Rhonda Patrick Supplements And Lifestyle Tips For Longevity

Dr. Rhonda Patrick is a science communicator who specializes in explaining the science of longevity. Below, we look at the supplements, diet, and exercise routines Patrick uses to reach her own longevity goals, including the use of vitamin D, one specific multivitamin, and fish oil.

Who is Rhonda Patrick?

Dr. Rhonda Patrick is a science communicator with a Ph.D. in Biomedical Science. She has conducted research in both academic and industry settings on the intersections of aging, nutrition, and genetics. She is the founder of Found My Fitness, a subscription-based website promoting “strategies to increase healthspan, well-being, cognitive and physical performance through deeper understandings of biology.”

Dr. Patrick did her graduate research at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and a postdoctoral fellowship at UCSF's Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute. She has published articles on the role of mitochondrial metabolism in cancer, the effects that vitamins and minerals have on metabolism, inflammation, illness, and aging, and the molecular mechanisms behind the development of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's.

Dr. Patrick has appeared in various podcasts, videos, and interviews to share her insights on the science of nutrition and aging, including The Joe Rogan Experience, The Tim Ferriss Show, and Ben Greenfield Life. She also hosts her own wellness podcasts called Found My Fitness and The Aliquot.

Dr. Rhonda Patrick recommended supplements

Dr. Rhonda Patrick bases her supplement recommendations on individual health goals as well as genetic testing reports. Her website, Found My Fitness, allows subscribers to upload their genome data from companies, such as 23andMe, in order to get personalized suggestions.

Core supplements

In 2014, Dr. Rhonda Patrick shared the core dietary supplements she was taking at the time, most of which are traditional vitamin supplements.

Her list of supplements at the time included:

• Vitamin D (5,000 IUs daily), often used as a supplement for bone strength, helps regulate the immune system, reduce inflammation, improve blood pressure.
• Pure Encapsulations' O.N.E. multivitamin, which Patrick says is a good “insurance policy” for times when meals don't provide adequate nutrients.
• Fish oil supplements and krill oil supplements via four gel capsules of ProOmega 2000 fish oil and two Omega-3 Phospholipid gel capsules. She chose the latter because krill oil contains a specific form of DHA known as lysophosphatidylcholine-DHA, which has been shown to have potential neuroprotective effects when it comes to diseases like Alzheimer's (algal-derived omega-3 fatty acid supplements are available for vegans).
• B-Complex, specifically an activated B-Complex from Swanson, which can support a healthy stress response. However, Patrick stopped taking B vitamins after roughly 2015 because she felt she got enough from her multivitamin.
• Vitamin K2. Researchers have found that Vitamin K2-7 is absorbed more readily and is more bioavailable compared to Vitamin K1 (which may help the liver produce blood-clotting proteins) and has potentially beneficial effects for those at risk of developing osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, inflammation, cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and peripheral neuropathy. It may have antidepressive effects in old age.

As of a January 2023 subscription-only Q&A, Dr. Patrick had added:

• Pure Encapsulations Lutein/Zeaxanthin
• Pure Encapsulations Calcium/K/D
• A cocoa supplement called CocoaVia Cardio
• Pure Encapsulations Ubiquinol

Additional supplements

Dr. Rhonda Patrick has also spoken about adding these additional supplements to her regimen intermittently over the last nine years:

• PQQ. In 2017, she told podcaster Joe Rogan that she supplements with 20 mg of pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ).
• Curcumin. In a 2018 Instagram post, Dr. Patrick talked about her occasional use of curcumin after reading a study showing that bioactive forms of curcumin led to a 28% improvement in memory, attention, amyloid plaques, and tau tangles (both of which are misfolded proteins thought to play a role in the development of Alzheimer's) in older adults. She also mentioned more research needed to be done on curcumin supplementation.
• Collagen powders. In a 2017 Instagram post, Dr. Patrick promoted Great Lakes hydrolyzed collagen powder for reducing skin dryness and wrinkles and improving blood circulation in the skin.
• Sulforaphane. Dr. Patrick explained the health benefits of sulforaphane, which she got by growing her own broccoli sprouts. Sulforaphane may help reduce disease risk for those prone to diseases including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and, Huntington's, as well as play a role in improving memory and neuronal plasticity. Sulforaphane can also be taken in supplement form.
• Moringa powder. On the Huberman Lab, Dr. Patrick said she supplements with moringa powder for its synergistic effect with sulforaphane, which may help with detoxification and inflammation.
• Magnesium. Dr. Patrick revealed on Instagram that she takes magnesium for its synergistic effect on Vitamin D3 (which it helps convert into an active steroid hormone). This can lower cardiovascular risks and stroke risks. In her 2023 Q&A, Dr. Patrick noted that she took 120 mg of Pure Encapsulations Magnesium Glycinate.

Further supplements

Dr. Rhonda Patrick has noted the health benefits of vitamin E for neuronal repair, but said she gets her vitamin E from eating avocados, nuts, and olive oil. Instead of taking choline supplements, she eats eggs.

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Dr. Patrick has touted the benefits of beets on blood pressure control after her mother experienced improved blood pressure and decreased her reliance on blood pressure medication after trying 9 grams a day of beet powder for two weeks.

Dr. Patrick uses probiotics when indulging in alcohol or after taking antibiotics.

In 2019, Dr. Patrick dedicated a podcast to research on the positive effects of resveratrol supplementation, noting promising results for decreasing inflammation and improving cardiovascular health, cognition, and memory. It's unclear if she uses resveratrol.

Diet tips by Dr. Rhonda Patrick

Dr. Patrick shared her diet and exercise regimen for longevity on the Wild Ideas Worth Living podcast in 2018.

While she does not recommend a specific diet plan, she does engage in the following diet strategies:

• Time restricted feeding. Dr. Patrick often restricts eating to an 8 or 10-hour window each day.
• Low-carb diet. Dr. Patrick primarily eats vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, and whole grains. She avoids refined grains, simple carbohydrates, and sugar.
• Nutrient-rich smoothies. Dr. Patrick uses smoothies to increase micronutrient and vegetable intake.

Dr. Rhonda Patrick also engages in nutrigenomics, the use of DNA to influence food and nutrient consumption.

Dr. Rhonda Patrick recommended exercise program to boost longevity

Dr. Patrick frequently speaks about the benefits of exercise. She described her exercise routine to Tim Ferriss in 2017. At the time, it consisted of:

• Daily aerobic exercise of at least 15 minutes
• A combination of aerobic exercise training, high-intensity training, strength training, and yoga/ballet exercises
• Weight lifting along with lunges and squats with two to three times per week to improve muscle mass
• A three-mile run about three times a week (especially when she needs a cognitive boost)

Rhonda Patrick on sauna use and heat acclimation

Dr. Patrick has long been a proponent of using saunas to adapt to heat (hyperthermic conditioning) because she believes that increasing the body's core temperature can promote increased endurance, the acquisition of muscle mass, and improved stress tolerance. She spends 20 to 30 minutes in the sauna three times a week.

Dr. Patrick also cited research showing the health benefits of saunas for the growth of new brain cells, improvement in focus, learning, and memory, and potentially treating depression and anxiety.

Final word

Dr. Rhonda Patrick's core strategies for longevity involve a nutrient-rich diet, time-restricted eating, supplementation, frequent exercise, and heat exposure. The best way to stay up-to-date on her interpretation of the latest research is to follow her social media accounts or podcasts.