Tim Ferriss is one of the most interesting people in the world. He is a New York Times best-selling author, and a self-experimenter who is always looking to for ways to improve his health, productivity, well-being, and pretty much everything else under the sun. This has led to Tim trying almost every supplement you can think of, keeping what works and ditching what doesn’t.

After hours upon hours of research, we assembled a list of all the supplements Tim Ferriss has recommended and organized them by their specific purpose. Below you will find a quick summary of Tim Ferriss’ Supplements, and below that we will go into detail about each one and link to each brand Tim recommends.

Summary of Tim Ferriss’ Supplements

Daily Essentials

• Greens – Athletic Greens Ultimate Daily
• Omega-3 Phospholipids – Nordic Naturals Phospholipids
• Medium Chain Triglycerides – Quest Nutrition MCT Powder
• Curcumin – BioShwartz Turmeric Curcumin
• Brain Health – Host Defense Lion’s Mane Mushroom
• Vitamin D – NOW Liquid Vitamin D3

Life Extension & Well-Being

• Berberine – Sunergetic Premium Berberine
• Metformin – Prescription Only
• Lithium Orate – NCI Advanced Research Lithium Orate
• Apple Cider Vinegar – Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar

Athletic Performance & Recovery

• L-Glutamine – Pure Encapsulations L-Glutamine
• Protein Powder – Ascent Nutrition Native Fuel Whey
• Creatine – Optimum Nutrition Pure Micronized Creatine Monohydrate
• Pre-Workout – BSN NO-Xplode

PAGG Stack For Fat-Loss

• Policosanol – Nature’s Life Policosanol
• Alpha-lipoic acid – Vitamin Shoppe ALA
• Green Tea Flavanols – Life Extension Mega Green Tea Extract
• Garlic Extract – Allicin 6000 Garlic

Sleep Optimization

• California Poppy Extract – Herb Pharm Liquid California Poppy Extract
• Huperzine-A – Source Naturals Huperzine-A
• Melatonin – Natrol Time Released Melatonin

Tim Ferriss’ Supplement Stack

Daily Essentials

Obviously, Ferriss isn’t taking every supplement on this list every single day, but he does seem to have his favorites for overall health and wellness. The following six supplements are what we found to be Tim’s daily essentials.

Athletic Greens Ultimate Daily

Athletic Greens is a daily “greens” supplement that is jam-packed with over 75 vitamins, minerals, and whole food ingredients – making it easily the best all-in-one nutritional supplement on the market. Athletic Greens provides nutritional support for five main pillars of health: immunity, energy, gut health, hormonal support, and healthy aging. Tim has been taking this stuff for years. He recently said the following about Athletic Greens on his 5-Bullet Friday email: I’m often asked, “If you could only use on supplement, what would it be?” My answer is usually Athletic Greens, which I consider my all-in-one nutritional insurance. I recommended it in The 4-Hour Body and did not get paid to do so. 

Joe Rogan has also raved about Athletic Greens. Athletic Greens is perfect for filling in any missing holes in your diet. It does have a bit of a higher price point compared to it’s competitors, but nobody can match this supplement in quality. It is a perfect foundation for your supplement routine. You can pick up Athletic Greens on Amazon.

RELATED READING: Andrew Huberman’s Supplement List: A Comprehensive Guide

Omega-3 Phospholipids

In an interview with Men’s Health, Ferriss listed his top three supplements. The first supplement mentioned was Omega-3 Phospholipids. Like Dr. Rhonda Patrick, Tim prefers to take his fish oil in phospholipid form by the brand Nordic Naturals. The benefits of Omega-3 are endless, but not all Omega-3 supplements are made the same. Many supplements are made with the cheap ethyl ester form, but research has shown that Omega-3 Phospholipids are more bio-available and better absorbed. Studies have shown that DHA in fish oil also is absorbed better in the phospholipid form. You can also get Nordic Naturals Phospholipids on Amazon.

