sustain (the highest wattage), then rest 4 minutes, repeat 4 more times or on stair climber one minute on, two minutes off, repeat
- Zone 2 – 4x/week at 45-60 min. zone 2 training (if you’re super deconditioned, he recommends 30 min. 3X/week)
- Zone 2 is defined as how much work can be done while keeping your lactate about 1.7 to 2.0 mmol/L
- On days he does cardio, zone 2 or higher, he doesn’t mind having a gap before he eats
- As of the Oct. 2023 podcast, Peter has been using the Morpheus heart rate monitor and app to determine zone 2 training. He has found it pretty accurate. You can get a discount on Morpheus here (coach’s discount).
- Strength Training – 4x/week (6-7 hours per week); eccentric strength is more important than concentric
- DNS training to prepare for heavy lifting (neuro development)
- Ends each lifting session with 2-4 sets of BFR
- When he strength trains, the second he’s done, he has a high-protein shake
Minimum Effective Dose – Dr. Attia said if you only have 5 hours for exercise a week, he recommends 2 hours of strength training, 2.5 hours zone 2 and 30 minutes of HIIT,
Equipment/Supplements
- Protein powder – cycles between:
- LMNT Electrolytes – I highly recommend Trace Minerals ZeroLyte. It’s just like LMNT electrolytes except is has more magnesium and
potassium, has added trace minerals and uses Ancient Utah sea salt vs sodium chloride. It tastes just as good and it’s $10 cheaper! - Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) cuffs – Peter has become a pretty big fan of BFR training. If you are not familiar with BFR, you should definitely check out his podcast with Dr. Jeremy Loenneke (#179) in which they do a super deep into all of the science that supports this method of training. He is currently using the Kaatsu brand of cuffs (use code TROY for 5% off) (per this Instagram post) Prior he was using SmartCuffs which are more than half the price (use code TROY for 10% off here) pictured below.
I’ve been doing blood flow restriction (BFR) training for about two years and I’ve tried a number of different cuffs, but I’ve centered on the KAATSU as my go-to cuff. I find these to be the right size and easy to use, which allows me to do a number of things that I haven’t been able to do with other cuffs. One feature that I have found particularly useful with my Kaatsu cuff is its passive cycle mode which inflates and deflates the cuff automatically, letting me use it for longer periods of time. BFR is far from pleasant, but the good news is you don’t have to do much of it and it’s especially valuable if you have an injury that would lead you to want to put less load on a joint or muscle while also getting quicker recovery benefits.
Peter Attia Tweet
- GORUCK Rucker 4.0 bag – He loads 50-60 lbs when rucking and also uses it in the weight room. He incorporates 3-4 hours a week of rucking. See this video for isolated single legs exercises that he does with the ruck bag and weighted step ups here. If you want save some money, I recommend getting these weight plates on Amazon instead of the GORUCK brand.
I think a rucksack is an essential piece of equipment for everyone. Walk with it. Hike with it. Go up and down stairs with it. There is no limit to the value it can provide.
Dr. Attia Tweet
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- For training aerobic efficiency, Dr. Attia prefers using a Wahoo KICKR with his street bike. His favorite stationary bike from a form factor perspective is the Keiser (AMA #19)
- TriggerPoint Roller & Ball – mentioned in warm-up sequence
- Supernova mobility ball
- Resistance bands with handles
- Pull-up bar
- Kettlebells
- Dumbbells
- Stability ball
- Hydro Flask bottle
- Vuori active wear – Use this link for $20 off your first purchase.
- Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe, a great book on the major strength-training lifts Dr. Attia incorporates into his routine
- GORUCK Shoes for rucking
- Xero Shoes – The best minimalist shoes for all your outdoor activities. 5,000 mile sole warranty. Travel-friendly.
FOOD & TYPICAL DAY
Protein: Protein seems to be Dr. Attia’s most important macronutrient. According to this Instagram post, he tries to get 40-60g protein, four times a day to get a total of 160g-180g protein per day.
