15 Anti-Aging Supplements You Haven't Heard Of
There has been a significant rise in demand for supplements in general, but an even larger growth in demand for anti-aging supplements.
And we've the rise of chemicals, depletion of nutrients in soil and typical modern-day living whereby most of us are sitting behind a computer screen for large portions of the day, people are looking for the best anti aging supplements.
It's not only older people who are seeking anti aging supplements to help with the aging process, but younger generations also.
Fortunately, teams of researchers and scientists are discovering newly improved anti aging supplements that can help mitigate the negative effects of stress and age-related issues.
Let's look at the 15 best anti aging supplements...
1.) NAD+ / NMN
Increased levels of NAD+ naturally occur in our bodies when we exercise, restrict our calories or fast.
It helps boost our mitochondria, reverse DNA damage from everyday living and helps with protecting your body from age-related diseases.[1]
NAD+ is in every one of our cells and helps turn the food we eat to the energy we use to live.
A study showed that NMN helped improve elasticity of collagen which typically builds up and stiffens with age.[2]
Unfortunately because the amounts are extremely low –supplementation is required to compensate.
5 Benefits NAD+ & NMN May Help With:
- Help Boost Strength & Muscle Mass
- Help Maintain Healthy Mitochondria
- Help Reduce Tiredness & Fatigue
- Help Promote DNA Repair
- Help Support Healthy Eyes
Recommended Daily Dosage – 250mg 1-4x daily – up to 1,000mg daily dosage.
Read: Learn more about NMN and NAD+ for anti-aging.
2.) Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALCAR)
Made from l-carnitine (an amino acid) which is naturally produced in the body to help create energy.[3]
Used today by many bodybuilders and now the biohacking community due to its weight-loss & brain-boosting abilities.
Acetyl-L-Carnitine is naturally found in in animal products such as beef, chicken, fish and milk with the redness in animal products such as beef having some of the highest concentrations of beef.
5 Benefits ALCAR May Help With:
- Help Improve Focus & Attention + Mental Fatigue
- Help Push Your Metabolism Toward Fat-Burning While You Workout
- Help Increase Glutathione (essential antioxidant) which Reduces Inflammation
- Help Burn Fat & Build Muscle by Shuttling Fuel to Your Muscle Mitochondria
- Help Improve Your Mood, Learning & Memory
Recommended Daily Dosage – 600 – 2,500mg
3.) N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC)
N-Acetyl Cysteine is an amino acid which isn’t essential to our bodies because our bodies can produce it from other amino acids.
When our diets are low in amino acids such as methionine and serine, we require NAC as an essential amino acid.
NAC is a special “acetyl” form of cysteine that is more bioavailable.
A study showed NAC to have powerful anti-inflammatory activities and act as an anti-oxidant.[4]
Food sources of NAC are chicken, turkey and eggs.
5 Benefits NAC May Help With:
- Helps Detoxify Your Body
- Help Improve & Restore Immune Function
- Helps Relieve Symptoms of Respiratory Conditions
- Helps Make Glutathione (Your Body’s Garbage Removal Service)
- Helps Regulate Glutamate Which May Reduce Addictive Behaviour
Recommended Daily Dosage – 600 – 1,800mg.
4.) Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA)
Alpha-Lipoic Acid is a potent antioxidant, naturally occurring fatty acid & organic compound that seems to help prevent certain kinds of cell damage found in all human cells.
We only make a small percentage of alpha-lipoic acid which is why it’s important to eat foods high in ALA or supplement with it.
ALA is made in your mitochondria, helping enzymes turning nutrients into energy and because it is both water and fat soluble, it can work in every cell & tissue of the body.
A study showed ALA could have anti-inflammatory properties with the study showing the promising effect of Alpha-Lipoic Acid on decreasing inflammatory markers among patients. [5]
It is found in food sources such as broccoli, spinach, potatoes and organ meats.
5 Benefits ALA May Help With:
- Help Lower Blood Sugar Levels
- Help Reduce Feelings of Hunger
- Helps reduce Free Radical Damage
- Helps Reduce Production of Inflammatory Cytokines
- Help Slow Skin Aging
Recommend Daily Dosage – 300 - 600mg
5. PQQ - (Pyrroloquinoline)
PQQ is not a vitamin but a nutrient with vitamin-like qualities and anti-oxidative benefits.
Food sources high in PQQ are kiwi, green peppers & parsley.
The main benefit researchers and scientists have been focusing on for PQQ is its impact on your mitochondria.[6]
It helps increase your mitochondria and their efficiency.
