⚠️
RECORD CORRECTION — October 1, 2026
Electrolyte schedule corrected; BodyHealth electrolytes added. LMNT is taken only on Tuesdays and Saturdays (the 4x4 interval days), not daily as this report previously recorded, and BodyHealth Perfect Amino Electrolytes (Lemon Lime) is taken at 11:00 AM on every other day — one electrolyte powder per day, never both. BodyHealth now has its own card below (provisional grade; label figures are from a retailer listing, not yet checked against the tub), the LMNT card and scorecard row reflect the Tue/Sat schedule, and both products are in the dosing schedule. Averaged over a week, electrolyte-product sodium is roughly 500 mg/day rather than the ~1,000 mg/day a daily LMNT stick would imply. Both electrolyte prices are planning-level estimates; the stack total moves by about −$6.00/mo (see scorecard footer).
Prior correction (Sep 16, 2026) — Berberine product and dose corrected. This report, the Therapeutic Logic report, and the Supplement Timing/Pricing reports previously recorded Thorne Berberine-500 (500mg/capsule, 2 capsules/day = 1000mg/day elemental berberine) as the product in the stack. The product actually taken is Thorne Berberine 200mg (formerly sold as Berbercap), 2 capsules/day = 400mg/day — a materially different (lower) daily dose than what was documented. See the updated amber correction box on the berberine card below for the clinical read on what this does and doesn't change. Master registry (`data/supplements_master.yaml`) and every report that pulls from it have been corrected; pricing updated to reflect the lower-cost product (~$30/mo estimate vs. the prior $40.49/mo).
Prior revision (Sep 14, 2026): on-cycle triglyceride retest confirmed the berberine-washout hypothesis (TG 66 mg/dL, series low), and standalone Zinc Bisglycinate 15mg was added to the stack — both carried forward unchanged below.
Prior correction (Sep 16, 2026) — Berberine product and dose corrected. This report, the Therapeutic Logic report, and the Supplement Timing/Pricing reports previously recorded Thorne Berberine-500 (500mg/capsule, 2 capsules/day = 1000mg/day elemental berberine) as the product in the stack. The product actually taken is Thorne Berberine 200mg (formerly sold as Berbercap), 2 capsules/day = 400mg/day — a materially different (lower) daily dose than what was documented. See the updated amber correction box on the berberine card below for the clinical read on what this does and doesn't change. Master registry (`data/supplements_master.yaml`) and every report that pulls from it have been corrected; pricing updated to reflect the lower-cost product (~$30/mo estimate vs. the prior $40.49/mo).
Prior revision (Sep 14, 2026): on-cycle triglyceride retest confirmed the berberine-washout hypothesis (TG 66 mg/dL, series low), and standalone Zinc Bisglycinate 15mg was added to the stack — both carried forward unchanged below.
Grading Framework
Brand / Quality
Manufacturing standards (GMP, NSF, TGA), third-party testing, purity, heavy metal screening, label accuracy.
Bioavailability / Form
Is the active compound in the most absorbable form? Chelated minerals > oxide forms.
Clinical Evidence
Depth of human RCTs, meta-analyses, and mechanistic studies.
A+
Berberine TG HYPOTHESIS CONFIRMED SEP 2026
Thorne · Fullscript · 2 caps/day (200mg/cap = 400mg/day) · ~$30.00/mo (estimate — confirm at checkout)
Overall
Grade
Grade
Why You're Taking It
Primary (was glucose, now lipids): LDL/ApoB reduction. Berberine downregulates PCSK9 and upregulates hepatic LDL receptor expression — a mechanism fully independent of HMG-CoA reductase, so it stacks additively with red yeast rice rather than duplicating it. With the plateau now broken (LDL 125 → 108, ApoB 104 → 93) this is the pathway that visibly delivered — achieved, per the Sep 16, 2026 correction below, at the actual 400mg/day dose, not the previously-recorded 1000mg/day.
Secondary — confirmed, not just hypothesized. Triglyceride reduction. Berberine has consistent meta-analytic TG-lowering data. The Jul'26 reversal to 144–153 mg/dL coincided with berberine's scheduled washout, and the Sep 14, 2026 on-cycle retest (66 mg/dL, series low) confirms this was berberine doing real, measurable work on triglycerides — not an incidental side effect.
Tertiary: Gut microbiome modulation toward butyrate producers — mechanistically complementary to the Phase 4 repletion stack.
Demoted: fasting glucose control. Glucose is 87 mg/dL, insulin 6.0, A1c 5.1 — all best-ever. Berberine is no longer load-bearing here (see the CGM finding below) — its value has moved fully to the lipid side, and the Sep 14 retest confirms that reassignment was correct.
Secondary — confirmed, not just hypothesized. Triglyceride reduction. Berberine has consistent meta-analytic TG-lowering data. The Jul'26 reversal to 144–153 mg/dL coincided with berberine's scheduled washout, and the Sep 14, 2026 on-cycle retest (66 mg/dL, series low) confirms this was berberine doing real, measurable work on triglycerides — not an incidental side effect.
Tertiary: Gut microbiome modulation toward butyrate producers — mechanistically complementary to the Phase 4 repletion stack.
Demoted: fasting glucose control. Glucose is 87 mg/dL, insulin 6.0, A1c 5.1 — all best-ever. Berberine is no longer load-bearing here (see the CGM finding below) — its value has moved fully to the lipid side, and the Sep 14 retest confirms that reassignment was correct.
Sub-Grades
Brand
9.5
Bioavail
8.5
Evidence
9.6
Relevance
9.7
Evidence Depth
Landmark: Yin et al. (2008) — berberine matched metformin for A1C reduction (-0.9%) in a 3-month RCT, at a dose of 500mg three times daily (1,500mg/day). Zhang et al. (2015) meta-analysis of 27 RCTs confirmed significant reductions in fasting glucose (-0.56 mmol/L), HOMA-IR, triglycerides, and LDL, across trials typically dosing 900–1,500mg/day. New, Sep 2026: the within-subject washout-and-retest sequence (TG 85 baseline → 144–153 off-cycle → 66 on-cycle) functions as a personal n-of-1 confirmation of the TG-lowering literature, on top of the published meta-analytic base — achieved, per the Sep 16, 2026 correction below, at 400mg/day, well below the dose range these landmark trials used.
Brand Quality Assessment
Thorne Berberine (200mg formerly Berbercap) is pharmaceutical-grade. Thorne is one of only ~5 supplement companies with TGA (Australian Therapeutic Goods) certification, NSF for Sport certification, and GMP compliance. They perform 4+ rounds of testing on every raw material. The berberine is sourced as berberine HCl, the most studied and bioavailable salt form. No fillers, no flow agents that impair absorption. The only knock is that berberine's inherent oral bioavailability is low (~5%) due to intestinal P-glycoprotein efflux — but this is a molecule-level limitation, not a brand limitation. Thorne is the best you can get for standard berberine, in either the 200mg or the 500mg strength — the brand-quality assessment doesn't change with the capsule size, only the total daily dose does (see the correction box below).
⚠️ Correction, Sep 16, 2026 — product and dose corrected
What was wrong. This card, the master supplement registry, and every other report in this project (Therapeutic Logic, Supplement Timing, Supplement Pricing) recorded the product as Thorne Berberine-500 — 500mg berberine HCl per capsule, 2 capsules/day, for a total of 1,000mg/day. The product actually being taken is Thorne Berberine 200mg (the same product Thorne formerly sold as "Berbercap"), 2 capsules/day, for a total of 400mg/day. Same manufacturer, same berberine HCl salt form, same brand-quality tier — a different capsule strength and a 60% lower total daily dose than what was on file.
Why this matters clinically. The landmark trials cited in the Evidence Depth section above — Yin et al. 2008 (metformin head-to-head) and the Zhang et al. 2015 meta-analysis — used total daily doses in the 900–1,500mg range, roughly 2.25–3.75x the 400mg/day actually being taken here. Berberine's dose-response relationship for glucose and lipid effects is not perfectly linear, but it is real; a meaningfully lower total dose is a legitimate reason the effect size seen here could differ from the published literature.
Why this doesn't undercut the Sep 14, 2026 triglyceride confirmation. The on-cycle TG retest (66 mg/dL, series low) was drawn under whatever dose was actually being taken at the time — which, per this correction, was already 400mg/day, not 1,000mg/day. That result stands as-is: it shows the actual protocol produces the actual measured outcome. If anything, a confirmed strong TG response at 400mg/day is a slightly more efficient result than the same response would be at 1,000mg/day — there was no overstatement of what the lower dose is accomplishing.
What to consider going forward (not urgent, no action required): (1) no change — the current 400mg/day dose has demonstrated real, measured LDL and triglyceride benefit, and "if it's working, don't fix it" is a reasonable default; (2) if a future lipid panel shows any regression, dose is now a known, correctable lever — discuss with Dr. Nguyen whether stepping up toward the 900mg+/day range used in the cited trials is worth trying; (3) keep the on-cycle draw-timing discipline this report already established, since that's what makes any future dose comparison interpretable. No grade change is being made on the strength of this correction alone — brand quality, evidence depth, and relevance are unaffected; this is a factual correction to the product/dose on file, not a re-evaluation of berberine's role in the stack.