His meals break down as follows:
1. Fastbreaker Smoothie (mentioned in an Instagram live)
- Cashew milk
- UCAN LIVSTEADY (formerly Superstarch) (use this link to get 15% off)
- AG1 (formerly Athletic Greens)
- Frozen berries
- Frozen avocado
- Whey protein (50g) – According to this Instagram post, he cycles between three different types of whey protein (1 scoop flavored and 1 scoop unflavored to minimize the sweetness):
- Jocko Fuel Molk Protein Powder (use code MTOR for 10% off here) or purchase on Amazon. Attia prefers Molk because it’s the least sweet.
- BioSteel
- Outwork Nutrition
- I [Troy] have been using BulkSupplements brand unflavored whey which is the cheapest unflavored whey I could find. I had it 3rd party tested for heavy metals and it came back low. You can use code TROY5 for 5% off.
- Or he keeps it simple: almond or cashew milk, 2 scoops whey protein (50g protein: 25g flavored and 25g unflavored), berries, and a scoop of AG1 (formerly Athletic Greens).
2. Before 1 PM Protein Snack: (Per AMA#40): A wrap containing turkey or ham (40g protein).
3. Lunch (Instagram 2/8/22)
- Maui Nui venison sticks – Get 20% off with code TROY20 here.
- Carnivore Crisps, free-range elk (code ATTIA10 for 10% off)
- Avocado
- Tomatoes
- Pistachios
4. Dinner: Elk, salmon or venison and vegetables
Peter’s Go-To Food Brands
- AG1 (formerly Athletic Greens) – Per AMA #36, he takes 1 scoop 1-2 times a day; Note, if you don’t refrigerate AG, you’re increasing the risk of oxidation and you’re increasing the risk of spoilage. GSubscribe to get a FREE year supply of Vitamin D3+K2 and 5 Travel Packs gift with link above.
- Kosterina Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Dr. Attia’s favorite brand of olive oil – Kosterina specializes in high- polyphenol (antioxidant) extra virgin olive oil from Greece. Recommended in Dr. Attia’s Exclusive Member Discounts.
- Pique Tea – Dr. Attia’s favorite tea. Pique is an great hot or cold, with no steeping required. Perfect for everyday use or during fasting. (Dr. Attia recommends Pique in this Instagram post) Use code TROY for 5% off.
- Topo Chico Mineral Water – Dr. Attia’s go-to mineral water.
- Maui Nui Venison – Maui Nui venison is sourced from Maui’s non-native axis deer population, harvested humanely and in the wild, and combined with only a handful of natural ingredients. Attia likes the Pepper Sticks. I recommend the 95/5 Organ Blend! Dr. Attia is an investor in Maui Nui Venison. Get 20% off your first order using code TROY20.
- Allulose, Dr. Attia’s sweetener of choice.
- Magic Spoon – Healthy cereal that’s high in protein and low in carbs (only 3g). Dr. Attia is an investor in Magic Spoon.
Dr. Attia’s Glucose-Magic Spoon experiment on IG - Traeger Pro Smoker –
- Onnit FatButter – Use code TROY10 for 10% off.
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We must distinguish between “it can be done” and “is it optimal”
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Humans are clearly omnivores
BIOSENSE Breath Ketone Monitoring System (Use code PATTIA20 for $20 off) – Biosense is the only clinical-grade, U.S. Food and Drug Administration Class I device that tracks shifting fat-burning levels as they change throughout the day. It can help those who want to monitor their nutrition, ketone supplementation, exercise, and fasting protocols to provide insight and feedback for actionable steps towards optimizing your metabolic health. Peter prefers this over other breath-based acetone testing devices because it covers a broader range of endogenous ketone production, from mild nutritional ketosis to deep ketosis in the middle of an extended fast. Peter recommended this device in his Exclusive Membership.
DAILY ROUTINE
Per Attia’s interview on More Plates, More Dates
- Wakes up and checks his Eight Sleep score
- Checks HRV with Morpheus which tells him his heart rate training zones for the day
- Drinks coffee
- Little bit of work
- Walks dog
- Drives kids to school
- Shoots bow or drives simulator
- Workout
- Eat first meal (venison and nuts)
- Works 10:30AM-5PM
- Rucks for an hour and possibly other exercises like rope smashes or farmer’s carry
- Cold plunge
- Makes and eats dinner
- Brushes teeth right after dinner so he doesn’t eat anything else
- Puts kids to bed
- Little bit of work
- Sauna/hang out with wife
- Bed
MORNING COFFEE RITUAL
This is Dr. Attia’s favorite french press recipe according to this Instagram post. Six minutes steeping time.
