These seven are what every body needs — before any advanced stack, before any biohacking upgrade, before anything else. Begin here.
I
Foundation
Tier One — Start Here
Dave Asprey, who coined the term biohacking and spent two decades and millions of dollars testing every intervention available, consistently lists these seven as non-negotiable baseline supplements before anything else. Gary Brecka's work on MTHFR gene variants added a crucial refinement: methylated forms of B vitamins matter enormously for a significant portion of the population who cannot properly convert standard synthetic versions. Dr. Rhonda Patrick's micronutrient research confirms that the single biggest driver of suboptimal health in affluent populations is not calories or macros — it is micronutrient insufficiency.
Tier One · Everyone · Every Day
Methylated Multivitamin
Activated B vitamins · MTHFR-safe
▾
Standard multivitamins contain folic acid and cyanocobalamin — synthetic forms that up to 40% of people (due to MTHFR gene variants) cannot efficiently convert. A methylated multi uses methylfolate and methylcobalamin — the bioavailable, activated forms the body can use directly. Gary Brecka's work on MTHFR has made this distinction mainstream. If you do nothing else, switch to a methylated formula.
◈ Gary Brecka — MTHFR gene variants and methylation
Vitamin D3 + K2
The pair that must travel together
▾
D3 alone without K2 drives calcium into circulation but not necessarily into bone — K2 is the director, guiding calcium away from arteries and into the skeletal matrix. Most people in the modern world are D3-deficient regardless of sun exposure, and K2 is almost entirely absent from the modern diet. These two work as a pair and should always be taken together.
◈ Dr. Rhonda Patrick — vitamin D research and immune function
Magnesium Glycinate
The master mineral · 300+ enzymatic reactions
▾
Magnesium is involved in over 300 enzymatic processes — energy production, DNA repair, nerve function, muscle relaxation, and sleep regulation. The glycinate form is the most bioavailable and least likely to cause digestive upset. Almost universally deficient in those under chronic stress. Take in the evening — it acts as a gentle muscle relaxant and supports the drop in cortisol needed for sleep onset.
Omega-3 (EPA + DHA)
Anti-inflammatory foundation · Brain structural fat
▾
DHA is the primary structural fat in brain tissue — literally a building material for neurons and synaptic membranes. EPA reduces systemic inflammation. Most people in industrialised countries consume an omega-6:omega-3 ratio of 15:1 or more; the optimal is closer to 4:1. A quality fish oil or algae-based omega-3 corrects this ratio and underpins brain health, cardiovascular function, and inflammatory balance.
◈ Dr. Rhonda Patrick — omega-3 and inflammatory balance research
Liposomal Vitamin C
Bioavailability 3–4× standard ascorbate
▾
Standard vitamin C has poor oral bioavailability at higher doses — the gut limits absorption. Liposomal delivery encapsulates C in lipid spheres that pass directly into the bloodstream, achieving plasma levels comparable to IV administration. Vitamin C is a primary cofactor for collagen synthesis, adrenal function, and immune response — and is rapidly depleted by stress, infection, and pollution.
Essential Amino Acids (EAAs)
The full protein signal · All nine essentials
▾
Nine essential amino acids the body cannot synthesise must come from diet — but most people don't consume adequate protein, and even those who do may lack complete EAA profiles. EAAs provide the full signalling complex for muscle protein synthesis, neurotransmitter production, and cellular repair without the caloric load of whole proteins. Particularly important during any fasting protocol.
Mineral Salt + Trace Minerals
Baja Gold · Celtic sea salt · 90+ minerals
▾
Modern food is grown in depleted soil. Most people are deficient in magnesium, zinc, boron, and dozens of trace minerals that regulate thousands of enzymatic reactions. Adding a mineral-rich salt (Celtic or Baja Gold) and a trace mineral supplement provides the electrical substrate every cell needs. This also addresses the electrolyte gradient required for proper cellular hydration.
II
Cellular Longevity
Tier Two — The Upgrade
Once the foundation is consistent, these compounds target the deeper mechanisms of biological ageing — NAD+ depletion, senescent cell accumulation, AMPK downregulation, and sirtuin activity. These are the interventions that longevity researchers including Peter Attia are actively studying and, in many cases, personally using.
Tier Two · When Foundation Is Consistent
NAD+ Boosters
NMN · NR · CoQ10 · PQQ
▾
NAD+ is a coenzyme central to mitochondrial energy production and DNA repair. It declines approximately 50% by age 50. NMN and NR are direct precursors. CoQ10 and PQQ support mitochondrial biogenesis — the growth of new mitochondria. Together this group targets the core of biological ageing at the cellular level. Dave Asprey has used NMN-based protocols for over a decade and remains one of the most documented personal practitioners of this stack.
SIRT1 Activators
Astaxanthin · Resveratrol · Taurine
▾
Sirtuins (SIRTs) are longevity proteins that regulate gene expression, DNA repair, and stress resistance. Resveratrol (from red grape skin) and astaxanthin (marine carotenoid — the red pigment in wild salmon and krill) are among the most studied SIRT1 activators. Taurine, recently identified as a longevity factor in a landmark Nature study, supports mitochondrial health, cardiovascular function, and neurological integrity.
AMPK Activators
Dihydroberberine · Berberine
▾
AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase) is the body's cellular energy sensor — activated by fasting, exercise, and caloric restriction. It switches the body into repair mode and improves insulin sensitivity. Dihydroberberine (the more bioavailable form of berberine) activates AMPK comparably to metformin in research settings — producing the metabolic effects of fasting without fasting. Often called "nature's metformin."
Autophagy & Senolytics
Spermidine · Glutathione · Quercetin · Fisetin
▾
Autophagy is the cellular self-cleaning process that removes damaged organelles and misfolded proteins — it declines with age. Spermidine (found in wheat germ and fermented foods) is the primary dietary autophagy inducer. Glutathione — supported by Glycine and NAC — is the body's master antioxidant. Senolytics (Quercetin, Fisetin) selectively clear senescent "zombie cells" that accumulate with age and drive chronic inflammation.
The Order of Operations
Foundation first. Always. Adding Tier Two supplements on top of nutritional deficiencies is like upgrading a car engine without checking the oil. The sequence matters: minerals and vitamins before longevity compounds, sleep and stress management before any sophisticated stack. Most people experience more improvement from adding a quality magnesium and vitamin D than from any advanced biohacking protocol.
Supplements fill gaps the modern world created. But gaps first, upgrades second. Always.