Bioavailable Curcumin
Doctor's Best
- Form
- Phytosome or liposomal, not raw turmeric powder
- Dose
- 500 to 1,000 mg with a meal
Supports a healthy inflammatory response and joint comfort. Raw turmeric barely absorbs, so the delivery system is the product.
✦ If you're on blood thinners, ask your doctor before you touch this.
NAC
NOW Foods
- Form
- Capsule, 600 mg
- Dose
- 600 mg, once or twice daily
Precursor to glutathione, the body's own antioxidant. Supports liver function and respiratory health.
✦ Pairs with glycine. Together they're the glutathione conversation.
Astaxanthin
Sports Research
- Form
- Softgel, 12 mg, from Haematococcus pluvialis
- Dose
- 12 mg daily with fat
A carotenoid studied for supporting skin resilience to UV and eye health. Relevant if you train outside in Arizona sun.
✦ Takes six weeks to saturate tissue. Be patient.
TMG (Betaine)
NOW Foods
- Form
- Unflavored powder
- Dose
- 2.5 g daily
Methyl donor supporting homocysteine metabolism, with data on power output in trained lifters.
✦ Cheap, dual-purpose, and almost nobody takes it.
Taurine
NOW Foods
- Form
- Unflavored powder
- Dose
- 1 to 3 g daily
Involved in cardiovascular function, bile production, and calcium handling in muscle. Levels decline with age.
✦ Costs almost nothing. Easy to add to the morning glass.
ThymoQuin Black Seed Oil
Dr. Murray
- Form
- Softgel, 500 mg cold-pressed black seed oil standardized to 3% thymoquinone
- Dose
- 1 softgel, once or twice daily with food
Black seed (Nigella sativa) is one of the oldest remedies on record. Standardized to thymoquinone, the active compound, it supports a healthy immune and inflammatory response, cardiometabolic health, and a steady cortisol curve.
✦ Standardization is the whole game. A generic black seed oil with no thymoquinone number is just expensive salad oil.
Protandim Tri-Synergizer
LifeVantage
- Form
- Three-product system: NRF1, NRF2, and NAD synergizers
- Dose
- As directed, one of each daily
Rather than adding one more antioxidant, the Nrf2 formula nudges your own cells to make their own. Paired with the mitochondrial and NAD formulas, it targets oxidative stress and cellular energy at the source.
✦ Premium and sold through a network. Worth understanding what you are paying for before you commit to a subscription.