- French Press
- Zabars Coffee – 4 super heaping Tbsp French press coarse ground.
- Roasted French Chicory – 1/2 Tbsp
- Ground cinnamon – 2-3 dashes
- Vanilla Extract – cap full
SUPPLEMENTS
Dr. Attia’s Framework for taking Supplements & Medications
Instead of telling you to “take X” or “never take Y,” he finds it more beneficial to approach this tactic with a 3-part framework:
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What is the objective?
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The more clearly you can define your objective, the more clearly you can assess if this is the right tool for accomplishing that objective.
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Is there a biomarker?
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How do you plan to customize, track, and adjust your treatment over time? If there is no biomarker to monitor as a measure of effectiveness, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take the supplement or medication; it just means you may need to be more intentional around monitoring results in other ways.
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Does the risk outweigh the reward (podcast clip)?
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Everyone has a different tolerance for risk. Some questions to consider when weighing risk vs. reward: What is the mechanism of action? How many patient years of use exist? What are the short-term and long-term risks of taking the medication? What are the risks of not taking the medication?
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Brands
Here are companies Dr. Attia relies on for a variety of supplements (per 10/28/18 AMA#26 and 36 notes):
- Jarrow – Use code FIRST10 for 10% off or Shop Amazon
- Pure Encapsulations – Use code FIRST10 for 10% off
- Thorne – Use code FIRST10 for 10% off
- BioSteel
Daily Use
Note that what Dr. Attia takes for his own health isn’t necessarily optimal for you.
- Per The Drive #276 and AMA #46, he consistently take 10-12 supplements daily.
- Morning Supplements
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Pendulum Glucose Control Probiotic – He takes this to control glucose levels. He believes this is the most rigorously tested and validated probiotic he has found. (Podcast clip)
- Carlson brand fish oil – 4 capsules for a total of 2g EPA, 1.5g DHA (Podcast clip)
- Vitamin D – 5000 IU (brand unknown) (podcast clip)
- Magnesium carbonate – 2 tablets SlowMag brand
- Pure Encapsulation Curcumin – Pure Encapsulations version of Theracumin. Dr. Attia takes one per day; “I think there’s really some pretty good data on curcumin’s anti-inflammatory benefits, and in particular some much more compelling data on a formulation of it called Theracumin“
- Jarrow Methyl B12 & Folate (podcast clip)
- Pure Encapsulations B6 – takes 50mg, 3x/week
- Baby aspirin (podcast clip)
- Rapamyicin (enterically coated) – 8mg once a week. This is a prescription medication used for transplant patients to suppress the immune system. Dr. Attia takes it for geroprotective reasons as he describes here.
- Protein powder: He cycles between:
- Jocko Fuel Molk protein powder (use code MTOR for 10% off here) or purchase on Amazon
- Promix grass-fed whey protein isolate – Get $10 off with this link
- BioSteel
- Outwork Nutrition
- Evening Supplements
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Solgar Ashwaganda – 600mg (podcast clip)
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Thorne Glycine – 2g (podcast clip)
- Magnesium – Attia recommends anyone with healthy kidney function should get in 500-600mg of magnesium daily. He takes about 1 gram total from 3 forms (podcast clip):
- In the morning, magnesium carbonate (2-3 tablets (4 if he’s cramping) (SlowMag brand)
- In the evening, ~400-500mg mag. oxide (for bowel function / does not take this during a fast)
- Before bed, 2 tablets MagTein (l-threonate) – crosses blood-brain barrier and good for sleep.
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Other Supplements Recommended/Used
- LMNT Electrolytes – I highly recommend Trace Minerals ZeroLyte. It’s just like LMNT except is has more magnesium and potassium, has added trace minerals and uses Ancient Utah sea salt vs sodium chloride. It tastes just as good and it’s $10 cheaper!
