Supplements.
What I actually take
and why.
No proprietary blends. No hidden doses. No products I don’t personally use. Everything on this page reflects what I actually take, the evidence behind it, and honest context about what it can and cannot do. Supplements are a complement to sleep, exercise, and nutrition — not a substitute for any of them.
Why “clean”
is not a marketing word.
The supplement industry is largely unregulated. Unlike pharmaceuticals, supplements do not require FDA approval before they go to market. A company can put almost anything on a label — including claims that have no clinical support — and sell it legally. The result is an industry full of products that are either underdosed, mislabeled, contaminated with unlisted ingredients, or built around proprietary blends that hide individual ingredient quantities behind a single “blend” total weight.
A proprietary blend is a stack of ingredients listed with a single combined weight rather than individual doses. You might see “Performance Blend 3,200mg” followed by a list of six ingredients. You have no idea whether the primary ingredient is dosed at 3,000mg or 50mg. In most cases, the effective ingredients are underdosed and the label is designed to look impressive rather than perform clinically.
Every supplement I take has a fully disclosed label — individual ingredient, individual dose, nothing hidden. This is non-negotiable for me. If a company will not tell me exactly what is in the product and in what quantity, I will not take it. That standard is easier to apply once you understand the research — because then you know what dose of each ingredient actually does something.
“A supplement that does not disclose individual ingredient doses is telling you something about how confident they are in what those doses actually are.”
// what “clean” means to me
My five standards before I take anything
- Full label transparency: every ingredient listed individually with its exact dose. No proprietary blends.
- Clinically meaningful doses: each ingredient at or near the dose range used in published research that showed an effect — not a token amount added for label appeal.
- Third-party tested: independently verified for what is on the label and for absence of contaminants or banned substances. Look for NSF Certified for Sport, Informed Sport, or USP verification.
- No unnecessary fillers or artificial dyes: no reason for a supplement to be neon colored or to contain artificial sweeteners at quantities that add no value.
- Evidence-based ingredients only: I do not take ingredients with no meaningful published research behind them, regardless of how they are marketed.
// daily training
My pre-workout formula —
My pre-workout formula —
every ingredient, every dose.
This is the exact formula I use before training. Every ingredient listed, every dose disclosed. No blend. No surprises. This is what meaningful pre-workout supplementation actually looks like when you know what the research says each ingredient needs to be dosed at to do anything.
// pre-workout formula · full disclosure
Pre-Workout Stack — Exact Doses
Personal use only · Not a medical recommendation
L-Citrulline
8,000 mg
Converts to arginine in the kidneys, increasing nitric oxide production. At 6–8g, clinically shown to improve blood flow, reduce muscle fatigue, and improve exercise performance. Most products use 3–4g — half of what the research uses.
Creatine Monohydrate
5,000 mg
The single most studied performance supplement in existence. At 3–5g daily, increases phosphocreatine stores in muscle, improving high-intensity power output, strength, and recovery. Monohydrate is the form with the evidence base — not ethyl ester, not HCl.
Beta-Alanine
4,000 mg
Precursor to carnosine, which buffers acid buildup in muscle during high-intensity effort. The tingling (paresthesia) is normal and harmless — it means the dose is working. Effective range is 3.2–6.4g daily. Most products use 1–1.5g — clinically insignificant.
Acetyl L-Carnitine HCL
2,000 mg
Crosses the blood-brain barrier and supports mitochondrial function, cognitive performance during exercise, and fat utilization. Acetyl form specifically has cognitive support data. Evidence is strongest in the range of 1.5–3g.
KSM-66® Ashwagandha
600 mg
KSM-66 is the most clinically validated ashwagandha extract. At 300–600mg, shown to reduce cortisol, improve stress resilience, and improve VO2 max and muscle recovery in athletes. KSM-66 specifically — the extract standardization matters significantly.
L-Theanine
300 mg
Amino acid found in green tea. Paired with caffeine at a 2:1 ratio (theanine:caffeine), it smooths the stimulant effect — producing focus and energy without the jitteriness, crash, or anxiety that caffeine alone can produce. This ratio is the reason this formula does not produce a crash.
