Peter Attia is one of the most evidence-critical voices in longevity medicine. Here is every supplement he takes publicly, with dosing rationale and the science behind each.
Peter Attia, MD is arguably the most influential voice in longevity medicine today. A Stanford-trained surgeon and former Johns Hopkins surgical oncology fellow, Attia spent years as a researcher at the National Institutes of Health before redirecting his career entirely toward what he calls "Medicine 3.0" — a proactive, data-driven approach to delaying the diseases of aging. His podcast The Drive has accumulated millions of subscribers and features detailed conversations with researchers, clinicians, and scientists at the frontier of longevity medicine. His 2023 book Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity became an immediate bestseller and is widely considered the most authoritative and accessible overview of the field currently available.
Attia is notably circumspect about supplements. He consistently emphasises that most supplements have limited human evidence for meaningful life extension and that lifestyle interventions — exercise, sleep, diet, and stress management — dwarf any supplement in terms of evidence-based impact. In his own words from The Drive podcast, he ranks exercise as far and away the most important modifiable determinant of longevity, with sleep second, nutrition third, and stress management and social connection also crucial before any supplement discussion begins. With that context in mind, his personal supplement stack is worth examining carefully: when a sceptical, data-driven physician chooses to take something, the rationale tends to be substantive.
This overview is drawn from multiple episodes of The Drive podcast (2023-2025), his Patreon Q&As, and his book Outlive, published in 2023. Note that Attia adjusts his protocol based on ongoing data and he is explicit that what he personally takes is not necessarily a recommendation for others.
Attia considers magnesium one of the most evidence-backed supplements and notes that most Western adults are deficient based on dietary surveys and blood testing. He rotates through several forms depending on the intended effect:
He cites the role of magnesium in over 300 enzymatic reactions, its association with reduced cardiovascular risk in population studies, and its potential to improve sleep quality as his core reasons. Magnesium deficiency is associated with elevated blood pressure, impaired glucose metabolism, and increased cardiovascular risk — all of which track with the longevity outcomes Attia prioritises.
Attia takes high-dose fish oil primarily for its cardiovascular effects, citing the REDUCE-IT trial as providing the most compelling human evidence. That trial found that 4 g/day of pure icosapentaenoic acid (EPA) reduced major cardiovascular events by 25% in a high-risk population already on statins — a striking result. He uses triglyceride-form fish oil (rather than the ethyl ester form found in cheaper supplements) for better absorption and reduced risk of GI side effects.
Beyond cardiovascular effects, Attia cites omega-3s for their role in brain health, anti-inflammatory effects, and their contribution to improving the omega-6:omega-3 ratio — a ratio that has become severely imbalanced in Western diets. He also notes that the omega-3 index (the percentage of EPA+DHA in red blood cell membranes) is a useful biomarker to track, with optimal being above 8%.
Recommended options: Carlson Elite Omega-3 or Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega, both of which provide triglyceride-form fish oil from quality sources.
Attia monitors his 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels via regular blood testing and supplements to maintain a target of approximately 40-60 ng/mL. He has noted that deficiency is extremely common — particularly in people who work indoors or live in northern latitudes — and that low vitamin D is associated with increased all-cause mortality across multiple large cohort studies.
He takes vitamin K2 (specifically the MK-7 form) alongside D3 to help direct calcium to bones rather than arteries, preventing the vascular calcification that can occur when vitamin D drives calcium absorption without adequate K2 to ensure proper deposition. His D3 dose is typically 4,000-5,000 IU/day, adjusted based on bloodwork results.
A combined D3/K2 product like Thorne Vitamin D/K2 provides both nutrients in a single capsule conveniently. For those who prefer separate supplements, Life Extension Vitamin D3 combined with MK-7 K2 is also effective.
This is the most controversial item on Attia's list. Rapamycin is an FDA-approved immunosuppressant used in organ transplantation and certain cancers. Attia has disclosed that he takes rapamycin off-label at approximately 5-6 mg once weekly, citing the extraordinarily robust animal evidence showing lifespan extension across multiple species and the emerging human data suggesting immune benefits in the elderly.