RELATED READING: Dr. David Sinclair’s Supplement List for Longevity

Medium Chain Triglycerides

Ferriss takes medium chain triglycerides in the form of MCT Powder by Quest Nutrition. In the same interview with Men’s Health mentioned above, Ferriss had this to say about MCTs: “There is enough data to support that medium-chain triglycerides and ketones on a regular basis can do really good things for your brain. Most of the supplements I take are related to brain functions at this point. I’m just not that worried about muscular and joint function.” As well as being great for your brain, Ferriss also utilizes Quest MCT Oil Powder as part of his 3-Day Fasting Protocol and incorporates it into his Titanium Tea.

RELATED READING: Complete Guide To The Slow Carb Diet

Curcumin

Curcumin is the primary ingredient in turmeric and is one of the most potent anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatories in the world. It is loaded with health benefits such as being a natural anti-inflammatory, having powerful anti-oxidant effects, stimulate the growth of new neurons in the brain, and much more. You can take curcumin in capsule form, or you can do what Ferriss does and mix turmeric into tea. You can get ground turmeric insanely cheap on Amazon.

RELATED READING: Dr. David Sinclair’s NMN & Resveratrol Protocol

Lion’s Mane Mushroom

Lion’s Mane Mushroom by Host Defense is something that Tim has been using since Samin Nosrat recommended it to him in Tribe of Mentors. The Host Defense mushroom supplement line was founded by Paul Stamets, who was recently a guest on Tim’s podcast, and is a world-renowned researcher.

Lion’s Mane has extremely powerful nerve-regenerative properties, with Stamets saying it may be our first “smart” mushroom. Lion’s Mane mushroom also contains nerve growth factors (NGFs) that support creativity, happiness, intelligence, and even neurogenesis.

Vitamin D

Did you know 42% of Americans are vitamin D deficient? Unless you are outside all day, you are likely not getting enough vitamin D. As part of his Testosterone Protocol, Ferriss takes NOW Liquid Vitamin D3. He supplements with 3,000-5,000 IU upon waking and before bed for a total of 6,000-10,000 IU per day. Ferriss highly recommends getting your vitamin D levels tested. You can test your testosterone levels using this at home test by ZRT.

RELATED READING: Tom Brady’s “TB 12 Method” Supplement Stack

Life Extension & Well-Being

Even you are going to take supplements, you might as well try and extend your life, right? While the study of longevity is pretty new, we are constantly seeing breakthroughs in the field. The following supplements have been researched and recommended by Tim to possibly increase longevity, as well as increase overall well-being.

Berberine

Tim will typically take berberine after meals to increase longevity and decrease glucose response. Popular in traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine treatments, berberine is a natural alkaloid found in a wide variety of herbs. It’s proven to possess antibacterial, antimicrobial, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory and blood glucose–lowering effects – all of which contribute to life extension. Berberine is one of the best supplements available today to support a healthy circulatory system.

This is especially important in the Western world, where type 2 diabetes is so prevalent. In 2016, the percentage of Americans living with diabetes was estimated to be just under 10%. This equates to a staggering 29.1 million people living with diabetes in America. We recommend this Non-GMO Berberine by Sunergetic with over 1200mg per serving.

RELATED READING: Dr. Andrew Huberman’s Diet: Foods, Time-Restricted Eating, & Supplements

Metformin

Metformin is prescription drug that is typically used by patients with type 2 diabetes to help control high blood sugar. Tim mentions that over a dozen billionaires that he knows take this drug for life extension purposes. Metformin enhances the activity of an enzyme found within our cells called adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase—or AMPK for short. AMPK activation helps mimic the beneficial effects of calorie restriction, the best documented method of slowing and reversing bio-markers of human aging. Metformin just won FDA approval, so be expecting this anti-aging drug to be available without a prescription sometime soon.