Why this matters clinically. The landmark trials cited in the Evidence Depth section above — Yin et al. 2008 (metformin head-to-head) and the Zhang et al. 2015 meta-analysis — used total daily doses in the 900–1,500mg range, roughly 2.25–3.75x the 400mg/day actually being taken here. Berberine's dose-response relationship for glucose and lipid effects is not perfectly linear, but it is real; a meaningfully lower total dose is a legitimate reason the effect size seen here could differ from the published literature.
Why this doesn't undercut the Sep 14, 2026 triglyceride confirmation. The on-cycle TG retest (66 mg/dL, series low) was drawn under whatever dose was actually being taken at the time — which, per this correction, was already 400mg/day, not 1,000mg/day. That result stands as-is: it shows the actual protocol produces the actual measured outcome. If anything, a confirmed strong TG response at 400mg/day is a slightly more efficient result than the same response would be at 1,000mg/day — there was no overstatement of what the lower dose is accomplishing.
What to consider going forward (not urgent, no action required): (1) no change — the current 400mg/day dose has demonstrated real, measured LDL and triglyceride benefit, and "if it's working, don't fix it" is a reasonable default; (2) if a future lipid panel shows any regression, dose is now a known, correctable lever — discuss with Dr. Nguyen whether stepping up toward the 900mg+/day range used in the cited trials is worth trying; (3) keep the on-cycle draw-timing discipline this report already established, since that's what makes any future dose comparison interpretable. No grade change is being made on the strength of this correction alone — brand quality, evidence depth, and relevance are unaffected; this is a factual correction to the product/dose on file, not a re-evaluation of berberine's role in the stack.
A
Red Yeast Rice
Thorne · Fullscript · 1 cap/day · $12.82/mo
Overall
Grade
Grade
Why You're Taking It
Primary: LDL and ApoB reduction without statins. Red yeast rice contains monacolin K, which is chemically identical to lovastatin. It inhibits HMG-CoA reductase — the rate-limiting enzyme in hepatic cholesterol synthesis.
✅ Verdict returned (Jul 2026 labs): the plateau this card was written to break is broken. LDL 125 → 108 mg/dL. ApoB 104 → 93 mg/dL, now −33% from the 139 first measured in Jan'25. Total cholesterol 198 → 190. This is the single clearest supplement-attributable win in the stack — statin-class LDL movement achieved without a statin, in a patient carrying APOE e3/e4, the genotype that made the plateau stubborn in the first place.
Strategic context: Combined with berberine (LDLR upregulation via PCSK9) and omega-3s (triglyceride/VLDL clearance), you're hitting lipid metabolism from three independent pathways. This multi-vector approach is how functional medicine achieves statin-level lipid changes without the drug — and it now has your own longitudinal data behind it, not just the literature.
Remaining work: ApoB at 93 is improved but still above the <80 mg/dL optimal target. The Sep 14, 2026 on-cycle triglyceride retest (66 mg/dL) confirms the Jul TG spike was a berberine-washout artifact rather than a broader lipid-metabolism problem, so red yeast rice's specific job — LDL synthesis — stays unchanged and on track. Continue at current dose — do not taper on the strength of one good panel.
✅ Verdict returned (Jul 2026 labs): the plateau this card was written to break is broken. LDL 125 → 108 mg/dL. ApoB 104 → 93 mg/dL, now −33% from the 139 first measured in Jan'25. Total cholesterol 198 → 190. This is the single clearest supplement-attributable win in the stack — statin-class LDL movement achieved without a statin, in a patient carrying APOE e3/e4, the genotype that made the plateau stubborn in the first place.
Strategic context: Combined with berberine (LDLR upregulation via PCSK9) and omega-3s (triglyceride/VLDL clearance), you're hitting lipid metabolism from three independent pathways. This multi-vector approach is how functional medicine achieves statin-level lipid changes without the drug — and it now has your own longitudinal data behind it, not just the literature.
Remaining work: ApoB at 93 is improved but still above the <80 mg/dL optimal target. The Sep 14, 2026 on-cycle triglyceride retest (66 mg/dL) confirms the Jul TG spike was a berberine-washout artifact rather than a broader lipid-metabolism problem, so red yeast rice's specific job — LDL synthesis — stays unchanged and on track. Continue at current dose — do not taper on the strength of one good panel.
Sub-Grades
Brand
9.5
Bioavail
8.8
Evidence
9.2
Relevance
9.7
Evidence Depth
Landmark: The Chinese Coronary Secondary Prevention Study (CCSPS, n=4,870) demonstrated 45% reduction in cardiovascular events over 4.5 years with Xuezhikang (standardized RYR). Lu et al. (2022) meta-analysis of 53 RCTs showed average LDL reduction of 1.02 mmol/L (~39 mg/dL). One caveat: monacolin K content varies wildly between brands — Thorne standardizes theirs, which is critical.
Brand Quality Assessment
Thorne's red yeast rice is standardized for monacolin K content — this is the single most important quality metric. Many RYR products on the market contain negligible monacolin K, or worse, contain citrinin (a nephrotoxic mycotoxin produced during fermentation). Thorne tests for and certifies citrinin-free status. They also standardize the active compound so you're getting a consistent therapeutic dose. This matters because generic RYR products have been shown to vary by up to 100x in monacolin K content between brands. At 1 cap/day, confirm the monacolin K content on your label to ensure you're in the 3-10mg therapeutic range.
A+
Methyl-Guard Plus
Thorne · Fullscript · 3 caps/day · $56.69/mo
Overall
Grade
Grade
Why You're Taking It
Primary: This is the single most genetically-targeted supplement in your stack. You carry COMT G472A homozygous (enzyme at 0-10%), MTHFR A1298C heterozygous (~40% reduced), and MTRR A66G heterozygous (~40% reduced). Methyl-Guard Plus provides the exact cofactors your impaired methylation cycle needs:
• 5-MTHF (methylfolate) — bypasses your MTHFR A1298C bottleneck entirely. Your body can't efficiently convert folic acid to active folate; this delivers it pre-converted.
• Methylcobalamin (B12) — the active B12 form. Your MTRR mutation impairs B12 recycling; this ensures adequate substrate despite the enzyme deficit. Critically, this is NOT cyanocobalamin.
• Pyridoxal 5'-Phosphate (P5P/B6) — active B6 form, cofactor for 100+ enzymatic reactions including homocysteine clearance.
• Riboflavin 5'-Phosphate (active B2) — cofactor for MTHFR enzyme itself. Even with your mutation, providing activated riboflavin optimizes whatever function remains.
• Betaine (TMG) — alternative methyl donor pathway (BHMT), providing a backup methylation route that bypasses MTHFR entirely.
Secondary: Homocysteine management. Your baseline was 10.3 µmol/L — elevated. Methyl-Guard Plus attacks homocysteine through all three clearance pathways simultaneously (remethylation via MTHFR, remethylation via BHMT/betaine, and transsulfuration via B6).
✅ Aug 2026 — objectively confirmed working. Homocysteine sits at 8.2 µmol/L, inside the established 7–10 fluctuation band, down from the 10.3 baseline. More importantly, MMA came back at 62 nmol/L (from 76–81) — MMA is the functional, tissue-level B12 marker and it is unambiguously improving. That validates the methylcobalamin-over-cyanocobalamin choice for your MTRR heterozygosity with a direct measurement rather than an inference. No change: continue at current dose. This is the one supplement in the stack with a genetic indication that will never expire.
• 5-MTHF (methylfolate) — bypasses your MTHFR A1298C bottleneck entirely. Your body can't efficiently convert folic acid to active folate; this delivers it pre-converted.
• Methylcobalamin (B12) — the active B12 form. Your MTRR mutation impairs B12 recycling; this ensures adequate substrate despite the enzyme deficit. Critically, this is NOT cyanocobalamin.
• Pyridoxal 5'-Phosphate (P5P/B6) — active B6 form, cofactor for 100+ enzymatic reactions including homocysteine clearance.
• Riboflavin 5'-Phosphate (active B2) — cofactor for MTHFR enzyme itself. Even with your mutation, providing activated riboflavin optimizes whatever function remains.
• Betaine (TMG) — alternative methyl donor pathway (BHMT), providing a backup methylation route that bypasses MTHFR entirely.
Secondary: Homocysteine management. Your baseline was 10.3 µmol/L — elevated. Methyl-Guard Plus attacks homocysteine through all three clearance pathways simultaneously (remethylation via MTHFR, remethylation via BHMT/betaine, and transsulfuration via B6).
✅ Aug 2026 — objectively confirmed working. Homocysteine sits at 8.2 µmol/L, inside the established 7–10 fluctuation band, down from the 10.3 baseline. More importantly, MMA came back at 62 nmol/L (from 76–81) — MMA is the functional, tissue-level B12 marker and it is unambiguously improving. That validates the methylcobalamin-over-cyanocobalamin choice for your MTRR heterozygosity with a direct measurement rather than an inference. No change: continue at current dose. This is the one supplement in the stack with a genetic indication that will never expire.
Sub-Grades
Brand
9.7
Bioavail
9.8
Evidence
9.2
Relevance
10.0
Evidence Depth
The evidence base is individual-ingredient deep: 5-MTHF vs folic acid has been validated in multiple RCTs for MTHFR carriers (Prinz-Langenohl, 2009). Methylcobalamin's superiority over cyanocobalamin for MTRR carriers is well-established biochemically. The combination product approach for methylation support is the standard of care in functional medicine for compound heterozygous/homozygous MTHFR+MTRR profiles. Homocysteine reduction of 25-30% is typical with this formulation in genetically-indicated patients.
