Essay2026.04.21 · 6 min read
Six compounds, the order they go in, and the questions the order is meant to answer.
There are roughly two ways to write about supplements on the internet. One is the influencer list — here’s what I take, follow my Amazon links. The other is the working log — here’s what I take, here’s the question it’s meant to answer, here’s the evidence I’m leaning on, here’s what I’m monitoring.
The second is harder. It’s also the only honest version. A morning stack should be a structured n=1 experiment, not a habit you inherited from a podcast.
The frame I use, before anything goes in: what biological system am I supporting, what is the dose for therapeutic effect (not the lowest dose that fits a marketing claim), what biomarker tells me if it’s working, and what is the cycling protocol so I can detect downregulation.
My current morning order: vitamin D3 + K2 (foundational, blood test confirmed deficiency baseline), omega 3 EPA/DHA at 2g (inflammation markers, confirmed via Quest panel), magnesium glycinate 400mg deferred to evening (sleep architecture), NMN 500mg sublingual (longevity bet, log supported), L theanine 200mg with coffee (smoother focus, subjective only), and a basic multivitamin only on travel days when meals are unpredictable.
What’s not in the stack and why: anything I haven’t read at least three peer reviewed papers on. Anything sold through a single brand’s telemedicine arm. Anything that requires daily dosing of more than four pills total. The stack is meant to compound; the friction of taking it must be lower than the friction of skipping it, or the protocol fails on contact with a tired Tuesday.
— Alvin
— Alvin
A note on this entry. This entry sits inside the Supplements pillar of The Human Upgrade. The platform provides educational content and lifestyle optimization perspectives, not medical advice.