The 4 Supplements I Actually Prescribe for Longevity (And Why I Skip Multivitamins)

Why I skip the multivitamin and focus on these 4 power players instead.

The supplement industry is a minefield. Walk down any aisle, and you’re promised the "fountain of youth" in a plastic bottle. But as a physician, I look at the data, not the marketing.

Recently, I sat down with Parade to discuss the reality of supplementation for longevity. The interview went viral because the truth surprises people: Most of what you are buying is expensive urine. Some of it is even dangerous.

However, there are a few compounds that act as leverage points for your biology. These aren't magic pills; they are tools to support a body that is already sleeping well, eating right, and moving daily.

Here is the breakdown of the specific protocols I recommended in the interview, and why they matter for your longevity strategy.

The "Last 10%" Rule

Before we talk about pills, we need to talk about priorities.

Supplements are the last 10% of your optimization. They are not the foundation. If you are sleeping four hours a night, eating processed food, and sitting all day, no amount of Omega-3s will save you.

First, fix your sleep. Fix your nutrition. Fix your movement. Once those are dialed in, we use supplements to optimize the machinery.

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The 4 Supplements Worth Your Money

If you are going to supplement, focus on high-impact compounds that most modern diets lack. Here are the four I recommend most often in my clinic.

1. Omega-3 Fatty Acids (EPA/DHA)

The Why: These are the workhorses of longevity. They lower inflammation, support brain health, and protect your heart.The Problem: Most people don’t eat enough high-quality fatty fish to get the therapeutic dose.My Protocol: I recommend aiming for 2 grams (2,000 mg) of combined EPA/DHA daily. You can get this from high-quality fish oil or algae-based supplements.Note: Read the label. If a capsule says "1,000mg Fish Oil" but only has 300mg of EPA/DHA, it’s not enough.

2. Creatine Monohydrate

The Why: Stop thinking of this as a "gym bro" supplement. It is a longevity fuel. We lose about 3% to 8% of our muscle mass every decade after age 30. Creatine helps preserve that muscle. Even more importantly, it supports cognitive function and brain energy.My Protocol: 5 grams daily. It’s tasteless, safe, and one of the most researched supplements in history.

3. Magnesium

The Why: Magnesium is involved in over 300 chemical reactions in your body, including repairing your DNA. Yet, most patients I test are sub-clinically deficient.My Protocol: Skip the cheap stuff (Magnesium Oxide) which is poorly absorbed.

• For general use: Magnesium Citrate.
• For sleep support: Magnesium Glycinate (take it before bed).

4. Vitamin D3 + K2 (The Power Couple)

The Why: Vitamin D is crucial for immune health and mood. But if you take Vitamin D without K2, you’re missing a step. Vitamin D helps you absorb calcium; Vitamin K2 acts as the traffic cop, directing that calcium into your bones and away from your heart arteries.My Protocol: 2,000 to 4,000 IU of D3 combined with 100 to 200 mcg of K2 (MK-7 form).Crucial Step: Do not guess. Get a blood test. The sweet spot for Vitamin D levels is 40–60 ng/mL.

The 2 Supplements I Skip (And You Should Too)

1. Generic Multivitamins

I call these the "one-size-fits-none" approach. Multivitamins give you a false sense of security. You might be taking 100% of your daily iron when your levels are already too high, while still missing the magnesium you actually need. Longevity medicine is about precision, not throwing random nutrients at the wall to see what sticks.

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2. High-Dose Vitamin E

More is not always better. The famous SELECT trial showed that high-dose Vitamin E supplementation actually increased the risk of prostate cancer. Your body needs a little bit of oxidative stress to adapt and get stronger (a process called hormesis). Flooding your system with high doses of antioxidants can backfire and stop your body’s natural repair processes.

Summary

Longevity isn't about buying more products. It’s about buying the right products based on data.

1. Foundation First: Sleep, Food, Exercise.
2. Test, Don't Guess: Get blood work done to see what you actually need.
3. Supplement Strategically: Omega-3s, Creatine, Magnesium, and D3/K2.

Want to know your exact numbers? At CareCore, we specialize in precision diagnostics to build a health plan tailored to your biology, not the average.