Brand Quality Assessment
This is Thorne's flagship methylation product and it's formulated specifically for MTHFR/MTRR carriers — it is one of the most precisely targeted B-complex products on the market. Every form is the activated/coenzymated version (5-MTHF, methylcobalamin, P5P, R5P). No folic acid. No cyanocobalamin. No pyridoxine HCl. This matters enormously for your genetics — your MTRR mutation means you can't efficiently recycle B12, so giving you the pre-activated forms bypasses the bottleneck. Thorne's 5-MTHF is Quatrefolic (glucosamine salt), the most stable and bioavailable methylfolate patent. This is the correct product for your genome. Non-negotiable in your stack.
A+
Super EPA Pro
Thorne · Fullscript · 3 caps/day · $84.59/mo
Overall
Grade
Grade
Why You're Taking It
Primary — the #1 cardiovascular lever in the stack: Triglyceride and VLDL particle reduction. High-dose EPA/DHA reduces hepatic VLDL secretion and accelerates triglyceride clearance. Triglycerides fell 162 → 71 → 85 across 2024–Mar'26, spiked to 144–153 on the Jul 20/27 draws during berberine's scheduled washout, and the Sep 14, 2026 on-cycle retest confirmed that spike was the washout artifact, not a failure of this supplement — Triglycerides are back to a series-low 66 mg/dL.
Secondary: Systemic inflammation control. Your hs-CRP dropped from 2.46 to ~0.6 — omega-3s drive this by shifting eicosanoid production from pro-inflammatory (AA-derived) to pro-resolving (EPA/DHA-derived). SPMs (specialized pro-resolving mediators) are directly synthesized from EPA and DHA.
Tertiary: Membrane fluidity and cardiovascular protection. EPA/DHA physically incorporate into cell membranes, improving receptor signaling, endothelial function, and reducing platelet aggregation.
Omega-3 status directly measured: Omega-3 Total 6.1%, Omega-6 Total 42.0%, Omega-6/3 ratio 6.9, AA/EPA ratio 5.6. All technically "in range," all above the optimal band (O6/3 <4, AA/EPA 1.5–3) — worth continuing to watch, though the Sep 14 TG result shows the current dose is doing real work regardless.
Secondary: Systemic inflammation control. Your hs-CRP dropped from 2.46 to ~0.6 — omega-3s drive this by shifting eicosanoid production from pro-inflammatory (AA-derived) to pro-resolving (EPA/DHA-derived). SPMs (specialized pro-resolving mediators) are directly synthesized from EPA and DHA.
Tertiary: Membrane fluidity and cardiovascular protection. EPA/DHA physically incorporate into cell membranes, improving receptor signaling, endothelial function, and reducing platelet aggregation.
Omega-3 status directly measured: Omega-3 Total 6.1%, Omega-6 Total 42.0%, Omega-6/3 ratio 6.9, AA/EPA ratio 5.6. All technically "in range," all above the optimal band (O6/3 <4, AA/EPA 1.5–3) — worth continuing to watch, though the Sep 14 TG result shows the current dose is doing real work regardless.
Sub-Grades
Brand
9.7
Bioavail
9.2
Evidence
9.8
Relevance
10.0
Evidence Depth
Among the most studied supplements in existence. REDUCE-IT (2019, n=8,179) showed 25% relative reduction in cardiovascular events with high-dose EPA. Omega-3 meta-analyses consistently show triglyceride reduction of 20-30%, CRP reduction of 15-30%, and blood pressure reduction of 2-5 mmHg. The EPA:DHA ratio matters — Super EPA Pro is EPA-dominant, which aligns with the strongest cardiovascular evidence (REDUCE-IT was EPA-only).
Brand Quality Assessment
Thorne Super EPA Pro is one of the highest-concentration omega-3 products available without a prescription. Thorne's fish oil is IFOS 5-star certified (International Fish Oil Standards — the gold standard), molecularly distilled to remove mercury, PCBs, and dioxins. Each gelcap delivers a verified 650 mg EPA + 100 mg DHA, sourced solely from anchovies via supercritical CO2 extraction. This is legitimately the top tier of fish oil supplements.
⚠️ Correction, Aug 2, 2026 — prior versions of this report were wrong about the form. This card previously stated Super EPA Pro uses re-esterified triglyceride (rTG) form with "70% greater bioavailability than ethyl ester." That is incorrect. The label reads "Eicosapentaenoic Acid Ethyl Ester" and "Docosahexaenoic Acid Ethyl Ester" — Super EPA Pro is an ethyl ester (EE) product. The rTG description appears to have been carried over from Thorne's standard Super EPA line.
Why this matters practically, and why it isn't a reason to switch products:
• Take it with the fattiest meal of the day. EE-form omega-3 absorption is substantially more fat-dependent than rTG — taken on an empty stomach or with a low-fat meal, absorption drops sharply.
• The evidence base actually favors EE here. REDUCE-IT — the landmark trial cited above, and the strongest cardiovascular outcome data in the omega-3 literature — used icosapent ethyl, an ethyl ester. The form you are taking is the form that produced the outcome data most relevant to your risk profile.
• Net: the brand-quality grade stands (9.7), the bioavailability sub-grade is arguably a touch generous at 9.2 for an EE product, and the correct response is a timing adjustment, not a product change.
⚠️ Correction, Aug 2, 2026 — prior versions of this report were wrong about the form. This card previously stated Super EPA Pro uses re-esterified triglyceride (rTG) form with "70% greater bioavailability than ethyl ester." That is incorrect. The label reads "Eicosapentaenoic Acid Ethyl Ester" and "Docosahexaenoic Acid Ethyl Ester" — Super EPA Pro is an ethyl ester (EE) product. The rTG description appears to have been carried over from Thorne's standard Super EPA line.
Why this matters practically, and why it isn't a reason to switch products:
• Take it with the fattiest meal of the day. EE-form omega-3 absorption is substantially more fat-dependent than rTG — taken on an empty stomach or with a low-fat meal, absorption drops sharply.
• The evidence base actually favors EE here. REDUCE-IT — the landmark trial cited above, and the strongest cardiovascular outcome data in the omega-3 literature — used icosapent ethyl, an ethyl ester. The form you are taking is the form that produced the outcome data most relevant to your risk profile.
• Net: the brand-quality grade stands (9.7), the bioavailability sub-grade is arguably a touch generous at 9.2 for an EE product, and the correct response is a timing adjustment, not a product change.
A
Seed DS-01 Daily Synbiotic
Seed · Fullscript · 2 caps/day · $53.99/mo
Overall
Grade
Grade
Why You're Taking It
Primary: Gut barrier integrity and microbiome diversity maintenance after your completed 3-phase gut protocol. 24 clinically studied probiotic strains with a prebiotic outer capsule.
Secondary: Metabolic signaling via gut-liver axis — SCFA-producing strains improve insulin sensitivity.
Tertiary: Immune modulation; hs-CRP 0.6 reflects excellent systemic inflammation control, to which a healthy microbiome contributes.
Secondary: Metabolic signaling via gut-liver axis — SCFA-producing strains improve insulin sensitivity.
Tertiary: Immune modulation; hs-CRP 0.6 reflects excellent systemic inflammation control, to which a healthy microbiome contributes.
Sub-Grades
Brand
9.2
Bioavail
9.0
Evidence
8.2
Relevance
8.8
Brand Quality Assessment
Seed is a science-forward probiotic company with AFU-verified viability and nested-capsule delivery technology. Premium tier of probiotics; the 24-strain combination as a whole product needs more independent replication, hence A not A+.
A
NeuroCalm
Designs for Health · Fullscript · 2 caps/day · $53.99/mo
Overall
Grade
Grade
Why You're Taking It
Primary: Neurotransmitter balance for COMT homozygous profile — PharmaGABA, 5-HTP, phosphatidylserine, taurine, chamomile targeting inhibitory/calming pathways to counterbalance elevated catecholamines.
Secondary: Cortisol modulation via phosphatidylserine, important given daily training/sauna HPA stimulation.
Secondary: Cortisol modulation via phosphatidylserine, important given daily training/sauna HPA stimulation.
Sub-Grades
Brand
9.3
Bioavail
8.5
Evidence
7.8
Relevance
9.2
Brand Quality Assessment
Designs for Health is practitioner-only, GMP-certified, third-party tested; uses patented PharmaGABA rather than synthetic GABA. Same tier as Thorne/Metagenics.
A
Vitamin D3 5000 + K
Metagenics · Fullscript Bimonthly · 1 cap/day · $13.05/mo
Overall
Grade
Grade
Why You're Taking It
Primary: Corrected a critical baseline deficiency (17.1 ng/mL). D holding at 62 ng/mL, stable across four draws — correction complete and maintained, no dose change indicated.
K2 inclusion is critical: directs D3-mobilized calcium to bone (osteocalcin, matrix Gla-protein) rather than arteries — protective given elevated ApoB.
K2 inclusion is critical: directs D3-mobilized calcium to bone (osteocalcin, matrix Gla-protein) rather than arteries — protective given elevated ApoB.
Sub-Grades
Brand
9.2
Bioavail
9.0
Evidence
9.5
Relevance
9.5
Brand Quality Assessment
Metagenics GMP+ certified; cholecalciferol + MK-7 K2 in a lipid-base softgel. Best-value supplement in the stack relative to critical baseline need.
