Dr. Rhonda Patrick Supplements

If not, you might’ve been hiding under a rock (or maybe just living apart from the health/wellness/biohacking world).

If you have heard of her, on the other hand, you’re probably at least a little familiar with her pioneering work on aging, cancer, and nutrition.

But did you know that Dr. Patrick is pleasantly transparent with her supplements?

That means all of us laypeople out there have access to actionable supplement recommendations from one of the longevity field’s brightest minds.

Dr. Rhonda Patrick’s Background

Rhonda obtained her Ph.D. in biomedical science with a focus on cell biology.

As the co-founder of FoundMyFitness, a resource providing vital information on lifespan, healthspan, and biochemistry, Dr. Rhonda is now devoted to spreading the good news of healthy living to anyone who will listen.

And in 2022, one of the most effective ways to spread information is through podcasting.

Dr. Rhonda has been quite a repeat guest on the Joe Rogan Podcast — you can read transcribed notes from each and every one of her 10 appearances here.

So…what supplements does Rhonda Patrick support enough to use herself?

What supplements make the cut when it comes to being backed by science?

And how many of these supplements does Dr. Rhonda actually take?

I’ll cover all this and more in the next section, so stay tuned!

Rhonda Patrick Supplements List

• Sulforaphane
• Daily Multivitamin
• Vitamin D3
• Vitamin D3 + K2
• Magnesium Citrate
• Lions Mane Extract
• Omega-3 Fish Oil
• Quercetin
• Glutathione

Sulforaphane

Sulforaphane is a tiny plant-derived molecule that possesses potentially big health benefits.

Commonly found in cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and other cruciferous veggies, sulforaphane is believed to help your body produce more of its own antioxidants.

What else does sulforaphane do, you may ask?

Suffice it to say Dr. Patrick is a huge fan of sulforaphane.

She sprouts her own broccoli seeds and makes microgreens whenever she can, but when she’s on the road, she goes a step further and supplements with a more concentrated sulforaphane source like broccoli sprout extract or Avmacol.

As. Dr. Patrick explains that Avmacol is superior to most other sulforaphane supplements because of its compound+compound synergy:

Many supplements on the market are actually JUST glucoraphanin. You know this because it either says glucoraphanin or it says sulforaphane glucosinolate on the bottle, which is, confusingly, just another name for glucoraphanin. Then there are a few supplements on the market that are glucoraphanin and the enzyme needed to convert it into sulforaphane. This enzyme is called myrosinase. One example of this combination [glucoraphanin + myrosinase enzyme] is a product known as Avmacol.

Feel free to check out this Dr. Rhonda video to learn about sulforaphane’s potential health benefits.

Pure Encapsulations O.N.E. Multivitamin

To this day, the topic of multivitamin use remains controversial — even among health experts.

Rhonda, however, takes a nuanced view.

She says multivitamins can be hugely helpful if you find a high-quality one.

Her top choice is Pure Encapsulations’ O.N.E. Multivitamin supplement since it provides vital nutrients in forms the human body can absorb.

Dr. Patrick explains more about the role of multivitamins in an Art of Manliness podcast episode.“Taking a multivitamin may help serve as an insurance to ensure that you’re at least not deficient [in micronutrients],” she explains. “But of course, it’s best to eat a varied diet, a diet rich in various vegetables and fruits because those are very good sources of micronutrients.” (Source)

While multi’s shouldn’t be used as a band-aid to make up for chronically poor nutrition, they can be used as an insurance policy to ensure you’re getting everything in!

Pure Encapsulations Multi provides this type of insurance with just one capsule per day.

Pure Encapsulations also provides a lengthy list of vitamins like vitamins A, B, C, D, and E in highly bioavailable forms.

The Pure Encapsulations multivitamin supplement contains everything your brain needs for healthy cognitive function and health benefits, which is why Rhonda Patrick’s supplement routine includes this multivitamin.

Thorne Research D (Vitamin D3)

Dr. Rhonda is also a huge advocate for vitamin D — namely vitamin D3, the same kind one gets from the sun.

She points to research that shows vitamin D may boost innate immunity, improve body composition, and reduce rates of heart disease.

But more vitamin D isn’t always better.

Rhonda has quickly pointed out that each person has a “vitamin D sweet spot” within which their body can thrive.

Too little vitamin D can lead to chronic illness, but too much vitamin D can lead to vitamin and mineral imbalances.

Here are some other important things to know about the ‘sunshine vitamin’:

• Your body can synthesize vitamin D when UV radiation hits your skin. Mushrooms actually make vitamin D similarly, which means edible mushrooms can be a great vitamin D source if you leave them out in the sun before consuming. (Source)
• Vitamin D is best absorbed if you stay lean. Excessive body fat may sequester vitamin D, preventing it from being absorbed.
• Daily vitamin D dosage in the ~4000IU range is typically ideal, particularly through the winter.
• Vitamin D plays a role in regulating your aging process. The more optimal your vitamin D levels are, the more slowly you may age. Vitamin D may help protect your telomeres from shrinking and degrading. Dr. Rhonda describes telomeres as “tiny caps” that “protect your DNA from damage.”
• Studies affirm the correlative link between vitamin D and aging. One study found that people with the highest vitamin D levels (40-60 nanograms/mL) had a longer lifespan than those with average levels.

