Creating Your Perfect Personalized Longevity Supplement Plan
Just like diets are not one-size-fits-all, neither are supplement regimens. You wouldn’t necessarily eat the exact same way as your neighbor, parent, friend, or coworker—so why would you take the same supplements as them?
For reasons including different health statuses, disease risks, lifestyles, nutritional requirements, and ultimate health goals, it’s necessary to create a personalized longevity supplement plan that is, well, personal. In this article, we’ll outline why you should consider a personalized approach to supplements and how to create one best suited to your needs.
Why Should You Have a Personalized Supplement Plan?
There are many reasons to consider taking a personalized approach to your dietary supplements.
For starters, everybody has individualized health needs—even if you have the same condition as someone else, it will never be 100% the same. Personalization can ensure that your health status is taken into account before starting a supplement. Getting labs done regularly can help this process, as it’s essential to know how high (or low) of a dose to take to avoid nutrient imbalances, potential side effects, or interactions with medications.
Taking unnecessary supplements or too-high doses can be risky—while some nutrients and compounds are easily excreted by the body, others (like vitamins A, D, E, and K) are fat-soluble and can build up in the body. Asking your doctor or healthcare provider for regular bloodwork—check out this article on the top longevity biomarkers to assess—can help ensure you’re not overloading on any one nutrient. Plus, it can be costly to take things you don’t need.
Lastly, personalized supplement plans focus on the nutrients and compounds that align with your specific health and longevity goals. You may have a lofty goal of living to 120, while your best friend aims to avoid cognitive loss in his later years. While most longevity-focused goals are related and overlapping in some way, they require different supplements to get the job done—let’s take a look at some of the different health and longevity supplement categories to consider.
Longevity Areas to Target With a Personalized Supplement Plan
When considering a personalized supplement plan, think about which areas of health and longevity you’re most concerned with. If you have a family history of cardiovascular issues, you may want to focus on heart-related supplements, while someone else might look for supplements designed to improve cellular or cognitive health.
Some supplements are excellent choices for several areas of health—for example, curcumin supports joint, cardiovascular, and cognitive health—while others are more specialized to a particular region.
Supplements for Cellular Health and Longevity
Many supplements can help to support various aspects of longevity, including cellular health, mitochondrial function, and reducing biological age. While there are dozens of choices, here are a handful of longevity-supporting compounds to consider.
NAD+ Precursors
NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is a compound known as a coenzyme, meaning it helps other enzymes function correctly. This vital molecule is needed by virtually every cell in our bodies, aiding hundreds of processes ranging from brain cell growth to repairing DNA to assisting mitochondrial function.
NAD+ plays a critical role in maintaining cellular and metabolic functions, translating to better health and longevity of our cells, organs, and bodies. Although NAD+ levels are known to decline as we age, you can support your NAD+ levels by adding NAD+ precursors like NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide) or NR (nicotinamide riboside).
Trans-Resveratrol
This polyphenolic compound found in red grapes and wine exhibits strong antioxidant action and supports a healthy inflammatory response, which is linked to cellular health and longevity. Trans-resveratrol—the more bioavailable form—reduces harmful oxidative stress, a process that significantly contributes to accelerated aging. It also activates genes called sirtuins—especially SIRT1, often called the "longevity gene."
Healthy older adults tend to have higher levels of SIRT1 activity, and SIRT1 overexpression has been shown to increase lifespan in animal studies. In humans, SIRT1 supports healthy aging and longevity, as overall sirtuin activity helps to fight cellular senescence, support DNA repair, boost mitochondrial function, and generate cellular energy through ATP production.
Green Tea Extract (EGCG)
Green tea contains a compound called EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), which has been found to have 25-100 times more antioxidant power than vitamins A, C, and E. The high antioxidant content of green tea and compounds like EGCG can help to protect the body against damage from oxidative stress. EGCG has also been shown to induce autophagy, the internal recycling process that removes damaged or toxic cells to improve overall health and longevity.
In research with animals, EGCG consumption has been shown to extend the lifespans of mice, with those receiving EGCG having a 46% lower risk of death than control mice. This may be due to EGCG’s senolytic qualities—the ability to clear out harmful, inflammatory senescent cells.
Apigenin
The active ingredient in chamomile, apigenin, is thought to increase antioxidant activity and inhibit CD38 to support healthy aging. CD38 is an enzyme that activates immune cells to produce inflammatory compounds called cytokines. This process is a significant source of NAD+ consumption—so inhibiting CD38 can preserve NAD+ levels as we age.
Calcium AKG
Alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG) is a compound most known for its role in stimulating energy production, as it is a vital component of the Krebs cycle—a series of reactions that creates ATP from the foods we eat. In supplemental form, AKG is attached to a calcium salt (Ca-AKG), which has been studied for its role in supporting metabolic function and longevity.
Calcium AKG functions as an antioxidant, facilitates autophagy, and activates a pathway called AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). AMPK senses and maintains cellular energy balance by supporting the function of our mitochondria and healthy blood sugar control and is thought to play a role in longevity. Research with animals found that Ca-AKG extended the lifespan of female mice by 12% and delayed the onset of age-related frailty.
Pterostilbene
A lesser-known cousin of resveratrol, pterostilbene is a polyphenol that has been studied for its health-promoting effects. Found primarily in blueberries, pterostilbene has a chemical difference that allows it to cross cell membranes more easily and stay in the body longer—meaning it might be even more bioavailable and potent than resveratrol. Pterostilbene acts as a powerful antioxidant, scavenging for free radicals and fighting oxidative stress. Like resveratrol, pterostilbene also activates sirtuins to support healthy aging and longevity.