A
Magnesium Glycinate
Metagenics · Fullscript Bimonthly · 2 tabs/day · $15.30/mo
Overall
Grade
Grade
Why You're Taking It
Primary: COMT cofactor support — magnesium is a direct cofactor for the COMT enzyme (0-10% function).
Secondary: Recovery/nervous system — glycine is an inhibitory neurotransmitter supporting sleep, complementing NeuroCalm.
Tertiary: Insulin receptor tyrosine kinase cofactor.
Note (Sep 14, 2026): dosed at 9 PM, roughly 10 hours after the new 11 AM Zinc Bisglycinate dose — zinc and magnesium compete for the same intestinal transporters at high doses, so this existing separation is sufficient without any timing change.
Secondary: Recovery/nervous system — glycine is an inhibitory neurotransmitter supporting sleep, complementing NeuroCalm.
Tertiary: Insulin receptor tyrosine kinase cofactor.
Note (Sep 14, 2026): dosed at 9 PM, roughly 10 hours after the new 11 AM Zinc Bisglycinate dose — zinc and magnesium compete for the same intestinal transporters at high doses, so this existing separation is sufficient without any timing change.
Sub-Grades
Brand
9.2
Bioavail
9.0
Evidence
9.0
Relevance
9.5
Brand Quality Assessment
True chelated bisglycinate form, tested for heavy metals. Excellent value.
A
Basic Nutrients 2/Day
Thorne · Fullscript · 2 caps/day · $62.09/mo
Overall
Grade
Grade
Why You're Taking It
Primary: Micronutrient insurance on a low-carb/IF diet — trace minerals and fat-soluble vitamins.
⚠️ Jul 2026 — zinc coverage came up short. Serum zinc declined across five draws (74→72→69→70→63 mcg/dL) through the period this multi has run — a maintenance dose, not a repletion dose. Sep 14, 2026 — addressed: standalone Zinc Bisglycinate 15mg now covers the repletion job this multi's trace amount couldn't (see the new card below).
No EGCG (unlike the prior BodyHealth multi) — critical for COMT homozygous status.
⚠️ Jul 2026 — zinc coverage came up short. Serum zinc declined across five draws (74→72→69→70→63 mcg/dL) through the period this multi has run — a maintenance dose, not a repletion dose. Sep 14, 2026 — addressed: standalone Zinc Bisglycinate 15mg now covers the repletion job this multi's trace amount couldn't (see the new card below).
No EGCG (unlike the prior BodyHealth multi) — critical for COMT homozygous status.
Sub-Grades
Brand
9.7
Bioavail
9.3
Evidence
8.0
Relevance
8.6
Brand Quality Assessment
NSF Certified for Sport, TRAACS® chelated minerals, active B-vitamin forms. $14.58/mo cheaper than the prior multi with a quality upgrade.
A-
Zinc Bisglycinate 15mg NEW · SEP 14, 2026
Thorne · Fullscript · 1 cap/day · ~$10/mo (estimate — confirm at checkout)
Overall
Grade
Grade
Why You're Taking It
Primary: Standalone zinc repletion, separate from the trace amount already supplied by Basic Nutrients 2/Day. Serum zinc declined across five consecutive draws (74→72→69→70→63 mcg/dL) — in range throughout, but a clear and consistent downtrend rather than noise. Zinc is a required cofactor for T4→T3 peripheral thyroid hormone conversion (via the deiodinase enzymes) and for over 300 other enzymatic reactions, so a slow decline was judged worth reinforcing before it became an out-of-range flag rather than after.
Secondary: General enzymatic/immune cofactor support — zinc is required for DNA synthesis, immune cell function, and wound healing, none of which were individually flagged but all of which benefit from correcting a declining trend.
Dose rationale — why 1 cap, not 2. The Thorne label lists a 2-capsule serving (30mg elemental zinc/day). This protocol uses 1 capsule/day (15mg elemental) instead — enough to reverse a slow, in-range downtrend without approaching the levels (25–40mg+/day sustained) most associated with secondary copper deficiency. This is a repletion dose sized to the trend actually observed, not the label's default serving.
Secondary: General enzymatic/immune cofactor support — zinc is required for DNA synthesis, immune cell function, and wound healing, none of which were individually flagged but all of which benefit from correcting a declining trend.
Dose rationale — why 1 cap, not 2. The Thorne label lists a 2-capsule serving (30mg elemental zinc/day). This protocol uses 1 capsule/day (15mg elemental) instead — enough to reverse a slow, in-range downtrend without approaching the levels (25–40mg+/day sustained) most associated with secondary copper deficiency. This is a repletion dose sized to the trend actually observed, not the label's default serving.
Sub-Grades
Brand
9.5
Bioavail
8.5
Evidence
8.0
Relevance
8.4
Evidence Depth
Zinc's role as a required cofactor for the deiodinase enzymes that convert T4 to the active T3 hormone is well-established biochemistry, not a speculative mechanism. Chelated (bisglycinate/glycinate) zinc forms have consistently outperformed zinc oxide in absorption and GI-tolerability comparisons — the same reasoning already applied to Magnesium Glycinate elsewhere in this stack. The evidence base for correcting a declining-but-in-range trend specifically (rather than treating a confirmed frank deficiency) is thinner than for most of the rest of this stack, which is reflected in the 8.0 evidence sub-grade — this is a reasonable, well-supported precaution rather than a slam-dunk indicated correction.
Brand Quality Assessment
Thorne Zinc Bisglycinate is NSF-certified, GMP-manufactured, and uses the glycinate (chelated amino-acid) form rather than oxide, which is meaningfully better absorbed and gentler on the GI tract — consistent with the brand-quality bar the rest of the Thorne products in this stack already clear. Sourced through Fullscript, the same practitioner-verification channel used for the rest of the Thorne lineup in this protocol.
⚠️ Copper monitoring note
Chronic zinc repletion without matched copper intake can drive a secondary copper deficiency over long courses — zinc competes with copper for the same intestinal metallothionein-binding pathway. At the 15mg/day dose used here (half the label serving), the risk is lower than at a 30mg+ dose, but copper and ceruloplasmin are being added to the next full panel as a monitoring step rather than waiting for a symptomatic deficiency to appear. No copper supplement has been added preemptively — this is a watch-and-verify plan, not a reason to add another supplement on top of a supplement.
B+
BPC-157 Prime w/CurcuPrime DISCONTINUED — AUG 17, 2026
Apeiron Elements · Manual Order · 1 cap/day (4 on/2 off cycling) · $35.00/mo
Overall
Grade
Grade
Why You're Taking It
Primary: Gut mucosal repair and systemic tissue healing — upregulates EGF/VEGF/FGF and angiogenesis.
Secondary: Musculoskeletal/tendon-ligament recovery.
CurcuPrime: NF-kB inhibition, complementary inflammatory modulation.
Secondary: Musculoskeletal/tendon-ligament recovery.
CurcuPrime: NF-kB inhibition, complementary inflammatory modulation.
Sub-Grades
Brand
8.0
Bioavail
7.2
Evidence
5.8
Relevance
8.5
Brand Quality Assessment
Zero large-scale human RCTs for oral BPC-157 exist yet — extensive animal data, strong mechanism, thin human evidence. Currently mid-reset (resumed Aug 11, Cycle 4).
Discontinued Aug 17, 2026 — retained here for the historical record. Replaced by ProHealth Longevity's Pure BPC-157 starting Aug 18, 2026 (see card below), on the same cycling schedule. This card's grade and sub-grades are frozen as of its last active day and no longer update.
Discontinued Aug 17, 2026 — retained here for the historical record. Replaced by ProHealth Longevity's Pure BPC-157 starting Aug 18, 2026 (see card below), on the same cycling schedule. This card's grade and sub-grades are frozen as of its last active day and no longer update.
B+
Pure BPC-157 STARTED AUG 18, 2026
ProHealth Longevity · Manual Order · 1 cap/day, 500 mcg (4 on/2 off cycling) · $59.98/mo
Overall
Grade
Grade
Why You're Taking It
Primary: Gut mucosal repair and systemic tissue healing — same BPC-157 mechanism as the discontinued Apeiron product (upregulates EGF/VEGF/FGF and angiogenesis). This is a product switch, not a mechanism change.
Secondary: Musculoskeletal/tendon-ligament recovery.
What's different: single-ingredient 500 mcg BPC-157 arginate salt capsule — no CurcuPrime curcumin co-formulation (see Brand Quality Assessment for what that trade-off means). Same 4-weeks-on/2-weeks-off cycling, same 1 cap/day dose.
Secondary: Musculoskeletal/tendon-ligament recovery.
What's different: single-ingredient 500 mcg BPC-157 arginate salt capsule — no CurcuPrime curcumin co-formulation (see Brand Quality Assessment for what that trade-off means). Same 4-weeks-on/2-weeks-off cycling, same 1 cap/day dose.
Sub-Grades
Brand
8.3
Bioavail
7.4
Evidence
5.8
Relevance
8.2
Brand Quality Assessment
ProHealth Longevity's Pure BPC-157 is a single-ingredient capsule (BPC-157 arginate salt, 500 mcg) manufactured in an FDA-registered, GMP-certified facility. It's marketed as "Triple Lab Tested" — independent third-party verification of potency plus screening for heavy metals, microbial pathogens, and residual solvents, with lab results published — a brand-quality tier comparable to Apeiron. The arginate salt form is positioned for greater gastrointestinal stability than a plain acetate peptide, though — same caveat as the outgoing product — there is no human pharmacokinetic data confirming oral BPC-157 survives digestion intact regardless of salt form; the therapeutic case still rests on preclinical/animal mechanism data and the peptide's apparent tolerability, not human RCTs. Evidence sub-grade (5.8) is carried unchanged from the Apeiron card for that reason — the switch doesn't change what's actually been studied in humans.
