6 supplements A longevity doctor who lost 50 pounds taken every day

A doctor who has a clinic of longevity and makes experimental treatments to try to live longer sharing six of the supplements he takes every day.

In 2016, Dr. Darshan Shah, 52, founded Next Health, who now has locations in the United States and Dubai. Shah told Business Insider that he had improved his own lifestyle 10 years ago when he had his first child and feared that he did not live to see him grow.

As well as to focus on Eat healthy, exercise and sleep more, it takes several daily supplements.

“I am in favor of supplementation, but you must be very careful,” said Shah. “There are so many supplements that people take who don’t have much good research behind them.”

Dietitists recommend obtaining food nutrients rather than supplements. But supplements can be useful for those with specific deficiencies or health objectives – including those who use them as an experimental treatment of longevity.

Shah undergoes a blood test every four months to check its vitamin levels and if it needs to take the same supplements, because “the deficiencies come and go,” he said.

He recommends that others are also tested before taking supplements. “And make sure you buy good quality supplements and work with a practitioner who knows the supplements very well-they can help you sort what will work for you,” he said.

Here are six of the daily supplements that Shah takes and why.

Vitamin D3

Shah’s vitamin D levels are naturally weak, he said, so it takes vitamin D3.

D3 is a form of vitamin D which is easy to absorb for the body. It supports the immune system and helps the body absorb calcium, which is important for bone health among others.

Many doctors, longevity investors and biohackers take vitamin D because research suggests that this can help reduce inflammation and the risk of fracture of bones and cancer, previously reported the health correspondent of Bi, Hilary Brueck.

Vitamin D is also widely recommended for those who live in the northern hemisphere, who will not always get enough from the sun.

Vitamins B methylated

Shah has a gene called MTHFR, which means that his body does not easily treat vitamins B. Thus, he takes methylated B vitamins, which are more easily absorbed by the body than other forms.

There are eight B vitamins, most of which help the body transform food into energy. Vitamin B12, for example, helps form red blood cells and supports healthy hair, skin and nails.

Research has also linked it to better mood and the prevention of dementia, although this is not confirmed.

Nicotinamide Riboside

Nicotinamide riboside is a type of vitamin B3. It helps the body produce an enzyme called NAD, which is necessary for cells to generate energy. It also helps to repair DNA, maintain tissue health and improve immune function.

As we get older, our body becomes less effective in producing NAD. The complement with nicotinamide riboside to help this process has become a buzzing longevity treatment, previously reported Brueck.

It is important to note that research is still at its beginnings and has been mainly done on rodents rather than humans. But it is generally considered safe, and a research review in 2022, published in the journal Nutrients, suggested that it was promising to extend health and lifespan.

Omega-3 supplements

Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish such as salmon, nuts and chia seeds, have been linked to better heart and joint health, lower inflammation and blood pressure.

Omega -3 supplements are generally made from fish or algae oil – but it is not clear if they benefit from the same advantages as eating food naturally rich in acids.

A study on 777 participants, published in the journal Nature Agging earlier this year, revealed that adults with an average age of 75 years who consumed a gram of omega-3 each day had “biological ages” than those who did not do so.

Biological age refers to the health of cells, organs and tissues as opposed to chronological age. Participants had an average of three to four months less than their real age at the end of the three -year study.

Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is a plant -based supplement used in Ayurvedic medicine. It is an adaptogen, which is a plant substance supposed to help reduce stress and improve general well-being, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Several studies evaluated by the American office of food supplements suggest that Ashwagandha could help reduce the level of stress and anxiety, insomnia and fatigue.

However, the effects of different types and doses of Ashwagandha supplements are not clear. Existing studies have used different parts of the plant (for example, extracts from VS leaf roots), and most have examined its effects when used in traditional medicine, and not as a food supplement.

Mushroom mixture

Every morning, Shah drinks coffee mixed with “functional” mushrooms, especially mushrooms from the mane and lion chaga.

Lion’s Mane and Chaga are adaptogens, like Ashwagandha. A research review in 2024, published in Revue Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, suggested that the lion mane could help reduce anxiety and sleep disorders. It is important to note that most of these results come from studies on the elderly who have taken the fungus for a long time in high doses, the researchers wrote, so that the results may not apply to the wider population.

Meanwhile, a review in 2023 published in the Revue Frontiers in Pharmacology revealed that the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of Chaga fungi could protect against cell damage. But the researchers said that more research is necessary to confirm the potential effects of Chaga and its usefulness as a food supplement.