Fisetin
Fisetin is a senolytic found in vegetables and fruits such as strawberries, apples, persimmons, cucumbers, and onions. Fisetin is thought to support immune, neuronal, and metabolic health—and has been shown to extend mouse lifespan. In addition, fisetin is a potent compound for reducing markers of aging in mouse and human cells.
Supplements for Joint Health
Curcumin
Curcumin is the active compound found in the spice turmeric, which acts as a potent antioxidant. It’s been well-studied for its role in supporting joint health, a healthy immune and inflammatory response, and cardiovascular and cognitive support.
Although curcumin is notorious for its low bioavailability, supplements like ProHealth’s Optimized Curcumin Longvida use a clinically proven formulation that increases its bioavailability by 285-fold.
Collagen
Collagen is the most abundant protein in our bodies, contributing to the mobility of our joints, the elasticity of our skin, the strength of our nails, and the integrity of our gut lining. Despite the abundance of collagen we have in our youth, its production tends to drop rapidly as we age—even as early as our mid-30s.
Type II collagen is the form most often associated with joints, as it functions to maintain elasticity and firmness of the tendons and ligaments. A breakdown in these tissues can lead to joint injuries and pain. Because adults over age 50 are at increased risk of joint pain and disorders, supplemental collagen may be a way to reduce this risk.
Supplements for Cardiovascular Health
Coenzyme Q10
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is an essential compound made in the mitochondrial membrane—as a coenzyme, it’s considered a helper molecule that activates and assists other enzymes with functioning correctly. One crucial role that CoQ10 plays is in the electron transport chain, where it facilitates the cellular production of energy in the form of ATP. While CoQ10 is found in all organs and tissues, the highest concentrations are located in the heart, kidneys, liver, and muscles.
The strong antioxidant activity of CoQ10 is a leading reason why the compound supports heart health, as it can protect cardiovascular cells from oxidative stress. CoQ10 also supports healthier inflammatory pathways and supplies the heart with some of its significant energetic needs. Some researchers believe that the driving force behind cardiac dysfunction may be inadequate mitochondrial energy production, which CoQ10 can help to support.
Krill Oil
Krill oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and the antioxidant astaxanthin. Omega-3 fats support cardiovascular health by incorporating into cell membranes and supporting healthier inflammatory responses that can protect blood vessels, endothelial tissue, and arteries surrounding the heart. Adequate consumption of omega-3 fats is linked to healthy cholesterol and lipid profiles, normalized blood pressure, and reduced blood clotting. These heart-healthy effects stem from the fats’ ability to support healthier inflammatory pathways.
While omega-3 fats are undoubtedly helpful to consume on their own, krill oil has a leg up on fish oil due to its high astaxanthin content—a carotenoid compound with exceptionally high antioxidant activity.
Hydroxytyrosol
Hydroxytyrosol is one of the primary antioxidant compounds found in olive leaf extract and olive oil—a known contributor to health and longevity. Some of the noted cardiovascular effects of hydroxytyrosol include protecting cholesterol from oxidative damage, maintaining normal cholesterol concentrations and blood pressure, and supporting healthier cardiac inflammatory responses.
Supplements for Brain Health
Many of the previously mentioned supplements are also great for cognitive function—namely, curcumin, trans-resveratrol, NMN and NR, and krill oil—in addition to Bacopa monnieri and magnesium L-threonate.
Bacopa monnieri
Bacopa monnieri (also known as Brahmi or water hyssop) is an herb commonly used in traditional Ayurvedic practices for supporting memory and mood. Bacopa contains the compounds bacosides A and B, which support neuronal health by providing antioxidant activity, increasing blood flow in the brain, and modulating essential neurotransmitters.
Some research has shown that healthy adults who took 300 mg of Bacopa per day had significantly increased visual information processing, learning, and memory recall. Try ProHealth’s Optimized Curcumin for Brain and Focus, which contains both bioavailable curcumin and Bacopa monnieri.
Magnesium L-Threonate
While all magnesium is beneficial for health, magnesium L-threonate is the form considered superior for cognition. This is because it’s readily absorbed and can cross the highly selective and protective blood-brain barrier that protects the brain from pathogens and other harmful compounds.
Due to magnesium L-threonate’s ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, which is essential for a supplement to affect cognition directly, supplements like Brain-Mag Pro can rapidly increase magnesium levels in the brain. This may lead to several brain-boosting benefits, including memory and mood support, delayed cognitive impairment, and better communication between brain and nerve cells.
In one study of older adults, those who took Magtein® experienced significantly improved cognitive ability and memory. Not only that, but magnesium threonate reduced their overall brain age by nine years, as measured by tests of executive function—the set of mental skills that include working memory, flexible thinking, and self-control.
Need Help Creating Your Supplement Plan? Talk to a Pro
There are hundreds of longevity-supporting compounds, and knowing which supplements are right for you can be challenging. As mentioned, it’s important to know the status of your labs and health biomarkers. While doctors commonly measure standard biomarkers at routine health visits (like blood pressure, blood glucose, cholesterol, and other lipids), many longevity-related labs are not done unless requested.
It can also be helpful to know your biological age—a “clock” that assesses damage and dysfunction to cellular markers and can be a good proxy for how fast you’re aging on the inside. Biological age tests like TruMe are simple, cost-effective, and saliva-based, meaning you can do them in the comfort of your own home.
When it comes to actually choosing supplements, if you’re unsure which are right for your personalized plan, you can text or chat with ProHealth’s free Longevity Health Pro program. This feature connects you with one of our nutrition experts, who have years of experience working one-on-one with clients. Through this free and unique program, you can easily text to ask questions and receive personalized advice to complement your unique health and lifestyle goals—no one-size-fits-all recommendations here.