What's lost in the switch: the CurcuPrime curcumin co-formulation (NF-kB inhibition, a complementary anti-inflammatory mechanism) that shipped inside the Apeiron capsule is not present in this single-ingredient product. Relevance is trimmed slightly (8.5 → 8.2) to reflect that narrower scope. No standalone curcumin/anti-inflammatory replacement is being added for this — noted here for the record, not as an open action item.
What's lost in the switch: the CurcuPrime curcumin co-formulation (NF-kB inhibition, a complementary anti-inflammatory mechanism) that shipped inside the Apeiron capsule is not present in this single-ingredient product. Relevance is trimmed slightly (8.5 → 8.2) to reflect that narrower scope. No standalone curcumin/anti-inflammatory replacement is being added for this — noted here for the record, not as an open action item.
A
Super Ubiquinol CoQ10 with PQQ
Life Extension · Fullscript · 1 softgel/day · ~$30.38/mo
Overall
Grade
Grade
Why You're Taking It
Primary: CoQ10 repletion — mandatory while on red yeast rice, which depletes endogenous CoQ10 via mevalonate-pathway inhibition.
Secondary: Mitochondrial biogenesis via PQQ (10mg here + 10mg standalone = 20mg total), activating PGC-1α.
Tertiary: Shilajit fulvic acid complex amplifies CoQ10 ATP output 27-56% in published research.
Secondary: Mitochondrial biogenesis via PQQ (10mg here + 10mg standalone = 20mg total), activating PGC-1α.
Tertiary: Shilajit fulvic acid complex amplifies CoQ10 ATP output 27-56% in published research.
Sub-Grades
Brand
9.2
Bioavail
9.4
Evidence
9.2
Relevance
9.5
Brand Quality Assessment
Kaneka™ Ubiquinol, ConsumerLab #1 rated 7 consecutive years, NSF GMP certified. Replaced CellCore MitoActive (B grade) at lower cost with superior sourcing.
A-
PQQ Caps 10 mg TOP-UP
Life Extension · Fullscript · 1 cap/day · ~$6.75/mo
Overall
Grade
Grade
Why You're Taking It
Primary: Completes the 20mg/day PQQ clinical dose used in mitochondrial biogenesis research — the CoQ10+PQQ softgel alone only supplies 10mg.
Sub-Grades
Brand
9.2
Bioavail
8.5
Evidence
7.8
Relevance
9.0
Brand Quality Assessment
BioPQQ®, NSF GMP certified. Most cost-efficient supplement in the stack relative to therapeutic value.
A
Cellular Longevity PRO — Mitopure (Urolithin A) 1000mg STARTED AUG 16, 2026
Timeline (Amazentis) · Fullscript · 1000mg/day (2 caps) · ~$110/mo (estimate — confirm at checkout)
Overall
Grade
Grade
Why You're Taking It
Primary: Mitophagy activation — Urolithin A is the best-characterized natural compound that directly triggers clearance of damaged mitochondria and stimulates biogenesis of new ones, independent of the PGC-1α pathway that PQQ already drives in this stack. This is a proactive longevity addition, not a lab-flag response: it slots alongside the existing CoQ10+PQQ mitochondrial pair as a third, mechanistically distinct lever (PQQ = biogenesis signal, CoQ10 = electron-transport-chain substrate, Urolithin A = damaged-mitochondria clearance).
Secondary: Muscle strength/endurance support. The 2022 Cell Reports Medicine dose-response trial (500mg vs 1,000mg Mitopure) showed measurable gains in muscle strength and endurance markers at the doses used here — directly relevant to preserving muscle mass, a standing constraint of this protocol.
Tertiary: Immune-aging support. A November 2025 RCT (also using 1,000mg Mitopure) showed favorable shifts in naive CD8+ T cells, NK cell activity, and inflammatory markers — an emerging but less-replicated finding, appropriately framed as exploratory rather than established.
Dose rationale: 1,000mg/day (not 500mg) was chosen specifically because both the immune-aging trial and the strongest metabolic/inflammatory arm of the 2022 trial used 1,000mg — matching the dose to the evidence actually being relied on, rather than defaulting to the lower/cheaper option.
Secondary: Muscle strength/endurance support. The 2022 Cell Reports Medicine dose-response trial (500mg vs 1,000mg Mitopure) showed measurable gains in muscle strength and endurance markers at the doses used here — directly relevant to preserving muscle mass, a standing constraint of this protocol.
Tertiary: Immune-aging support. A November 2025 RCT (also using 1,000mg Mitopure) showed favorable shifts in naive CD8+ T cells, NK cell activity, and inflammatory markers — an emerging but less-replicated finding, appropriately framed as exploratory rather than established.
Dose rationale: 1,000mg/day (not 500mg) was chosen specifically because both the immune-aging trial and the strongest metabolic/inflammatory arm of the 2022 trial used 1,000mg — matching the dose to the evidence actually being relied on, rather than defaulting to the lower/cheaper option.
Sub-Grades
Brand
9.5
Bioavail
8.8
Evidence
7.4
Relevance
8.2
Evidence Depth
Same intellectual-honesty framing as BPC-157 and the Phase 4 gut additions in this stack: the mitophagy mechanism itself is well-established preclinical biology (Ryu et al., 2016, originally published in Nature Medicine), and the two human RCTs that exist are both well-conducted and both used this exact branded ingredient — but it's still a two-trial evidence base for a novel compound, not the 50+ meta-analysis depth behind creatine or omega-3s elsewhere in this stack. Evidence sits at 7.4 to reflect that honestly; Relevance at 8.2 because this is a proactive longevity bet rather than a response to a confirmed deficit, unlike most of the rest of the protocol.
Brand Quality Assessment
Timeline is Amazentis's own consumer brand — Amazentis is the Swiss (EPFL-spinout) biotech that holds the Mitopure patents and ran essentially all of the human trials behind urolithin A. Unlike most ingredients in this stack, urolithin A is not a commodity molecule: generic "urolithin A" listings are frequently extracted from pomegranate husk via a different process, yielding a different isomer mix with far less — or no — supporting human data. Timeline's own 2023 third-party testing of two competing Amazon "urolithin A" products found zero detectable urolithin A in either, despite label claims. Buying the Mitopure-branded product through Fullscript (the same practitioner-verification channel already used for Thorne, Life Extension, Designs for Health, and Microbiome Labs) avoids that risk entirely. Full sourcing analysis on file: claude/Mitopure_Buying_Guide_Aug2026.html and claude/Mitopure_Urolithin_A_Deep_Dive_Aug2026.html.
📋 Sequencing note
Taken fasted at 7:30 AM, alongside the other morning capsules (BPC-157, Lion's Mane, CoQ10+PQQ, D3+K2). Unlike Super EPA Pro and Basic Nutrients, Urolithin A absorption is not meaningfully fat-dependent, so there's no reason to hold it for the 11 AM meal block — it's grouped with the fasted-capsule tier instead. No interaction with existing CoQ10/PQQ dosing; this runs as its own independent 90-day cycle rather than being stacked into an evaluation window with any other new addition. Retest: no specific biomarker directly tracks mitophagy activity, so this is being added and continued on trial-evidence grounds rather than a personal lab target — reassess at 90 days on subjective recovery/training tolerance and at the next full panel for any unexpected interaction.
B+
Lion's Mane
Real Mushrooms · Manual Order · 2 caps/day · $34.98/mo
Overall
Grade
Grade
Why You're Taking It
Primary: NGF stimulation and neuroplasticity via hericenones/erinacines.
Secondary: Structural neuron support alongside NeuroCalm's software-level COMT management.
Secondary: Structural neuron support alongside NeuroCalm's software-level COMT management.
Sub-Grades
Brand
9.0
Bioavail
8.5
Evidence
6.8
Relevance
8.0
Brand Quality Assessment
Real Mushrooms — 100% fruiting body, verified beta-glucan content, no grain fillers. Reference standard for mushroom supplements.
A
FiberMend
Thorne · Fullscript Monthly · Powder · $41.39/mo
Overall
Grade
Grade
Why You're Taking It
Primary: Prebiotic fiber (Sunfiber®-brand PHGG base) for microbiome support.
Secondary — non-redundant job: Bile acid binding for LDL reduction, additive to red yeast rice and berberine. ✅ Verdict returned: LDL 125→108, ApoB 104→93. Keep, unchanged.
Overlaps with standalone Sunfiber on the PHGG ingredient (~12g/day combined) but each has a distinct, confirmed job — FiberMend for lipids, Sunfiber for F. prausnitzii gut restoration. Both continue indefinitely.
Secondary — non-redundant job: Bile acid binding for LDL reduction, additive to red yeast rice and berberine. ✅ Verdict returned: LDL 125→108, ApoB 104→93. Keep, unchanged.
Overlaps with standalone Sunfiber on the PHGG ingredient (~12g/day combined) but each has a distinct, confirmed job — FiberMend for lipids, Sunfiber for F. prausnitzii gut restoration. Both continue indefinitely.
Sub-Grades
Brand
9.5
Bioavail
8.8
Evidence
9.0
Relevance
9.0
Brand Quality Assessment
Sunfiber® PHGG base, best GI tolerability of prebiotic fibers. Clean formulation.