- BioSteel BCAAs
- Jet Lag/Travel Protocol per AMA#42
- Get up super early, no caffeine, hard exercise
- 1-3mg Melatonin
- 400-600mg Phosphatidylserine (podcast clip)
- Dr. Kirk Parsley’s Sleep Remedy – Dr. Attia has recommended this multiple times. This is the sleep supplement of choice for Navy SEALs, pro athletes, and C-level executives, Sleep Remedy is designed to naturally decrease stress hormones while boosting relaxation chemistry for a deeply restorative sleep. Use code antifragile10 for 10% off.
Image via this Instagram post - UCAN – Dr. Attia has been using UCAN since 2011 and likes it because it can fuel endurance workouts without kicking you out of ketosis. Use this link to get 15% off. UCAN delivers LIVSTEADY®, a slow-release complex carbohydrate that uniquely delivers steady, long-lasting energy without sugars.
- Creatine – Use code FIRST10 for 10% off
- Might be worth taking if you’re an athlete looking for strength and performance gains
- Coin toss for the average Joe looking for better results in the gym
- Cocoavia – Dr. Attia believes pure cocoa flavonoids seem to offer pretty significant improvements in endothelial health and has found some solid research behind the Cocoavia brand (get $20 off with this link or purchase on Amazon here.)
- Berberine – Peter notes in AMA #3 [2:04:14], when they use Berberine, they suggest Thorne’s Berberine as the brand.
- Nattokinase – Dr. Attia likes to use this product for inflammation, when a patient has normal CRP but elevated fibrinogen or during travel to reduce DVT
- Flite Tabs to help protect against blood clots while flying (mentioned in The Kevin Rose Show, 1/16/19). A comparable product is Life Extensions VenoFlow.
FASTING
Per AMA #40 from October 2022, Peter is not currently doing any type of prolonged fasts.
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Peter Has No Idea If His Former Fasting Regimen Had Benefits
- He is focused on lean mass and strength at the moment
- It’s probably been 18 months since he did a prolonged fast
- Peter is hoping/assuming that the rapamycin he takes is achieving some of those benefits
- The only patients that he recommends fasting to are those that are over muscled and over nourished (so they can afford to lose a little muscle)
- “For the most part, I don’t really want people to think about fasting as a weight loss strategy.” There’s some exceptions to that…maybe there’s a few patients where doing a three-day fast once a month, coupled with enormous TRF and caloric restriction on the other 27 days, was part of the overall strategy
- The biomarkers (or the biological measurements like senescent cells, autophagy) that really matter can’t measure yet, so fasting to improve these is a leap of faith. A lot of biomarkers (triglycerides, glucose, insulin) get better when you fast, but you don’t have to do something as extreme as fasting to make those things happen
- Zero app – Dr. Attia is co-founder and Chief Medical Officer for Zero
- Pique Tea is an amazing tea, cold or hot water soluble, with no steeping required. Perfect for everyday use or during prolonged fasting. Use code TROY for 5% off.
- Sleep supplement protocol during fasting (“Sleep Cocktail”):
- Dr. Kirk Parsley’s Sleep Remedy – During extended fasts, Dr. Attia stacks this supplement with the others listed below. Use code antifragile10 for 10% off.
- SlowMag which has better absorption for electrolyte balance so it is good for treating/preventing cramps; he takes 4 tablets when fasting (2 in the morning, 2 before bed) (Note that he discontinues taking magnesium oxide/citrate during a fast per AMA#19)
- MagTein Magnesium L-threonate (2 before bed)
- Methylated B vitamin complex
- PS100 Jarrow gels – “I keep a few sleep aids by my bed to use when needed. I occasionally take phosphatidylserine, I like the Jarrow brand, to lower adrenal output and to supply some of the commonly deficient nutrients associated with sleep.” Designs for Health is another good brand of PS
- Bouillon
- Topo Chico Mineral Water – I can confirm, this water does taste amazing!
