David Sinclair Supplements List | What He Takes Exactly & Why

Resveratrol is the compound behind red wine’s reputation for safeguarding heart health. A polyphenol, resveratrol naturally occurs in red grapes, raspberries, mulberries, blueberries and peanuts.

David’s team found resveratrol can extend lifespan of round worms and yeast by 60 to 80 percent. It does so by activating sirtuins, an enzyme family that contributes to DNA repair and weight management. Further, resveratrol counters inflammation and mimics calorie intake as well as mitigating the risk of cancer, cardiovascular problems and brain problems. 

Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) is a naturally occurring compound that’s necessary for the production of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+). NAD+ is a coenzyme that’s pivotal to energy metabolism and is an essential factor for sirtuins and other enzymes. It supports numerous body processes including DNA repair, immunity and, by extension, healthy aging.

Quercetin is a plant pigment mostly found in grapes, cherries, berries, broccoli, onions and citrus fruits. It’s the most abundant flavonoid in meals and has potent, versatile antioxidant properties. The average person takes 10-100 mg of quercetin in their diet daily. 

It is known to prevent tissue injury from free radicals as well as drug or nutrient toxicity. Such tissue injury can progressively lead to chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular problems, cancer, kidney diseases and cognitive decline.

In an interview with Ben Greenfield in 2021, David mentioned taking 500 mg of quercetin supplements every day in capsule form. For him, it is not just because of its antioxidant abilities but as a senolytic as well. 

Senolytics are a class of compounds that target and induce death in senescent cells thus rejuvenating tissue.  Senescent cells are those that have stopped multiplying but do not die as and when they should. Instead, they release chemicals that cause inflammation thereby damaging neighboring cells. 

The number of senescent cells increases with age as the immune system’s efficiency decreases. With that, the person grows prone to multiple age-related ailments like cancer, cardiovascular illness, stroke, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis and cognitive degradation. Quercetin has been shown to prevent these age-related health conditions. 

Check out these quercetin supplements on iHerb or Amazon.

Fisetin is a flavonoid found in strawberries and apples but also in tiny quantities in onions, grapes, tomatoes, cucumbers and mangoes. The average person ingests about 0.5 mg of fisetin in their meals per day. 

Fisetin has even greater senolytic capabilities than quercetin and is one of the most potent. It has been shown to considerably reduce senescence markers and lower the risk of cancer.

In the Ben Greenfield interview, David stated he takes 500 mg of fisetin supplements in capsule form every day. He believes in its senolytic power and sirtuin activating abilities.  

Take a look at these fisetin supplements on iHerb or Amazon.

Spermidine is a polyamine that occurs in every living organism. While present in all plant-derived meals, foods rich in spermidine include cereals, legumes, berries and soy products. 

It gets its name from sperm as it was isolated from semen. Spermidine supports DNA stability, prevents cell death and promotes autophagy (the reuse of old or damaged cell parts). 

Vitamin D3 (or cholecalciferol) is a fat soluble vitamin that the body produces when exposed to direct sunlight. It is also present in a number of meals such as seafood, beef, liver, egg yolk and certain fortified foods though not in adequate quantities to meet the body’s needs. 

David writes in Lifespan (2019) that he takes an unspecified amount of vitamin K2 daily as a capsule or soft gel for its role in calcium transport. Vitamin K2 has a very low risk of toxicity – there is actually no known toxicity associated with exceeding a certain amount of the vitamin from supplements or food.

Check out these vitamin K2 supplements on iHerb or Amazon.

Omega-3 fatty acids are healthy, polyunsaturated fats shown to support multiple important roles in the body. They are essential fats so you have to get them from meals and, where need be, supplements. Foods rich in omega-3 include fatty fish (like mackerel and salmon), chia seeds, flaxseed and walnuts.

Omega-3 fatty acids are necessary for building cell membranes and affect the efficiency of cell membrane receptors. They also help regulate inflammation, blood clotting and arterial contraction/relaxation. Omega-3 can therefore prevent cardiovascular illness, stroke, autoimmune diseases (like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis), cancer and eczema.  

In a 2020 interview with Dave Asprey, David mentioned that he takes an unspecified amount of omega-3 daily in the form of fish oil. He explains that omega-3 activates sirtuin. David’s failure to specify the quantity of omega-3 he takes is perhaps in line with the absence of official recommended dosage. Only one type of omega-3, alpha-linoleic acid (ALA), comes with a recommended daily intake amount for adults which ranges from 1,100 mg to 1,600 mg. 

Omega-3 supplements are typically in the form of (or contain) fish oil, cod liver oil and/or krill oil.

Shop for omega-3 supplements on iHerb or Amazon.

Metformin is a prescription drug used in the treatment of diabetes (both type 2 and gestational). It could also lower the risk of type 2 diabetes among persons at high risk of developing it. 

Metformin lowers blood sugar by improving the body’s handling of insulin and reducing the amount of glucose released by the liver. It is most often prescribed for diabetics when exercise and diet have proved inadequate in controlling blood sugar levels. Metformin has other benefits as well such as lowering blood cholesterol and mitigating the risk of cardiovascular disease. Each of these positives indirectly contribute to extending lifespan and slowing biological aging.

David has been taking 800 mg of prescription metformin daily in capsule or tablet form since 2017 as stated in his book Lifespan (2019) and Lifespan podcast episode 4. He holds that it activates AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase) pathway and mimics calorie restriction. The AMPK pathway is one of the central regulators of cellular metabolism.

Get metformin on Amazon.

Statins are prescription drugs used to regulate cholesterol by lowering levels of LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and, sometimes, increasing HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol). Some can lower levels of bad cholesterol (LDL cholesterol) by 50% or more. 

Statins work by blocking the liver from getting the enzyme required to make LDL cholesterol. By reducing LDL cholesterol, they lower the risk of atherosclerosis, stroke and heart disease.

In a 2019 Joe Rogan interview, David stated he takes a prescription capsule or tablet of statin everyday but did not specify the amount (since there are different statin products in the market, there is no one dosage recommendation that applies to all). He explains his use of statin as being a means to manage his cholesterol levels due to a family history of cholesterol problems. 

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a compound naturally occurring in the body, especially the liver, pancreas, heart and kidney. It supports energy generation in the cells by aiding the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is the energy-carrying molecule found in all living cells.

When it’s in the news, aspirin (or acetylsalicylic acid) does not always get the most flattering publicity. A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), it’s not the go-to painkiller that it once was but it’s still available over-the-counter. That is partly because aspirin is crucial in the prevention, treatment and management of several conditions such as inflammation, stroke and heart attack.

Matcha tea is a high-grade Japanese green tea made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. The plant’s leaves are ground to form a powder. Green tea contains polyphenols such as ECGC catechins, which have been found to have a preventative effect on cancer, especially stomach cancer. It is also rich in antioxidants that can dampen inflammation.