A+
Creatine
Thorne · Fullscript · Powder · $12.75/mo
Overall
Grade
Grade
Why You're Taking It
Primary: Strength performance and body composition through the body-recomposition phase.
Secondary: Neuroprotection/cognitive function via brain ATP substrate.
Tertiary: Methylation sparing — creatine synthesis consumes ~40% of SAMe-derived methyl groups; supplementing directly frees methyl groups for other reactions, relevant given MTHFR/COMT load.
Secondary: Neuroprotection/cognitive function via brain ATP substrate.
Tertiary: Methylation sparing — creatine synthesis consumes ~40% of SAMe-derived methyl groups; supplementing directly frees methyl groups for other reactions, relevant given MTHFR/COMT load.
Sub-Grades
Brand
9.5
Bioavail
9.5
Evidence
9.9
Relevance
9.6
Brand Quality Assessment
Creapure®, 99.99% purity, HPLC-verified, NSF for Sport. Best value-for-evidence supplement in the entire stack.
A
LMNT Electrolytes TUE & SAT ONLY · 4x4 DAYS
LMNT · Direct / Subscribe & Save · 1 stick, Tue & Sat only · ~$11.30/mo
Overall
Grade
Grade
Why You're Taking It
Primary: Sodium-forward electrolyte replacement on the two 4x4 interval days (Tuesday and Saturday), alongside the standing context of IF + low-carb eating + daily sauna + strength training. Schedule on file corrected Oct 1, 2026 — it had been recorded as one stick every day. On all other days the BodyHealth electrolytes card below applies instead, so only one electrolyte powder is taken per day.
Secondary: Performance/cognitive output; sodium supports adrenal function against COMT-driven catecholamine load.
Per stick (per the Stack Overlap page): about 1,000 mg sodium, 200 mg potassium, 60 mg magnesium.
Secondary: Performance/cognitive output; sodium supports adrenal function against COMT-driven catecholamine load.
Per stick (per the Stack Overlap page): about 1,000 mg sodium, 200 mg potassium, 60 mg magnesium.
Sub-Grades
Brand
9.0
Bioavail
9.2
Evidence
8.5
Relevance
9.3
Brand Quality Assessment
Clean formula (sodium chloride, magnesium malate, potassium chloride). Sodium-forward, purpose-built for the low-carb/keto athletic population.
B+
BodyHealth Electrolytes NEW OCT 1 · PROVISIONAL GRADE
BodyHealth · Source TBC · 1 scoop (6 g), non-4x4 days · ~$21.70/mo
Overall
Grade
Grade
Why You're Taking It
Primary: Everyday sodium/potassium/magnesium coverage on the five non-4x4 days — 1 scoop (6 g) of Lemon Lime at the 11:00 AM meal. LMNT takes its place on Tuesdays and Saturdays, so the two never overlap on the same day.
Secondary: A small co-formulation of trace minerals (ConcenTrace) and a 2 g amino acid/nucleotide blend. The evidence for those extras is thin; the case for this product rests on its sodium, potassium and magnesium base, which is ordinary electrolyte physiology rather than a novel intervention.
Why a lower-sodium product on the other days is coherent: a whole-foods, nutrient-dense eating pattern is often lower in sodium than the diet it replaces, and non-4x4 days have no interval session (strength training and sauna continue), so a ~300 mg sodium scoop is a plausible fit while LMNT's ~1,000 mg is kept for the interval days. This is a reasonable fit, not a demonstrated requirement; no lab marker isolates it.
Secondary: A small co-formulation of trace minerals (ConcenTrace) and a 2 g amino acid/nucleotide blend. The evidence for those extras is thin; the case for this product rests on its sodium, potassium and magnesium base, which is ordinary electrolyte physiology rather than a novel intervention.
Why a lower-sodium product on the other days is coherent: a whole-foods, nutrient-dense eating pattern is often lower in sodium than the diet it replaces, and non-4x4 days have no interval session (strength training and sauna continue), so a ~300 mg sodium scoop is a plausible fit while LMNT's ~1,000 mg is kept for the interval days. This is a reasonable fit, not a demonstrated requirement; no lab marker isolates it.
Sub-Grades
Brand
7.8
Bioavail
7.8
Evidence
6.5
Relevance
7.5
Evidence Depth
Sodium, potassium and magnesium repletion under training load is well-understood physiology but has little RCT support at these supplement doses. The amino acid/nucleotide blend and the ConcenTrace trace-mineral concentrate have limited human outcome data, so Evidence is scored below the rest of the foundational mineral cards.
Brand Quality Assessment
Provisional — label data from a retailer listing (Vitacost), not from the tub on hand; verify the Supplement Facts panel. Per 1 scoop (6 g), as listed: sodium 300 mg, potassium 250 mg, magnesium 50 mg (citrate), zinc 2 mg (amino acid chelate), ConcenTrace trace minerals 80 mg, 2 g amino acid/nucleotide blend; sweetened with stevia, monk fruit and katemfe (no sugar). Third-party testing status has not been verified, so Brand is scored conservatively. Order source and monthly price (~$21.70) are estimates.
Electrolyte math — LMNT days vs BodyHealth days
Sodium: about 1,000 mg on LMNT days (Tue/Sat) versus about 300 mg on BodyHealth days. Weekly average from the two products: (2 × 1,000 + 5 × 300) ÷ 7 ≈ 500 mg/day, roughly half of the ~1,000 mg/day a daily LMNT stick would have given.
Potassium: about 200 mg vs 250 mg → ≈ 236 mg/day average. Magnesium: about 60 mg vs 50 mg → ≈ 53 mg/day average.
Zinc: BodyHealth adds ~2 mg on its five days. With Basic Nutrients (15 mg) and Zinc Bisglycinate (15 mg), total zinc on those days is ~32 mg versus 30 mg on LMNT days — still under the 40 mg/day adult upper limit, and one more reason copper/ceruloplasmin is on the next-panel list.
These are supplement-only figures; dietary sodium comes on top and is not tracked here.
Potassium: about 200 mg vs 250 mg → ≈ 236 mg/day average. Magnesium: about 60 mg vs 50 mg → ≈ 53 mg/day average.
Zinc: BodyHealth adds ~2 mg on its five days. With Basic Nutrients (15 mg) and Zinc Bisglycinate (15 mg), total zinc on those days is ~32 mg versus 30 mg on LMNT days — still under the 40 mg/day adult upper limit, and one more reason copper/ceruloplasmin is on the next-panel list.
These are supplement-only figures; dietary sodium comes on top and is not tracked here.
🧬 New Additions — Phase 4 Microbiome Optimization Protocol
Trigger: June 2026 GI-MAP retest. Akkermansia muciniphila and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii both undetectable despite the earlier 3-phase gut protocol's success elsewhere (EPEC/EHEC cleared, calprotectin 0). Four additions selectively feed/restore the two missing species rather than run another antimicrobial round.
A
Akkermansia 500 PRO
Pendulum · Manual Order · 1 cap/day · $62.99/mo
Overall
Grade
Grade
Why You're Taking It
Primary: Direct repletion of Akkermansia muciniphila, confirmed undetectable on GI-MAP — a confirmed-zero repletion case, not a general-population guess.
Secondary: Metabolic support; the Jul CGM's steady glucose decline through the Phase 4 ramp is suggestive but not proof (correlation, not causation) — the 6-month GI-MAP retest is the real verification step.
Secondary: Metabolic support; the Jul CGM's steady glucose decline through the Phase 4 ramp is suggestive but not proof (correlation, not causation) — the 6-month GI-MAP retest is the real verification step.
Sub-Grades
Brand
8.8
Bioavail
8.0
Evidence
7.8
Relevance
9.8
Brand Quality Assessment
Most established commercial Akkermansia brand; 100M AFU delayed-release. Live-strain evidence is a tier behind the pasteurized-strain trial data, hence Evidence 7.8 despite near-maximal Relevance.
A
Sunfiber® (PHGG)
Tomorrow's Nutrition · Manual Order · 7g/day (full dose) · ~$32.22/mo
Overall
Grade
Grade
Why You're Taking It
Primary: Primary substrate for rebuilding F. prausnitzii, an obligate anaerobe with no commercial standalone probiotic — feeding it is the only lever.
Reached full 7g/day dose Jul 26. Overlaps with FiberMend's PHGG but serves a distinct, confirmed job (gut restoration vs. lipid binding).
Reached full 7g/day dose Jul 26. Overlaps with FiberMend's PHGG but serves a distinct, confirmed job (gut restoration vs. lipid binding).
Sub-Grades
Brand
8.5
Bioavail
9.0
Evidence
8.8
Relevance
9.6
Brand Quality Assessment
Same clinically-studied Sunfiber® raw material Thorne uses in FiberMend, sold standalone for precise titration.
B+
Tri-Butyrin Supreme
Designs for Health · Fullscript · 1 cap 2x/day · $44.09/mo
Overall
Grade
Grade
Why You're Taking It
Primary: Butyrate bridge — supplies the downstream metabolite F. prausnitzii would normally produce while the prebiotic strategy rebuilds the population. 4-month course, then reassess.
Sub-Grades
Brand
9.3
Bioavail
8.2
Evidence
6.2
Relevance
8.8
Brand Quality Assessment
CoreBiome® tributyrin, odor-minimized. Human RCT base thinner than the underlying butyrate biology would suggest.