RELATED READING: Inside Tim Ferriss’ Morning Routine

Lithium Orate

Ferriss takes 5mg of NCI Advanced Research Lithium Orate daily to stage off depression. Lithium orotate is a substance that consists of lithium (an alkali metal) and orotic acid (a compound produced naturally in the body). Available in dietary supplement form, lithium orotate is touted as a natural treatment for a wide range of mental-health problems.

Lithium has been known for its curative powers for centuries, if not millenniums. Lithia Springs, Ga., for example, with its natural lithium-enriched water, appears to have been an ancient Native American sacred site. By the late 19th century Lithia Springs was a famous health destination visited by Mark Twain and Presidents Grover Cleveland, William Howard Taft, William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt.

In alternative medicine, lithium orotate is purported to treat and prevent the following conditions:

• alcoholism
• Alzheimer’s disease
• anxiety
• ADHD
• bipolar disorder
• cluster headaches
• depression
• glaucoma
• insomnia
• migraine
• Parkinson’s disease
• PTSD

In addition, lithium orotate is used to reduce stress, relieve pain, and improve memory. Check out this Lithium Orate supplement on Amazon by NCI Advanced Research.

RELATED READING: Dr. Rhonda Patrick’s Supplement List

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is the health miracle everyone is talking about, and for good reason. Taking a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in the morning and at night as Tim Ferriss does, can help improve immune function among others.

Apple cider vinegar benefits include improving weight loss, dropping blood pressure and cholesterol levels, stabilizing blood sugar, enhancing skin health and relieving acid reflux symptoms.

Tim uses and will only recommend Bragg Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar. If you can’t stomach the taste, it is also available in pill-form.

RELATED READING: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s Insane Supplement Stack

Athletic Performance & Recovery

L-Glutamine

In a Facebook video, Ferriss described his top four supplements to take for recovery after a brutal workout, and L-Glutamine was the first one he mentioned. Ferriss also mentions taking L-Glutamine in the 4-Hour Body as part of Occam’s Protocol, in which he gained 15 pounds of muscle.

Ferriss tends to take L-Glutamine in high doses. He recommends consuming 80 grams per day for the first five days, taking around 10 grams every two hours. After the loading period, he says to take 10-30 grams per day post-workout. Ferriss doesn’t say what brand he uses, but Pure Encapsulations is a brand highly recommended by the likes of Dr. Rhonda Patrick and Joe Rogan.

Protein Powder

Ferriss mentions in the same Facebook video, as well as the 4-Hour Body, that he is a huge fan of whey protein taken post-workout. Whey is a fantastic source of high-quality protein, and is an excellent way to feel your muscles by taking it immediately after your finish your workout.

When it comes to protein, Tim takes Native Fuel Whey by Ascent Nutrition. Disclaimer here though, Ferriss is an invester in the company, but that is because it is one of the best whey proteins on the market. Ferriss had this to say about the company: “If you want cleaner, purer, less processed protein that you can trust — which I certainly do — then Ascent protein is the option for you.”

Creatine

Ferriss has mentioned multiple times that he is a fan of creatine monohydrate when looking to build muscle and increase athletic performance. Creatine is one of the most highly researched supplements in the world, and the benefits of creatine are endless. Creatine helps your muscle cells produce more energy, helps increase muscle growth and size, improves athletic performance, and can even improve brain function.

When doing Occam’s Protocol, Ferriss recommends an optional “loading phase” of 10-30 grams of creatine monohydrate per day for 5-7 days, then 3.5 grams in the morning and at night every day thereafter. Ferriss doesn’t mean the exact brand, but you can’t go wrong with Optimum Nutrition’s Pure Micronized Creatine Monohydrate.

RELATED READING: Joe Rogan’s Supplement List

Pre-Workout

In Tim’s famous Geek to Freak experiment – where he gained 34 pounds of muscle in just 28 days – he mentions taking a pre-workout supplement called NO-Xplode. Taking a pre-workout supplement can enhance your workouts by giving you a boost of caffeine and other supplements that enhance athletic performance. Tim would take 2 scoops of NO-Xplode before his workout.