Rhonda Patrick has also specified what brand of vitamin D3 she uses: Thorne Research’s Vitamin D supplement.

Thorne Research (Vitamin D/K2)

Dr. Rhonda also advocates combining vitamin D with vitamin K2, another vital fat-soluble nutrient.

While most people in the Western world get enough vitamin K1 — found in leafy greens and most fortified foods — K2 is decidedly harder to obtain.

It’s found primarily in fermented foods, including aged cheeses.

Vitamin K2’s health benefits are backed up by how our ancestors ate.

As far back as the 1920s and 30s, it was shown that traditional cultures intentionally sought out and ate K2-rich foods.

Once these cultures switched to ‘modern’ canned foods and sugary treats, their collective dental health quickly deteriorated.

This disparity was eventually traced back to vitamin K2 intake by a dentist named Weston A. Price.

Dr. Price’s pioneering research found that K2 (which he initially called “activator X”) was a missing link in promoting dental and bone health.

“People of the past obtained a substance that modern generations do not have,” Dr. Price concluded. (Source)

Price gave his western patients traditional K2 sources, including butter oil, cod liver oil, and fermented foods.

To his astonishment, many of these patients experienced healing of caries and other degenerative dental problems.

Are you K2-sufficient?

Maybe not, if you exhibit any of the following signs and symptoms:

• Osteo­porosis
• Cardiovascular disease
• Coronary disease
• Kidney disease
• Type-2 diabetes
• Crowded teeth
• Crooked/cracked teeth
• Narrow facial development

Dr. Rhonda promotes eating plenty of fermented and/or grass-fed foods, then using supplement K2 as a safeguard.

Remember to pair your K2 intake with calcium and D3, as this trifecta of nutrients works best together!

Nordic Naturals ProOmega

Omega-3 fatty acids are another part of the health and wellness puzzle.

Dr. Rhonda suggests they’re one of the most important parts of the puzzle, in fact.

Could she be right?

Maybe.

Omega 3’s are known as essential fatty acids, or EFA’s, because your body can’t produce them endogenously (internally).

Think of omega 3’s as pure brain food — they nourish the brain and cushion its signal-sending synapses.

Dr. Rhonda suggests getting omega 3’s from food sources if you can.

Some of these best sources include organic salmon, salmon roe, oysters, clams, and other cold-water creatures.

That being said, there's also a place for supplementation.

Seafood sources of omega-3 are increasingly susceptible to mercury contamination.

Dr. Rhonda recommends an omega-3 supplement Nordic Natural ProOmega.

This product contains omega-3 fatty acids in their naturally-occurring phospholipid form. Placebo-controlled studies show this omega 3 is easier for your body to absorb than alternatives.

Rhonda takes large doses of omega 3’s (5-6 grams/day when breastfeeding her son!), but acknowledges that much smaller doses are sufficient for most people.

Related: are you getting omega 6 and omega 3s in balance?

Thorne Research (Magnesium CitraMate)

Like vitamin K2, magnesium is an incredibly important nutrient that’s tragically hard to obtain from food sources.

As one of six essential electrolytes, magnesium helps your muscle cells fire properly, leading to full-body relaxation.

Rhonda personally took high-dose magnesium throughout her pregnancy, but recommends a more RDA-like daily dose for most people. (Talk to your doctor before taking magnesium while pregnant.)

She’s a fan of Thorne Research’s Magnesium Citrate — this type of magnesium is one of the most alkalizing, best-absorbed forms available.

Lion’s Mane Extract Capsules

Lion’s Mane is a potent natural adaptogen.

In layman’s terms, that just means it can help you adapt to the stressful wear-and-tear of life.

Research shows Lion’s Mane may help you boost your healthspan, too, by protecting against the neurological ‘plaque’ that causes Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Suffice to say that Dr. Patrick is excited about Lion’s Mane for a good reason!

Rhonda is a fan of Laird Superfood’s Organic Performance Mushroom Blend as a source of Certified Organic Lion’s Mane, though she’s not affiliated with the company.

Quercetin Phytosome Capsules

Quercetin is a plant-powered compound with enough antioxidant activity to make Dr. Rhonda’s supplement list.

Quercetin may have anti-inflammatory and pro-immunity properties, too.

Dr. Patrick recommends Quercetin Phytosome by the brand Peak Performance, as this product is — you guessed it — rich in an easily-absorbed form of quercetin.

Glutathione

Glutathione is known as your body’s “master antioxidant.”

It’s produced endogenously (internally) to ward off the oxidative byproducts of energy production.

While you can boost your body’s glutathione levels by consuming other substances (notably the sulforaphane we talked about earlier), Dr. Rhonda has also advocated for direct glutathione supplementation in the past.

Dr. Rhonda is so passionate about glutathione, in fact, that a whole page on her website is devoted to the subject.

You can check it out for yourself here if you’d like.

Dr. Rhonda Patrick Supplements: Summing Things Up

Dr. Rhonda has been on the leading edge of anti-aging research for nearly a decade.

If anyone knows what supplements are worthwhile, it’s probably her! Just don’t forget that even Rhonda Patrick prioritizes whole-food nutrients over supplements whenever possible.