Caffeine Anhydrous
150 mg
Well-established performance enhancer at 3–6mg/kg body weight. At 150mg this is a moderate, controlled dose — approximately equivalent to 1.5 cups of coffee — intentionally lower than the 200–300mg found in most commercial pre-workouts to allow the theanine to fully counterbalance the stimulant effect without exceeding it.
// timing
Taken 30 minutes before leaving for the gym. The caffeine and L-citrulline both reach peak plasma concentration at approximately 30–60 minutes post-ingestion — taking it on the way out the door means it is peaking by the time the warmup is done and the first working set begins. The theanine onset is similarly timed, so the smoothing effect on the caffeine is active before the stimulant load is felt.
The creatine in this formula counts as the daily dose. On training days, this is the creatine — no separate creatine supplement needed. On rest days without the pre-workout, creatine is taken standalone. The total daily dose is the same either way: 5g. Creatine timing relative to the workout does not meaningfully affect its benefit — the evidence is clear that consistency of daily dosing matters far more than whether it is taken pre or post workout.
// current product · what I actually use
The product I currently use is Wave Pre-Workout. The reason is straightforward: the formula above is Wave's formula exactly — same 7 ingredients, same clinical doses, full label disclosure, no proprietary blends, manufactured in a US cGMP-certified facility. When I found a product that matched what I had independently concluded was the right formula, I stopped looking for something else.
I have evaluated Transparent Labs BULK, TL LEAN, Promix Pre-Workout, and Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre against this formula. The ingredient-level comparison — every dose, every product — is on the supplement comparison page.
Disclosure: no affiliate relationships or brand partnerships currently exist for any product named on this page. I have no financial relationship with Wave, Promix, Transparent Labs, or Optimum Nutrition. If that changes, it will be disclosed prominently.
Everything I take —
with frequency and honest context.
Click any supplement to expand the evidence, my reasoning, and what to look for when choosing a product. Frequency is honest — daily means daily, occasional means occasional, and paused means I have it but am not currently taking it consistently.
Cr
Creatine Monohydrate
Most Days
5g · most days · included in pre-workout on training days — standalone on rest days · no separate dose needed on gym days
+
Creatine monohydrate is the most researched supplement in sports science. It is not a steroid, not a stimulant, and not a compound with meaningful side effects at standard doses. It is a naturally occurring molecule that your muscles use to regenerate ATP during high-intensity effort. Supplementing it saturates your phosphocreatine stores, allowing more reps, more power output, and faster recovery between sets. It also has a meaningful evidence base for cognitive function, particularly in sleep-deprived states — relevant to a surgeon.
Evidence: Hundreds of RCTs over 40 years consistently show creatine monohydrate improves strength, power, and muscle mass. Meta-analyses confirm significant improvements in lean mass, 1RM strength, and high-intensity exercise performance. Emerging evidence supports neuroprotection and cognitive benefits. The evidence for creatine is as strong as it gets in supplement research.
What to look for: Creatine monohydrate — not ethyl ester, not HCl, not buffered. The monohydrate form is what has the evidence. 5g daily, no loading phase required. Micronized dissolves better but is otherwise equivalent. Third-party tested.
Gr
Clean Greens Supplement
Most Days
Full-disclosure formula · most days · bridging the vegetable gap on busy OR and clinic days
+
On heavy OR days I may not eat a vegetable until dinner, if at all. A clean greens supplement covers the micronutrient and phytonutrient gap on those days. I take the same approach here as with the pre-workout: every ingredient disclosed individually, every dose listed. A greens powder that hides its ingredients behind a “SuperGreens Blend 4,500mg” tells me that the spirulina is probably 50mg and the rest is filler. I want to know what I am getting and at what quantity.
Evidence: Whole-food vegetable and phytonutrient consumption is associated with reduced inflammation, improved gut microbiome diversity, antioxidant support, and lower all-cause mortality across observational studies. Greens powders have a limited but emerging clinical trial base — they are not equivalent to eating vegetables but are meaningfully better than nothing on days when the alternative is nothing.
What to look for: Full ingredient disclosure — no proprietary blends. Spirulina, chlorella, wheatgrass, spinach, and/or kale as primary ingredients listed with individual weights. Third-party tested. No added sugar. A greens powder should taste like greens, not candy.