5 Benefits PQQ May Help With:
- Help Protect Cells from Free Radical Damage
- Help Improve Your Energy as it Increases Your Mitochondria
- Help Improve Sleep by Reducing Cortisol
- Help Promote Nerve Growth Factor Synthesis – Increasing Neuronal Growth & Survival
- Combining PQQ & CoQ10 may Help with Memory Enhancement & Promoting Cognitive Health
Recommended Daily Dosage – 75 – 90mg for adults and 8-15mg for pregnant women.
Read: We published a more in-depth article about the benefits of PQQ.
6. Coenzyme 10 (CoQ10)
CoQ10 helps you generate energy in your cells and our bodies produce it naturally.
Unfortunately, as we age, we produce less of this compound just like we do with NAD+.
There have been studies showing a link between low levels of CoQ10 and health problems and like NAD+, CoQ10 is involved in making ATP which helps transfer energy in cells.[7]
It is found in food sources such as organ meats, fatty fish and spinach.
5 Benefits CoQ10 May Help With:
- Help Heart Health
- Help Keep Your Skin Young
- Helps Healthy Cell Cycle
- Help with Exercise Performance
- Help Reduce Oxidative Damage to the Brain
Recommended Daily Dosage – 90 -200mg per day.
7.) Trimethylglycine (TMG)
Trimethyl Glycine has 3 methyl groups attached to glycine and it is an amino acid derivative which occurs in plants first being discovered in sugar beets. [8]
When sucrose is processed from sugar beets, it yields glycine betaine as a by-product which is often biosynthesized by oxidation of choline.
Food sources such as wheat, spinach and sugar beets contain TMG.
5 Benefits TMG May Help With:
- Help Reduce Fat Build-Up
- Help Boost Immune System
- Help Reduce Heart Disease
- Help Protect Liver from Toxins
- Help Increase Power Output + Workout Volume
Recommended Daily Dosage – 375 – 3,000mg.
8.) Lion’s Mane Mushroom
Lion’s Mane Mushroom looks like its name and it contains a bioactive substance which can be eaten raw, cooked or in tea. [9]
Many Asian countries cultivate this mushroom for its health benefits often comparing the flavour to crab or lobster.
5 Benefits Lion’s Mane Mushroom May Help With:
- Help with Neuro Protection
- Help Support a Healthy Memory
- Help with Cardio Protection
- Help Regulate Healthy Blood Sugar
- Help Stimulate the Growth of Brain Cells
- Help with Recovery from Nervous System Injuries
Recommended Daily Dosage – 500 – 3,000mg.
9.) Boswellia Serrata
Also known as Indian Frankincense, Boswellia is taken from Boswellia Serrata Tree and has been used for centuries by Asian & African medicine.[10]
It can be taken as a resin, pill or cream.
5 Benefits Boswellia May Help With:
- Help Decrease Wrinkles
- Helps a Healthy Inflammatory Response
- Help Increase Skin Elasticity
- Help Reduce the for-Inhalation Therapy for people with Asthma
- Help Prevent Skin Damage Caused by Radiation Therapy
Recommended Daily Dosage – 300 - 500mg.
10.) Collagen
Collagen is a structural protein just like keratin. It is found in connective tissues such as tendons & ligaments.[11]
Your body makes collagen naturally but the decline from your 20s onwards is drastic and it may be beneficial to supplement with a collagen protein to help with collagen production.
Collagen has been the fastest growing supplement - with the demand for skin care supplements increasing for its anti-aging effects.
When your body makes collagen, it combines it with amino acids from food sources such as:
- Beef
- Fish
- Eggs
- Chicken
5 Benefits Collagen Protein May Help With:
- Help Supports Youthful Skin
- Help Boost Muscle Mass
- Help Prevent Bone Loss
- Help Promote Heart Health
- Help Strengthen Bones, Ligaments & Joints
Recommended Daily Dosage – Keep your protein per gram intake to the number of pounds you weigh. For example, if you weigh 180 pounds, you should aim for 180 grams of protein.
11. Whey Protein
A common supplement among bodybuilders like ALCAR, whey protein contains a fantastic range of amino acids that are absorbed into the body quickly.
Many serious bodybuilders will consume their protein shakes as soon as they finish their workout because they have read the research into the importance of getting the nutrients into their muscles as soon as possible after they workout to repair the damage.[12]
Whey protein is a mixture of isolated protein from whey which is the liquid part of milk that separates when you produce cheese.
If you have seen the liquid floating above your Greek Yoghurt, that is whey.