B+
MegaPre® (Capsules)
Microbiome Labs · Manual Order · 6 capsules/day (full dose) · $60.29/mo
Overall
Grade
Grade
Why You're Taking It
Primary: Multi-fiber blend (FOS/XOS/GOS) formulated to feed Akkermansia, F. prausnitzii, and Bifidobacterium simultaneously — a distinct substrate class from PHGG, so not part of the FiberMend/Sunfiber overlap.
Reached full 6-capsule dose Jul 29, well tolerated.
Reached full 6-capsule dose Jul 29, well tolerated.
Sub-Grades
Brand
8.8
Bioavail
8.5
Evidence
6.5
Relevance
9.0
Brand Quality Assessment
Microbiome Labs practitioner-channel brand, GMP-manufactured. Capsule format costs roughly half of the powder format at full dose ($60.29/mo vs $120.56/mo).
📊 Summary Scorecard
| Rank | Supplement | Grade | Brand | Bioavail | Evidence | Relevance | Monthly | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Creatine | A+ | 9.5 | 9.5 | 9.9 | 9.6 | $12.75 | Best value in stack |
| 2 | Methyl-Guard Plus | A+ | 9.7 | 9.8 | 9.2 | 10.0 | $56.69 | Genetically essential |
| 3 | Super EPA Pro | A+ | 9.7 | 9.2 | 9.8 | 10.0 | $84.59 | EPA-dominant · take with fat |
| 4 | Red Yeast Rice | A | 9.5 | 8.8 | 9.2 | 9.7 | $12.82 | ✅ Broke the LDL plateau |
| 5 | Berberine | A+ | 9.5 | 8.5 | 9.6 | 9.7 | ~$30.00 | ✅ TG confirmed · product/dose corrected Sep 16 |
| 6 | Vitamin D3 5000 + K | A | 9.2 | 9.0 | 9.5 | 9.5 | $13.05 | Correction held — 62 ng/mL |
| 7 | Basic Nutrients 2/Day | A | 9.7 | 9.3 | 8.0 | 8.6 | $62.09 | Zinc coverage now backed up by standalone dose |
| 8 | Zinc Bisglycinate 15mg NEW SEP 14 | A- | 9.5 | 8.5 | 8.0 | 8.4 | ~$10.00 | New — closes the zinc-downtrend gap |
| 9 | LMNT Electrolytes | A | 9.0 | 9.2 | 8.5 | 9.3 | ~$11.30 | Clean formula · Tue & Sat only (4x4 days) |
| 10 | BodyHealth Electrolytes NEW OCT 1 | B+ | 7.8 | 7.8 | 6.5 | 7.5 | ~$21.70 | New Oct 1 — non-4x4 days; provisional grade |
| 11 | FiberMend | A | 9.5 | 8.8 | 9.0 | 9.0 | $41.39 | Gut + lipid support |
| 12 | Magnesium Glycinate | A | 9.2 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 9.5 | $15.30 | COMT cofactor |
| 13 | Seed DS-01 Daily Synbiotic | A | 9.2 | 9.0 | 8.2 | 8.8 | $53.99 | Premium probiotic |
| 14 | NeuroCalm | A | 9.3 | 8.5 | 7.8 | 9.2 | $53.99 | COMT phenotype match |
| 15 | Lion's Mane | B+ | 9.0 | 8.5 | 6.8 | 8.0 | $34.98 | Good — emerging evidence |
| 16 | BPC-157 Prime w/CurcuPrime DISCONTINUED | B+ | 8.0 | 7.2 | 5.8 | 8.5 | $35.00 | Discontinued Aug 17 — see ProHealth below |
| 17 | Pure BPC-157 | B+ | 8.3 | 7.4 | 5.8 | 8.2 | $59.98 | Same mechanism, single-ingredient |
| 18 | Super Ubiquinol CoQ10 with PQQ | A | 9.2 | 9.4 | 9.2 | 9.5 | $30.38 | Kaneka™ · Replaced MitoActive |
| 19 | PQQ Caps 10 mg | A- | 9.2 | 8.5 | 7.8 | 9.0 | $6.75 | Completes 20 mg PQQ dose |
| 20 | Cellular Longevity PRO — Mitopure (Urolithin A) 1000mg | A | 9.5 | 8.8 | 7.4 | 8.2 | ~$110.00 | Proactive — mitophagy, 3rd mito lever |
| 21 | Akkermansia 500 PRO | A | 8.8 | 8.0 | 7.8 | 9.8 | $62.99 | Phase 4 — confirmed-zero repletion |
| 22 | Sunfiber® (PHGG) | A | 8.5 | 9.0 | 8.8 | 9.6 | $32.22 | Phase 4 — F. prausnitzii substrate |
| 23 | Tri-Butyrin Supreme | B+ | 9.3 | 8.2 | 6.2 | 8.8 | $44.09 | Phase 4 — butyrate bridge, 4mo course |
| 24 | MegaPre® (Capsules) | B+ | 8.8 | 8.5 | 6.5 | 9.0 | $60.29 | Phase 4 — full dose since Jul 29 |
| PRIOR STACK SUBTOTAL (21 supplements, Aug 18) | ~$927.83 | per month | ||||||
| + ZINC BISGLYCINATE: Thorne Zinc Bisglycinate 15mg (added Sep 14, estimate) | +~$10.00 | per month | ||||||
| BERBERINE CORRECTION (Sep 16 — Thorne Berberine 200mg, 400mg/day, was recorded as Berberine-500) | -~$10.49 | per month | ||||||
| ELECTROLYTE SCHEDULE (Oct 1 — LMNT cut to Tue/Sat ≈ −$27.70; BodyHealth added ≈ +$21.70, estimates) | -~$6.00 | per month | ||||||
| NEW TOTAL MONTHLY COST (23 supplements) | ~$921.34 | per month, Oct 1+ | ||||||
Electrolyte pricing is estimated: LMNT ~$11.30/mo (about 2 sticks/week at the ~$1.30/stick implied by the earlier $39.00/mo daily figure) and BodyHealth ~$21.70/mo (retailer list price of $29.95 per 30 scoops, about 5 scoops/week); BodyHealth's order source is not yet confirmed. Berberine pricing (~$30.00/mo) reflects the Thorne Berberine 200mg product actually in use, corrected Sep 16, 2026 — a planning-level estimate; confirm the actual charged price at Fullscript checkout. Zinc Bisglycinate pricing ($10.00/mo) is likewise a planning-level estimate. Mitopure pricing remains a planning-level estimate per the Fullscript buying guide ($90-140/mo range depending on list vs. subscription pricing). ProHealth Pure BPC-157 pricing ($119.95 for a 60-capsule/500mcg bottle, prohealth.com list price) is amortized as if taken continuously at 1 cap/day (60 caps ÷ 30 days ≈ 2 months' supply, $119.95 ÷ 2 ≈ $59.98/mo) — even though actual spend is lower in practice once 4-on/2-off cycling is factored in. All other figures carried forward unchanged from the Aug 17, 2026 revision. See supplement-pricing-report.html for the full itemized breakdown once updated.
🕐 Daily Dosing Schedule
7:30 AM
6
caps + softgel
11:00 AM
21+
caps + 4 powders (incl. Zinc)
9:00 PM
4
caps + tabs
DAILY TOTAL
32+
caps/tabs + 4 powders (as of Oct 1; one electrolyte powder per day)
⚡ Bottom Line Assessment
Overall stack grade: A- (unchanged this revision — the Oct 1, 2026 electrolyte update is a schedule correction plus one new provisional B+ entry, and the Sep 16, 2026 update was a record correction, not a re-grade: berberine's grade, sub-grades, and role in the stack are unaffected).
Oct 1, 2026 update — electrolyte schedule corrected. LMNT is taken only on Tuesdays and Saturdays (the 4x4 days), and BodyHealth Perfect Amino Electrolytes (Lemon Lime), 1 scoop at 11:00 AM, covers the other five days — one electrolyte powder per day. BodyHealth is graded B+ on a provisional basis (Brand 7.8, Bioavailability 7.8, Evidence 6.5, Relevance 7.5) because its label figures come from a retailer listing and its third-party testing status is unverified; it is a modest, sensible base product rather than a lab-driven addition. Weekly-average sodium from electrolyte products is ~500 mg/day (LMNT days ~1,000 mg, BodyHealth days ~300 mg), and total zinc on BodyHealth days is ~32 mg/day, under the 40 mg adult upper limit. No lab marker isolates this change, so nothing about it needs to be tested separately; if blood pressure or sodium-related symptoms are being tracked, note that the electrolyte-product sodium exposure is lower than the earlier daily-LMNT record implied.
Sep 16, 2026 update — Berberine product and dose corrected. This report (and the Therapeutic Logic, Supplement Timing, and Supplement Pricing reports) had recorded Thorne Berberine-500 (2 caps/day = 1,000mg/day). The product actually taken is Thorne Berberine 200mg (formerly Berbercap), 2 caps/day = 400mg/day — a real, ~60% lower total daily dose than what was on file, though the same manufacturer and salt form. The master supplement registry and every report that reads from it now reflect the corrected product and its lower estimated price (~$30.00/mo vs. the prior $40.49/mo), bringing the total stack cost down to ~$927.34/mo. See the new correction box on the berberine card above for the full clinical read — in short: the Sep 14, 2026 triglyceride confirmation (66 mg/dL, series low) was achieved at this actual, lower dose, so nothing about that result is undermined; the cited landmark trials used higher total doses (900–1,500mg/day), which is worth keeping in mind if a future panel ever shows regression and a dose increase becomes worth discussing with Dr. Nguyen. No action is required now.