Greens products I have used: Transparent Labs Greens and Promix Raw Greens — both meet the full-disclosure standard. AG1 (Athletic Greens) I tried and stopped: NSF certified for safety, but four proprietary blends mean you cannot verify individual ingredient doses. That fails the clean-label standard regardless of certification. The full ingredient-level comparison across all four products — including IM8's greens complex — is on the supplement comparison page.
MV
Multivitamin with Vitamin D & C
Most Days
Including D3, C, B-complex, zinc, magnesium · most days
+
A multivitamin is nutritional insurance — it is not a replacement for diet, but it covers the gaps that diet consistently misses. Vitamin D specifically is the one I am most deliberate about. My blood levels were almost low despite living in Florida year-round. Modern indoor lifestyles, sunscreen use, and time spent in operating rooms (zero windows, zero UV exposure) mean that geographic location is not a reliable predictor of vitamin D status. I check my labs. I supplement accordingly. Vitamin C, magnesium, zinc, and B vitamins support immune function, sleep quality, energy metabolism, and recovery — all relevant to surgical performance.
Evidence: Vitamin D3 supplementation reduces fracture risk in deficient older adults (meta-analysis of 7 trials, 12,620 participants). Vitamin D is also associated with immune function, muscle performance, and mood. Magnesium deficiency is extremely common and affects sleep quality, muscle function, and energy metabolism. B vitamins are essential cofactors in cellular energy production. The multivitamin is a floor, not a ceiling.
What to look for: D3 (cholecalciferol), not D2 (ergocalciferol) — D3 is more bioavailable and is the form that most closely mirrors what the body produces from sun exposure. Magnesium glycinate or malate rather than oxide (better absorbed). Methylfolate rather than folic acid for those with MTHFR variants. Third-party tested.
// product comparison
I have rotated through Opti-Men, Animal Pak, and GNC Mega Men, and am evaluating IM8 Essentials and TMRW as potential replacements. The full ingredient-level comparison — every form, every dose, every verdict — is on the supplement comparison page.
IM8
IM8 Daily Ultimate Essentials + Longevity
Evaluating
Two products · not yet taking · intrigued enough to compare seriously
+
IM8 caught my attention because it directly addresses the weaknesses I identified in all three multivitamins I have used — magnesium bisglycinate instead of oxide, K2 MK-7, methylcobalamin B12, Quatrefolic methylfolate, 2,000 IU D3. More importantly it is a fundamentally different category: a single drink that replaces the multivitamin, greens, probiotic, and CoQ10 simultaneously. They have two products: Daily Ultimate Essentials ($89/month) and Daily Ultimate Longevity ($119/month add-on). I have not tried either yet.
The full ingredient-level comparison — IM8 Essentials vs. my built stack, IM8 Longevity vs. TMRW, and the all-in-one synthesis — is on the supplement comparison page. No financial relationship with IM8. Will update when I have tried it.
Tu
Turmeric / Curcumin
Occasional
With black pepper (piperine) for absorption · occasional
+
Curcumin is the active compound in turmeric. It has well-established anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties acting on multiple inflammatory pathways simultaneously. As someone who operates for hours on end, manages chronic low-level inflammatory load from physical and cognitive stress, and is interested in long-term joint and neurological health, curcumin is one of the more evidence-backed additions I can make at the anti-inflammatory level. The critical caveat: curcumin alone is poorly absorbed. It requires piperine (black pepper extract) or a lipid-based formulation to reach meaningful plasma concentrations.
Evidence: Curcumin has been shown to reduce inflammatory markers (CRP, IL-6, TNF-α) in RCTs. Clinical benefits demonstrated in osteoarthritis, metabolic syndrome, exercise-induced muscle damage, and general inflammatory conditions. Effect size is moderate and consistent across multiple systematic reviews.
What to look for: Piperine (BioPerine®) co-formulated, or a phytosome/lipid formulation (Meriva® or similar). Without an absorption enhancer, curcumin passes through largely unabsorbed. Standardized to at least 95% curcuminoids.
