The timing of supplement intake can be strategically planned based on their properties & effects on the body, to align with the body’s natural rhythms & to achieve the desired outcome.

It’s not just about what supplements you take.

When you take them & what you take them with can have profound impacts on their efficacy.

This includes considering their role in alertness, metabolism, relaxation, solubility (fat vs. water), and post-exercise effects.

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I take my supplements at these 5 separate times during the day:

A. 800 (fasted)

B. 1000 (fasted)

C. 1200 (w/ 1st eating session & post training)

D. 1400-1600 (w/2nd&largest eating session)

E. 1730-1800 (w/small snack)

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Here’s an overview of when & why I take my basic supplements:

A. 0800 (fasted):

• Chlorella
  • Eaten with water & coffee, 6x/week.
  • Timing: Morning is optimal due to its detoxification properties after nighttime fat metabolism. As a potent chelator, it’s best before other minerals to avoid unwanted mineral binding.
  • Benefits: Aids in heavy metal detoxification, enhances immune response, improves cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and supports digestive health. It’s also rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
• Complex B (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, and B12.)
  • 3-4x/week
  • Timing: Morning intake takes advantage of its energy-boosting properties, assisting in metabolic processes and mental alertness at the start of the day.
  • Vitamin B is water soluble so I don’t need to wait to take it with food. I take it every other day or if I haven’t slept well night before.
  • Benefits: Facilitates energy production, improves brain function and mood, aids in red blood cell formation, and helps convert food into energy.

B. 1000 (fasted):

• Iodine - Synthetic
  • 65% of daily dose, 6x/week
  • Timing: Iodine is required for thyroid hormone synthesis. Morning intake is ideal for metabolic rate enhancement & thyroid hormone synthesis, coinciding with the body’s peak metabolic activities.
  • Benefit: Thyroid hormones are involved in regulating regulating body temperature, heart rate, and energy expenditure. Iodine is critical for thyroid function, helps regulate metabolic rate and enhances cognitive function.
• Selenium (Brazil nuts)
  • 65% of daily dose, 7x/week.
  • Daily dose is 5-7 nuts.
  • Timing: Taken with iodine to synergistically support thyroid during active & peak metabolic hours.
  • Benefits: Needed for thyroid hormone metabolism, antioxidant defense systems, immune function.
• Creatine Monohydrate
  • 6x week
  • Timing: The brain & physical performance both benefit from creatine. I take it at this time before training & while I am doing cognitively intense work.
  • It is mixed into green tea / coffee / herbal tea.
  • Benefits: Increases physical strength and endurance, supports muscle growth, enhances cognitive abilities, and may have neuroprotective and cardioprotective properties.

C. 12 PM (with first eating session, post training):

• CoQ10
  • 6x/week.
  • Timing: Fat-soluble, so I take it with with fat containing foods for optimal absorption. Supports mitochondrial function so it is pro-alerness.
  • Benefits: In general, CoQ10 supports the health of organs with high energy requirements, such as the heart & brain, so I take it early in the day. It is also an antioxidant that counteracts the damaging effects of free radicals.
• Vitamin D3
  • 6x/week
  • Timing: I take Vitamin D3 as early as I first consume fat containing foods as it is fat-soluble. I want to take it earlier in the day as it aligns with the body’s natural rhythm of vitamin D synthesis from sunlight
  • Benefits: Essential for bone health, supports immune system functioning, plays a role in mood regulation, and many many others.
• Magnesium Biglycinate
  • 20-50% of daily 100mg, 6x/week.
  • Timing: Ideal post-exercise to replenish magnesium depleted during physical activity, and aids in relaxation.
  • Benefits: Supports bone health, regulates calcium and vitamin D levels in the body, aids in muscle and nerve function.