He emphasises this is not a recommendation — it is a personal risk-benefit decision he has made with full awareness of the uncertainty and potential side effects including elevated triglycerides, mouth sores, and potential glucose dysregulation. He monitors his IGF-1, fasting glucose, lipids, and immune markers closely while on it, and adjusts the dose accordingly. The once-weekly dosing schedule is based on the hypothesis that intermittent mTOR inhibition captures the longevity benefits while minimising the immunosuppression that occurs with continuous dosing.
Attia previously took metformin as a potential longevity drug but discontinued it after evidence emerged suggesting it might blunt exercise-induced adaptations — specifically, mitochondrial biogenesis. A study by Konopka and colleagues published in Aging Cell (2019) found that metformin blunted the improvements in insulin sensitivity and mitochondrial respiration normally seen after aerobic exercise training. Since exercise is his highest-priority longevity tool, he decided the potential interference outweighed the benefits for him personally. He continues to monitor the TAME trial (Targeting Aging with Metformin) and may reassess if that trial produces compelling results.
Attia takes creatine primarily for muscle preservation and cognitive function, citing the well-established role of creatine in phosphocreatine regeneration during intense exercise and its growing evidence base for neuroprotection. He notes creatine monohydrate is the most studied form and that expensive proprietary forms (creatine HCL, Kre-Alkalyn, etc.) offer no proven advantage despite commanding premium prices.
Beyond muscle, Attia notes the emerging literature suggesting creatine supplementation may have direct cognitive benefits — improving working memory and fluid intelligence, particularly in sleep-deprived states or in older individuals. A 2023 meta-analysis in Nutrients found that creatine supplementation consistently improved cognitive performance in older adults.
Thorne Creatine and Optimum Nutrition Micronized Creatine are both Attia-consistent choices — pharmaceutical-grade creatine monohydrate with minimal additives.
While not a supplement in the traditional sense, Attia treats protein intake with the rigour of supplementation: 1 gram per pound of ideal body weight per day, prioritising leucine-rich animal proteins to maximise muscle protein synthesis signalling via mTORC1. When dietary protein is insufficient, he uses a high-quality whey protein isolate or a non-denatured whey concentrate.
He cites the substantial evidence that adequate protein intake is the most important single nutritional intervention for preserving muscle mass and strength with age — and that muscle mass is itself one of the most important predictors of longevity and functional independence. Studies suggest that most older adults are significantly under-eating protein relative to what is needed to maintain lean mass.
Attia has disclosed taking low-dose lithium orotate (approximately 5 mg/day) for potential neuroprotective effects, citing epidemiological data suggesting regions with higher naturally occurring lithium in drinking water have lower rates of Alzheimer's disease and suicide. He is explicit that this is a speculative intervention with limited human trial data but a compelling biological rationale involving neuroprotection through GSK-3 beta inhibition and potential enhancement of autophagy.
Micro Lithium Orotate supplements at 5 mg/day are the typical form used for this application. This is far below the therapeutic doses used for bipolar disorder (which are 300-1,200 mg of lithium carbonate per day) and is generally considered safe, though evidence for longevity benefit specifically is still preliminary.
For cardiovascular risk reduction, Attia considers ApoB — the count of atherogenic lipoprotein particles — the primary therapeutic target. He believes most people with elevated ApoB should be on pharmacological intervention given the decades-long silent progression of atherosclerosis before clinical events occur. He takes a statin himself, adjusted for his specific risk profile, and considers this one of the highest-yield pharmaceutical interventions for longevity given the cardiovascular mortality burden.
Attia takes collagen peptides with vitamin C approximately 45-60 minutes before resistance or connective tissue training, citing research by Keith Baar at UC Davis suggesting this timing may enhance collagen synthesis in tendons and ligaments. The rationale: consuming collagen hydrolysate with vitamin C raises blood glycine and proline levels, which are the primary amino acids in collagen. Taking this before exercise, when blood flow to tendons increases, may enhance collagen deposition in connective tissue.
Great Lakes Collagen Peptides is a widely available unflavoured option, typically taken at 10-15 g per serving.
What is striking about Attia's list is what is absent from it: he does not take NMN, NR, resveratrol, berberine, or most of the supplements aggressively marketed to the longevity community. He has expressed scepticism about all of these at various points, citing the lack of compelling human evidence. His approach is instructive: prioritise interventions with strong human data, monitor with biomarkers, and be willing to change when the evidence changes. His stack reflects this philosophy — conservative by longevity community standards, but grounded in stronger evidence than most.