I posted a list in an X Gym newsletter of my favorite anti aging supplements and had many requests for more information like how much do I take, why are they good, etc. so here are the answers along with the list.

Keep in mind that I’m not a big supplements person per say, but most of the supplements I take are concentrated food or herbs, such as elderberry extract. I don’t really consider these supplements, but rather a more practical way to get the nutrients of certain foods without having to eat lots of those certain foods. Take turmeric for instance. I don’t like how it tastes, but it is a superfood and I want to consume it, so I swallow capsules.

1.) Speaking of turmeric, let’s start with that one. Curcumin, the active ingredient in the spice turmeric-acts both as an immune booster and potent anti-inflammatory. Inflammation is a major culprit in weight gain as we age and speeds the breakdown of elastin and collagen in our skin, which results in more wrinkles. Turmeric fights this process.

I take 1,500 mg per day. I get it from swansonvitamins.com.

2.) Krill Oil. Omega-3 fats appear to play a role in activating telomerase, which has been shown to reverse telomere shortening. Telomeres are the ends of our genes, kind of like the thingy on the end of your shoe lace that keeps it from fraying. When our telomeres get shorter, we age. I would suggest learning more about this new field of study. Just Google it or find an expert on the subject like Dr. Mercola. His site and research is mostly responsible for what I have learned on the subject of anti-aging strategies.

Krill oil is a much better way to get omega-3 fats than fish oil. Plus, you don’t end up burping that fishy smell later. Its absorption rate is also much higher than fish oil. You get up to 50% more omega-3 per milligram when you take krill oil compared to fish oil, hence you don’t need to take as much.

I take 353 mg per day (one little pill). I get it from Costco. It’s called “MegaRed.”

3.) Ubiquinol (NOT ubinqunone), also known as Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). Premature aging is one primary side effect of having too little CoQ10 because it recycles other antioxidants. CoQ10 deficiency also accelerates DNA damage, and because CoQ10 is beneficial to heart health and muscle function this depletion leads to fatigue, muscle weakness, soreness and possibly even heart failure.

I take 100 mg per day. I get it from swansonvitamins.com.

4.) Probiotics. It’s quite clear from all the research now that eating a diet consisting of high amounts of processed foods will shorten your life, yet 90 percent of the money Americans spend on food is spent on processed food, and the number one source of calories in the US comes from high fructose corn syrup – a staple ingredient in most processed foods.

Part of the problem is that these processed foods and ingredients effectively destroy your intestinal microflora. Your gut flora has incredible power over your immune system, which, of course, is your body’s natural defense system. Antibiotics, stress, artificial sweeteners, chlorinated water and many other factors can also reduce the amount of probiotics (beneficial bacteria) in your gut, which can predispose you to illness and premature aging.

I take 1 capsule of “Jarro-Dophilus EPS.” I get it from swansonvitamins.com.

5.) Raw organic cacao contains one of nature’s highest concentration of flavonoids, a natural protector against damage caused by oxidation processes. The antioxidant properties in flavonoids help protect the skin from damage, preventing the breakdown of collagen and the formation of wrinkles or other signs of aging. Antioxidants are the most potent “anti-aging guys” so any strong antioxidant is good for staying young.

I eat 1 – 2 tablespoons of this per day, usually added to my protein shake. I get it from swansonvitamins.com.

6.) Vitamin B12 aids in energy production, blood formation, DNA synthesis, and myelin formation. Myelin is insulation that protects your nerve endings and allows them to communicate with one another. Myelin also breaks down with age if steps aren’t taken to slow or prevent that from happening. Unfortunately, research suggests about 25 percent of American adults are deficient in this vitally important nutrient, and nearly half the population has suboptimal blood levels.

I take 500 mcg per day. I get it from swansonvitamins.com.

7.) Vitamin D3. People with higher levels of vitamin D are more likely to have longer telomeres, and vice versa. This means that people with higher levels of vitamin D may actually age more slowly than people with lower levels of vitamin D.

Let’s talk more about telomeres, because it really is the heart of the aging issue. Your leukocyte telomere length (LTL) is a predictor for aging related diseases. As you age, your LTL’s become shorter, but if you suffer from chronic inflammation, your telomeres decrease in length much faster, because your body’s inflammatory response accelerates leukocyte turnover. Your vitamin D concentrations also decrease with age, whereas your C-reactive protein (a mediator of inflammation) increases. This inverse double-whammy increases your overall risk of developing many age related diseases including arthritis.

The good news is that vitamin D is a potent inhibitor of your body’s inflammatory response, and by reducing inflammation, you diminish your turnover of leukocytes, effectively creating a positive chain reaction that can help protect you against many age related diseases. In essence, it protects your body from the deterioration of aging.

I take 15,000 IU per day, or 50,000 IU if I need to fight off a cold I might feel coming on. I get it from swansonvitamins.com.