D. 1400-1600 (with my 2nd (also largest) eating session):

• Glucosamine & MSM:
  • 3-4x/week
  • Timing: Taken with the largest meal for better absorption.
    • No real reason why it couldn’t be with prior eating session
  • Benefit: Glucosamine is a natural compound found in healthy cartilage & fluid around joints. Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is an organic sulfur compound that is essential for the structure &function of proteins, enzymes, and connective tissues.
• Collagen Powder (10-20g) & Gelatin (10-20g):
  • 7x/week
  • Timing: Integrated into the main meal my largest eating session. (They are actually mixed into my food, gelatin used in cooking)
  • Benefit: Collagen forms the structural framework of skin, bones, tendons, and other connective tissues. Collagen can support joint health by promoting cartilage strength and potentially improve mobility.
• Vitamin E
  • 2-4x/week
  • Timing: Vitamin E is a group of fat-soluble antioxidants, (tocopherols & tocotrienols). So I take this with food.
    • I like to take antioxidants some hours away from training as high antioxidant too close to training can blunt the positive exercise adaptations
    • Also when we are digesting food, there is more oxidative stress on the system. This is also why I eat / take them (along with other supplemental forms of antioxidants I may take) with my largest eating session.
  • Benefits: Powerful antioxidant that protects cells from oxidative stress, supports skin health, and plays a role in immune function.

E. 1730-1800 (with a small snack-fruits/nuts):

• Magnesium Citramate
  • 2x/week, 100mg
  • Timing: Magnesium generally helps with calming nerves & relaxation so I like to add it to the end of the day.
  • Benefit: Magnesium Citramate, with Malic acid, aids in muscle recovery. I add this on days of heavy lifting. It supports muscle health and can improve sleep quality.
• Magnesium Threonate (<100mg)
  • 6-7x/week
  • Timing: Magnesium generally promotes relaxation, threonate specifically can helps with sleep (possibly via regulating/modulating GABA)
  • Benefits: Enhances cognitive function, improves sleep quality, supports synaptic plasticity, and may have neuroprotective effects.
  • Note: You will note I have magnesium of various kinds spread throughout the day, but I actually get around 800-1000mg from food, and it is only another 200-300 mg. from supplements.
• Glycine
  • 6-7x/week
  • Timing: Evening intake to promote relaxation and support digestion; aids in winding down the day.
  • Benefits: Improves sleep quality, supports digestive and immune health, and may protect against oxidative stress.:
• Zinc
  • 3-5x/week
  • Timing: Zinc is also relaxation promoting and potentially regulates/modulates glutamate & GABA
  • Benefits: Studies have shown that orally taken zinc increases the amount & the quality of sleep in humans. Specifically, “very short sleepers (<5 h) ingested significantly less zinc than did normal or long sleepers.”

Note that in some senses, many nutrients/hormones help with metabolism/energy production and could be considered pro-alertness (e.g., magnesium).

But since energy production is technically happening all day, and not limited to daytime, if that mineral is also known to promote relaxation & calmness, I would prioritize taking that supplementation to later in the day.

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Always consult with your physician before introducing new supplements or removing existing ones.

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​If you have missed my Longevity Stack, you can read about it here:​

​Supplements - My Age-better Longevity Stack​ ​ I am often asked what supplements I consider best for ‘longevity’... Read article

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Disclaimer

This information is not medical advice. This content and other content on this website is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

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References

• Cherasse, Y., & Urade, Y. (2017). Dietary Zinc Acts as a Sleep Modulator. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 18(11), 2334.
• Grandner, M.A., Jackson, N., Gerstner, J.R., & Knutson, K.L. (2013). Dietary nutrients associated with short and long sleep duration. Data from a nationally representative sample. Appetite, 64, 71-80.
• Mlyniec, K. (2015). Zinc in the Glutamatergic Theory of Depression. Current Neuropharmacology, 13(4), 505-513.
• Yang, Z., & Liao, S.F. (2019). Physiological Effects of Dietary Amino Acids on Gut Health and Functions of Swine. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 6, 169.
• Abbasi, B., Kimiagar, M., Sadeghniiat, K., Shirazi, M.M., Hedayati, M., & Rashidkhani, B. (2012). The effect of magnesium supplementation on primary insomnia in elderly: A double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 17(12), 1161-1169.
• Martinez-Ferran, M., Sanchis-Gomar, F., Lavie, C.J., Lippi, G., & Pareja-Galeano, H. (2020). Do Antioxidant Vitamins Prevent Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage? A Systematic Review. Antioxidants, 9(5), 372.
• Sies, H., Stahl, W., & Sevanian, A. (2005). Nutritional, dietary and postprandial oxidative stress. The Journal of Nutrition, 135(5), 969-972.

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