Ga
Garlic
Occasional
Aged or standardized allicin · occasional · cardiovascular and immune support
+
Garlic has one of the longest evidence records of any food-derived supplement. The active compound allicin and its derivatives have demonstrated cardiovascular benefits including modest blood pressure reduction, LDL reduction, and anti-platelet effects. It also has meaningful antimicrobial and immune-supporting properties. I take it in supplement form rather than relying on dietary intake alone because I am not eating raw garlic daily.
Evidence: Meta-analyses consistently show garlic supplementation produces modest but statistically significant reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, and total cholesterol. Immune-supporting effects demonstrated in RCTs for cold frequency and duration. Effect sizes are modest — this is not a drug-level intervention — but consistent and cumulative over time.
What to look for: Aged garlic extract or allicin-standardized product. Odorless formulations are available that retain most bioactive compounds. Third-party tested.
Gi
Ginger
Occasional
Standardized gingerol content · occasional · anti-inflammatory, GI support
+
Ginger's active compounds — gingerols and shogaols — have well-documented anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and gastroprotective effects. I stack ginger with turmeric because they target overlapping inflammatory pathways through different mechanisms, and the combination has additive anti-inflammatory activity. Ginger also has meaningful evidence for nausea reduction and GI motility support — relevant on busy surgical days when eating patterns are disrupted.
Evidence: Systematic reviews confirm ginger reduces pain and inflammation in osteoarthritis, muscle-soreness after exercise, and menstrual pain. Anti-nausea effects are well-established and used clinically. Some evidence for modest glucose regulation effects.
What to look for: Standardized to ≥5% gingerols. Root extract rather than powder for more consistent potency. Third-party tested.
Ω3
Omega-3 Fish Oil
Occasional
EPA + DHA · not daily currently · on rotation
+
I am not taking fish oil every day currently, but it remains on my radar. EPA and DHA are the omega-3 fatty acids with the strongest clinical evidence — for cardiovascular health, triglyceride reduction, neurological function, and systemic anti-inflammation. The evidence base is substantial. My hesitation is not about the evidence; it is about fitting it into the stack consistently. This is on the list to reintroduce.
Evidence: One of the most studied supplements in medicine. EPA/DHA at 1–4g/day reduces triglycerides significantly (FDA-approved at prescription doses for hypertriglyceridemia). Meaningful anti-inflammatory effects, particularly relevant for neurodegenerative risk reduction. Cardiovascular outcomes data is mixed at lower doses but generally favorable for high-risk populations.
What to look for: Combined EPA + DHA content on the label (not just “fish oil 1000mg” — the omega-3 content is what matters, not the capsule size). Molecularly distilled for heavy metals and PCBs. Triglyceride form (not ethyl ester) for better absorption. Third-party tested. IFOS 5-star certification is the gold standard for fish oil quality.
Pb
Pre & Probiotic
Daily
Multi-strain probiotic with prebiotic fiber · daily
+
Gut microbiome health has moved from fringe wellness territory into mainstream evidence-based medicine in the last decade. The gut-immune axis, the gut-brain axis, and the relationship between microbiome diversity and systemic inflammation are all established enough to justify deliberate supplementation. The prebiotic fiber feeds the beneficial bacteria; the probiotic replenishes and diversifies them. On high-stress surgical days when diet is compromised and cortisol is elevated — conditions that shift the microbiome toward dysbiosis — this becomes more important, not less.
Evidence: Specific probiotic strains (Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium families primarily) have demonstrated benefits in IBS, antibiotic-associated diarrhea, immune function, and inflammatory markers. The gut-brain axis research supports microbiome health as relevant to mood and cognitive performance. Evidence quality varies significantly by strain and outcome — not all probiotics are equivalent.
What to look for: CFU count on expiration date (not manufacture date). Multiple strains rather than a single strain. Prebiotic included or taken separately. Shelf-stable or properly refrigerated. Third-party verified CFU count.
Qu
Quercetin
Rare
With vitamin C for absorption · rare · anti-inflammatory, senolytic, immune
+
Quercetin is a flavonoid found in apples, onions, and capers that has attracted significant research attention for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and senolytic properties — the ability to selectively clear senescent (damaged, non-dividing) cells that accumulate with age and drive chronic inflammation. Senescent cell clearance is one of the more interesting longevity research areas of the last decade, and quercetin with dasatinib is among the most studied senolytic combinations (though I take quercetin alone, not the combination). It also has immune-modulating effects relevant to viral illness resistance.