5 Benefits Whey Protein May Help With:
- Help Cause Weight Loss
- Lower Blood Pressure
- Help Reduce Inflammation
- Help Increase Muscle Mass
- Help Treat Type 2 Diabetes
Recommend Daily Dosage – 25 – 50mg (1-2 scoops).
12.) Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid is in many anti-aging serums, creams and formulas to help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.[13]
You naturally produce it and the largest amounts of it are found in your skin, eyes and connective tissues to help retain water, lubricate & moisten tissues.
They can help your skin look and feel more youthful.
Foods high in hyaluronic acid are bone broth, citrus fruits and leafy greens.
5 Benefits Hyaluronic Acid May Help With:
- Help Hydrate the Skin
- Help Relieve Dry Eye
- Help Relieve Joint Pain
- Help Preserve Bone Strength
- Help with Speeding Up the Healing of Wounds
Recommended Daily Dosage – 120 – 240mg per day.
13.) Vitamin C
Unlike animals, humans can’t produce their own Vitamin C - we must consume it.[14]
It is a water-soluble substance and is found in high concentrations in foods such as:
- Oranges
- Broccoli
- Kiwi
- Bell Peppers
- Strawberries
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that supports your body’s natural defences and helps antioxidant molecules boost your immune system, protecting your body from free radicals.
5 Benefits Vitamin C May Help With:
- Help with Strengthening Skin’s Defence System & Heal Wounds
- Help with Protecting Your Mind & Memory
- Help Reduce Your Risk of Chronic Disease
- Help Manage High Blood Pressure
- Help Reduce Gout Attacks
A study showed that taking 500mg of Vitamin C 2x a day had potential anti-inflammatory properties.[15]
Recommended Daily Dosage - 75mg for women & 90mg for men.
14.) Vitamin D
Also known as the sunshine Vitamin because we produce it in our skin when the sunlight makes contact could be used for anti aging.
There are 3 compounds of Vitamin D: D1, D2 & D3 and they are all fat-soluble (absorbed with fats).
Aside from sunlight, there are foods which contain Vitamin D such as eggs, fatty fish and grass-fed beef with added omega-3 fatty acids that may help with the aging process.
A study showed that researchers had come to the conclusion that Vitamin D is essential for bone health with age-related bone loss occurring in the 4th decade of participants lives.[16]
5 Benefits Vitamin D May Help With:
- Help Maintain a Healthy Heart
- Help Boost Weight Loss
- Help with Age-Related decline
- Help Reduce Risk of Osteoporosis
- Associated with reduced risk of age-related damage
Recommended Daily Dosage - 600 IU for under 70’s & 800 IU for over 70’s.
15.) Vitamin K
Vitamin K is group of compounds which divide into 2 groups: K1 & K2.[17]
K1 is found predominantly in plant-sourced foods such as leafy green vegetables and K2 is found in animal sourced foods such as beef liver and may be useful for anti-aging.
5 Benefits Vitamin K May Help With:
- Help with Preventing Calcium Depositing in Your Arteries
- Help Prevent Osteoporosis
- Help Body Heal Wounds, Bruises
- Help with Memory
- Help Lower Blood Pressure
Recommended Daily Dosage – 10 – 15mg.
Summary: Best Anti Aging Supplements
Many of the 15 anti-aging supplements we mentioned have anti-inflammatory properties and anti-aging effects which help fight free radicals that accumulate in cells over time.
Many of the age-related factors that concern people as they age such as bone health, oxidative stress, immune function, skin health (wrinkles!) may not be part of the aging process - people could be nutrient deficient.
Let's recap on the 15 anti-aging supplements above:
- NAD+ & NMN
- Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALCAR)
- N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC)
- Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA)
- Pyrroloquinoline (PQQ)
- Coenzyme 10 (CoQ10)
- Trimethyl glycine (TMG)
- Lions Mane Mushroom
- Boswellia Serrata
- Collagen
- Whey Protein
- Hyaluronic Acid
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin K
Sources:
https://science.sciencemag.org/content/350/6265/1208.full [1]
https://www.nmn.com/news/taking-nmn-reverses-vascular-dysfunction-from-aging-in-mice [2]
https://examine.com/supplements/l-carnitine/ [3]
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5989440/ [5]
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2804159/ [6]
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3178961/ [7]
https://examine.com/supplements/trimethylglycine/ [8]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hericium_erinaceus [9]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boswellia_serrata [10]
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/collagen#what-it-is [11]
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32041644/ [12]
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3583886/ [13]
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4492638/ [15]