- ProLon Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD) – Dr. Attia mentions Dr. Valter Longo’s ProLon Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD) which involves eating a small amount of calories over a 5-day period. He believes it’s probably not the ideal way to fast in order to maximize the benefits of fasting but it is much easier to stick to and still get many, if not all of the benefits of an extended fast. One of Dr. Attia’s patients, Kevin Rose, discussed having premature cardiovascular disease risk in the family, and using multiple cycles of ProLon as suggested by Dr. Attia, to help normalize some of his blood biomarkers. You can learn more about ProLon here.
SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE
Dr. Attia also has a subscription service, which I am a fan of. For a small monthly, or annual fee, it gives you access to a whole host of benefits that aren’t available otherwise, including the “Qualys” series, which are short (<10 minute) highlights from the back catalog of podcasts, product discounts and amazingly-detailed podcast notes. This is a great way to support Dr. Attia’s continued time spent on the podcast, as well as make sure you’re getting all the latest and greatest info.
BEST ARTICLES & FRAMEWORKS
- Studying Studies series – A series of articles to teach you how to read and understand research studies.
- Framework for longevity (video)
- Framework for exercise (video)
- Favorite 30 minute “short” workout (Instagram post)
- Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS) (Instagram post)
- Dr. Attia’s warm-up sequence (videos and tear sheet download)
- Dr. Attia’s movement routine to get your neck, upper back, and shoulders ready to do anything, free of pain (tear sheet download)
- Introduction
- I: Soft Tissue Preparation – You will need a foam roller and a Supernova
- II: Dynamic Stabilization – You will need a resistance band, broomstick or dowel and stability ball
- III: Loaded Exercises – You will need resistance cables with handles, pull-up bar, one light and one heavy kettlebell, and dumbbell or round weight plate
- Shoulder diagnostic test
- Rotator cuff exercises
- Exercises to improve scapular health
- Fasting (articles and podcasts)
- Nutrition framework explained via Instagram post (video)
PRIVATE FACEBOOK GROUP
If you’re interested in a like-minded community, join my Dr. Peter Attia Performance & Longevity Facebook Group (Dr. Attia has no affiliation with this group…yet ;-))
Please comment below if you find any discrepancies or updated recommendations.-t
FAQ
Click on the links below to hear the podcast clip answering the question.
Why Peter Attia Doubts Anyone Will Live to 120+ Anytime Soon
Peter Is Focused on Optimizing His Marginal Decade, Not Adding 10 Years to His Life
Unlike Nutrition & Blood Pressure Meds, We Lack Biomarkers for Aging
Supplements
Peter Attia Supplements With Carlson’s Fish Oil, Totaling 2g EPA & 1.5g DHA Daily
Despite Poor Studies, Peter Attia Supplements With 5,000 IU of Vitamin D Daily
To Keep Homocysteine <9, Peter Supplements With Methylfolate & Methyl B12
Peter Attia Takes a Baby Aspirin Daily, But Recognizes Possible Bleeding Risks
Peter’s Nighttime Supplements: Ashwagandha, Glycine, & Magnesium L-Threonate
Peter Occasionally Supplements With Jarrow’s Phosphatidylserine (400mg) When Traveling
Lipids (ApoB and Lp(a))
To Keep ApoB <40 mg/dL, Peter Takes Repatha (PCSK9 Inhibitor) & Nexlizet (Bempedoic Acid & Ezetimibe)
Does Peter Have Concerns About People in Their 30s-50s Taking Statins for a Long Period of Time?
Now 2023, a Promising LP(a)-Lowering Drug Is in Phase III Trials
Why There’s No Such Thing as Good Cholesterol & Bad Cholesterol
Nutrition
The Most Important Parameter for Determining Metabolic Health Is Energy Balance
Not Traveling as Often & Doubting Benefits, Peter Stopped Prolonged Fasting
Peter’s Protein Intake Recommendations for People <50 Depends on Muscle Mass
Maui Nui’s Venison Jerky Sticks Help Peter Hit His 150-180 g/Day Protein Target
Wearables
Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase. Oftentimes, I’ve worked out a discount for you. Please understand that I have experience with all of the products I’m an affiliate for, and I only recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something. Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you achieve your goals.