Evidence: Quercetin has demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects, modest blood pressure reduction, and senolytic activity in clinical studies. The senolytic evidence in humans is early but compelling. Immune benefits including reduced upper respiratory infection duration have been shown in RCTs in athletes. Absorption is significantly enhanced by co-administration with vitamin C — which is covered by the multivitamin.
What to look for: Quercetin dihydrate or phytosome form for better absorption. Taken with vitamin C. Third-party tested. 500–1000mg range is the most common dose in clinical research.
El
Elderberry
Rare
Standardized anthocyanin content · rare · immune support
+
Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) has a meaningful, if modest, clinical evidence base for immune support — particularly for reducing the duration and severity of upper respiratory infections. As someone who operates on patients daily, respiratory illness is both more likely to occur and has meaningful professional consequences when it does. Elderberry is a low-risk, low-cost addition to the immune support stack that pairs well with quercetin.
Evidence: A 2016 RCT found elderberry extract significantly reduced cold duration by 2 days and severity in air travelers. A meta-analysis of 5 RCTs confirmed elderberry substantially reduces upper respiratory symptoms. Effect is most pronounced at early symptom onset. Evidence is moderate quality but consistent across trials.
What to look for: Standardized to anthocyanin content. Syrup, gummy, or capsule forms all have evidence support. Avoid products with excessive added sugar. Third-party tested.
Wp
Whey Protein Isolate
Rare
When food protein falls short · rare currently · getting protein from food now
+
I used to take whey protein consistently. I stopped because I shifted to getting my protein from whole food sources — eggs, chicken, lean meat — and wanted to minimize unnecessary calorie intake from supplements when food was doing the job. Whey protein is a tool, not a requirement. Right now the food covers it. On days when it genuinely does not — travel, long surgical days where eating was disrupted, high training volume weeks — I will use it. Rarely at the moment.
Evidence: Whey protein is the most bioavailable and rapidly absorbed protein source available in supplement form. Decades of RCT data confirm it supports muscle protein synthesis, lean mass preservation, and recovery when total protein intake is insufficient from food alone. Isolate form is lower in lactose and fat than concentrate — the better choice for those with dairy sensitivity or who want a cleaner calorie profile.
What to look for: Whey protein isolate (not concentrate) for lowest calorie and fat content per gram of protein. Minimal ingredients — protein, flavoring, sweetener, that is it. Third-party tested for heavy metals (whey can accumulate them). At least 24–25g protein per serving. No proprietary amino acid blends added to inflate the label protein count.
Co
Bovine Colostrum
Rare
Have it · rare · gut health, immune, recovery
+
Colostrum is the first milk produced by mammals in the days after birth. Bovine colostrum contains immunoglobulins, growth factors (IGF-1), lactoferrin, and proline-rich polypeptides that support gut barrier integrity, immune function, and potentially muscle recovery and tissue repair. It has attracted significant attention in the performance and longevity space recently. I have it. I am not taking it consistently. The evidence is interesting enough to keep it on my radar and on the shelf.
Evidence: Small but growing clinical trial base. Studies suggest benefits for gut permeability (leaky gut), upper respiratory infection prevention in athletes, and exercise recovery. Growth factor content has raised interest for tissue repair applications. Evidence is early-stage compared to most other supplements on this list — more promising than definitive at this point.
What to look for: Bovine colostrum standardized to immunoglobulin G (IgG) content — at least 30% IgG. First-milking colostrum when specified. Third-party tested. Cold-processed to preserve bioactive proteins.
Honest status: I am not currently taking this regularly. I have it, I find the mechanism plausible and the emerging evidence interesting, but I have not made it a consistent daily habit. Including it here because the question will come up.
Supplements are one piece.
Sleep, training, and nutrition are the foundation.
No supplement on this page overrides poor sleep, inadequate protein intake, or a sedentary lifestyle. They fill gaps. They do not build the base. If the base is solid, they matter. If it is not, start there.
← Back to Performance & Longevity