Sep 14, 2026 update — triglyceride/berberine-washout hypothesis confirmed. A WellSpan lipid panel drawn ~7 weeks into the on-cycle berberine period (resumed Jul 28, 2026) put Triglycerides at 66 mg/dL — a series low, below the 85 mg/dL Mar 2026 baseline and the 71 mg/dL Dec 2025 prior low. This confirms the Jul 2026 TG spike (144–153) was the berberine-washout artifact hypothesized in the Aug 2026 revision, not a genuine new metabolic problem — berberine's grade moves back to A+ (see its updated card above). The Jul 27 NMR particle findings (LDL-P, small LDL, large HDL) were not re-measured at this draw and remain a separate, lower-urgency open item pending a full NMR LipoProfile recheck.
Sep 14, 2026 update — Zinc Bisglycinate added. Thorne Zinc Bisglycinate 15mg, 1 capsule/day (half the label's 2-capsule serving), taken with the 11:00 AM meal — ordered Sep 10, 2026. This closes the standing zinc-repletion gap first flagged in the Jul 27 panel (serum zinc declining across five draws, 74→72→69→70→63 mcg/dL) and previously tracked here only as a "proposed, not yet ordered" recommendation. Graded A-minus (Brand 9.5, Bioavailability 8.5, Evidence 8.0, Relevance 8.4) — the evidence sub-grade reflects that this corrects a declining-but-in-range trend rather than a confirmed frank deficiency, an honest but not disqualifying caveat. Copper and ceruloplasmin are added to the next full panel as a monitoring step, since chronic zinc repletion without matched copper intake carries a known risk of secondary copper deficiency; the 15mg dose (not 30mg) was chosen specifically to keep that risk low while still reversing the trend.
Aug 17, 2026 update — BPC-157 product switch. Apeiron Elements BPC-157 Prime w/CurcuPrime was discontinued after Aug 17; ProHealth Longevity's Pure BPC-157 (500 mcg, single-ingredient, Triple Lab Tested) took its place starting Aug 18, on the same 4-on/2-off cycling schedule and 1 cap/day dose. Grade holds at B+ — brand quality is comparable, evidence depth is identical (still no large human RCTs for oral BPC-157), and the one real trade-off was the loss of the CurcuPrime curcumin co-formulation, nudging Relevance down slightly (8.5→8.2).
Aug 16, 2026 update: Timeline Cellular Longevity PRO (Mitopure/Urolithin A 1000mg) was added — unlike almost everything else in this stack, not triggered by a lab flag, but a proactive longevity addition on the strength of two human RCTs using this exact branded ingredient. It joins CoQ10+PQQ as a third, mechanistically distinct mitochondrial lever. Graded A (Brand 9.5, Bioavailability 8.8, Evidence 7.4, Relevance 8.2).
New total stack cost: ~$921.34/mo (down from ~$927.34 as of Sep 16, reflecting the Oct 1 electrolyte schedule; ~$937.83 as of Sep 14 before the Sep 16 berberine correction), 32+ caps/tabs plus 4 powders daily, across 23 active supplements. No removals from the active count — every item, including the corrected Berberine entry, has a defensible rationale tied to genetics, a specific lab finding, or (in Mitopure's case) a specific, well-matched trial dose.
What's still open: an NMR LipoProfile recheck to directly confirm the Jul 27 particle findings normalized alongside triglycerides — not urgent, since the mechanistic driver (elevated TG) is now resolved, but worth doing at the next comprehensive panel for completeness. Everything else in this assessment carries forward unchanged from prior revisions. See therapeutic-logic-report.html for the full systems-level view and Supplement_Stack_Timing_Sep2026.html for the day-by-day schedule.
Oct 1, 2026 update — electrolyte schedule corrected. LMNT is taken only on Tuesdays and Saturdays (the 4x4 days), and BodyHealth Perfect Amino Electrolytes (Lemon Lime), 1 scoop at 11:00 AM, covers the other five days — one electrolyte powder per day. BodyHealth is graded B+ on a provisional basis (Brand 7.8, Bioavailability 7.8, Evidence 6.5, Relevance 7.5) because its label figures come from a retailer listing and its third-party testing status is unverified; it is a modest, sensible base product rather than a lab-driven addition. Weekly-average sodium from electrolyte products is ~500 mg/day (LMNT days ~1,000 mg, BodyHealth days ~300 mg), and total zinc on BodyHealth days is ~32 mg/day, under the 40 mg adult upper limit. No lab marker isolates this change, so nothing about it needs to be tested separately; if blood pressure or sodium-related symptoms are being tracked, note that the electrolyte-product sodium exposure is lower than the earlier daily-LMNT record implied.
Sep 16, 2026 update — Berberine product and dose corrected. This report (and the Therapeutic Logic, Supplement Timing, and Supplement Pricing reports) had recorded Thorne Berberine-500 (2 caps/day = 1,000mg/day). The product actually taken is Thorne Berberine 200mg (formerly Berbercap), 2 caps/day = 400mg/day — a real, ~60% lower total daily dose than what was on file, though the same manufacturer and salt form. The master supplement registry and every report that reads from it now reflect the corrected product and its lower estimated price (~$30.00/mo vs. the prior $40.49/mo), bringing the total stack cost down to ~$927.34/mo. See the new correction box on the berberine card above for the full clinical read — in short: the Sep 14, 2026 triglyceride confirmation (66 mg/dL, series low) was achieved at this actual, lower dose, so nothing about that result is undermined; the cited landmark trials used higher total doses (900–1,500mg/day), which is worth keeping in mind if a future panel ever shows regression and a dose increase becomes worth discussing with Dr. Nguyen. No action is required now.
Sep 14, 2026 update — triglyceride/berberine-washout hypothesis confirmed. A WellSpan lipid panel drawn ~7 weeks into the on-cycle berberine period (resumed Jul 28, 2026) put Triglycerides at 66 mg/dL — a series low, below the 85 mg/dL Mar 2026 baseline and the 71 mg/dL Dec 2025 prior low. This confirms the Jul 2026 TG spike (144–153) was the berberine-washout artifact hypothesized in the Aug 2026 revision, not a genuine new metabolic problem — berberine's grade moves back to A+ (see its updated card above). The Jul 27 NMR particle findings (LDL-P, small LDL, large HDL) were not re-measured at this draw and remain a separate, lower-urgency open item pending a full NMR LipoProfile recheck.
Sep 14, 2026 update — Zinc Bisglycinate added. Thorne Zinc Bisglycinate 15mg, 1 capsule/day (half the label's 2-capsule serving), taken with the 11:00 AM meal — ordered Sep 10, 2026. This closes the standing zinc-repletion gap first flagged in the Jul 27 panel (serum zinc declining across five draws, 74→72→69→70→63 mcg/dL) and previously tracked here only as a "proposed, not yet ordered" recommendation. Graded A-minus (Brand 9.5, Bioavailability 8.5, Evidence 8.0, Relevance 8.4) — the evidence sub-grade reflects that this corrects a declining-but-in-range trend rather than a confirmed frank deficiency, an honest but not disqualifying caveat. Copper and ceruloplasmin are added to the next full panel as a monitoring step, since chronic zinc repletion without matched copper intake carries a known risk of secondary copper deficiency; the 15mg dose (not 30mg) was chosen specifically to keep that risk low while still reversing the trend.
Aug 17, 2026 update — BPC-157 product switch. Apeiron Elements BPC-157 Prime w/CurcuPrime was discontinued after Aug 17; ProHealth Longevity's Pure BPC-157 (500 mcg, single-ingredient, Triple Lab Tested) took its place starting Aug 18, on the same 4-on/2-off cycling schedule and 1 cap/day dose. Grade holds at B+ — brand quality is comparable, evidence depth is identical (still no large human RCTs for oral BPC-157), and the one real trade-off was the loss of the CurcuPrime curcumin co-formulation, nudging Relevance down slightly (8.5→8.2).
Aug 16, 2026 update: Timeline Cellular Longevity PRO (Mitopure/Urolithin A 1000mg) was added — unlike almost everything else in this stack, not triggered by a lab flag, but a proactive longevity addition on the strength of two human RCTs using this exact branded ingredient. It joins CoQ10+PQQ as a third, mechanistically distinct mitochondrial lever. Graded A (Brand 9.5, Bioavailability 8.8, Evidence 7.4, Relevance 8.2).
New total stack cost: ~$921.34/mo (down from ~$927.34 as of Sep 16, reflecting the Oct 1 electrolyte schedule; ~$937.83 as of Sep 14 before the Sep 16 berberine correction), 32+ caps/tabs plus 4 powders daily, across 23 active supplements. No removals from the active count — every item, including the corrected Berberine entry, has a defensible rationale tied to genetics, a specific lab finding, or (in Mitopure's case) a specific, well-matched trial dose.
What's still open: an NMR LipoProfile recheck to directly confirm the Jul 27 particle findings normalized alongside triglycerides — not urgent, since the mechanistic driver (elevated TG) is now resolved, but worth doing at the next comprehensive panel for completeness. Everything else in this assessment carries forward unchanged from prior revisions. See therapeutic-logic-report.html for the full systems-level view and Supplement_Stack_Timing_Sep2026.html for the day-by-day schedule.