PAGG Stack For Fat-Loss

Ferriss first coined the PAGG Stack in the 4-Hour Body. Tim has literally tried everything when it comes to enhancing fat loss. This includes stimulants and many other unhealthy methods. Finally, Ferriss came up with a healthy and sustainable method. Enter the PAGG Stack. The PAGG Stack consists of policosanol, alpha-lipoic acid, green tea flavonols, and garlic extract.

Policosanol

Tim originally experimented with policosanol at both high and low doses in an effort to increase HDL (good) cholesterol and decrease LDL (bad) cholesterol. Remarkably, Ferriss was able to lower his total cholesterol from 222 to 147 while almost doubling his HDL cholesterol when taking policosanol before bed. Along with improving his cholesterol levels, Ferriss noticed an unintended reduction in body fat. After more testing and experimenting with different dosages, Ferriss concluded that 23 milligrams of policosanol before bed was optimal for fat-loss. Ferriss specifically takes Nature’s Life Policosanol.

Alpha-lipoic acid

The second ingredient in the PAGG Stack is known as alpha-lipoic acid. This antioxidant and free radical scavenger is packed full of weight-loss and health benefits. ALA is produced in the mitochondria of cells, but can also be consumed through food and supplements. Ferriss started taking ALA for its impact on glucose uptake and reduced triglyceride production. In short, ALA helps the muscles to absorb more calories, thus allowing less calories to be deposited as fats and increasing strength gains. The PAGG Stack calls for 100-300 mg of ALA before each meal and before bed. Ferriss takes Vitamin Shoppe’s ALA supplement.

Green Tea Flavanols (EGCG)

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is a flavanol and catechin that is commonly found in green teas. EGCG helps to prevent the storage of carbohydrates as body fat and diverts these carbs to muscle cells. EGCG also increases the death in mature fat cells – aka that stubborn fat that you just can’t seem to get rid of. Ferriss recommends taking 325 milligrams three to four times per day of Life Extension Decaffeinated Mega Green Tea Extract.

Garlic Extract

The final piece of the PAGG Stack is garlic extract. Ferriss recommends taking a garlic extract supplement with a high concentration of allicin. Allicin has multiple health benefits and has been linked to increased fat loss. Ferriss also recommends looking for a garlic extract supplement that includes S-Allyl cysteine, which is the precursor to allicin, and holds an almost 100% bio-availability rate when taken orally. Tim’s brand of choice is Vitamin Shoppe Allicin 6000 Garlic – 650 mg.

Sleep Optimization

Improving sleep is an obsession for many self-experimenters and bio-hackers, and Ferriss is no different. He has tried everything when it comes to improving the quality of sleep, falling asleep faster, and waking up more refreshed. The following supplements are ones Tim has had success with when it comes to improving sleep. If you are interested in Tim’s other hacks to improve sleep, be sure to check out our article on it.

California Poppy Extract

In The 4-Hour Body, Ferriss mentions putting a few drops of California Poppy Extract into his bedtime cocktail. California poppy is a plant and is actually the state flower of California. Ferriss claims the California Poppy Extract increased his REM sleep by 20%! He doesn’t list the exact brand he uses, but I recommend this one.

Huperzine-A

Taking 200 mg of Huperzine-A 30 minutes before bed has been shown to increase REM sleep by 20-30%. Huperzine-A is also known for memory and learning enhancement. Ferriss even uses it to induce lucid dreaming and had this to say about it on his blog: “To facilitate lucid dreaming, I have used huperzine-A to increase REM percentage. Lucid dreaming can help you accelerate skill acquisition, improve sports performance, and reactivate “forgotten” languages.” So if you want to increase REM sleep or even mess around with lucid dreaming, then you should pick up a Huperzine-A supplement.

Melatonin

Ferriss has mentioned on a few occasions that he will take low-dose (1.5-3mg) time-release melatonin supplements to regulate sleep and fall asleep faster. He tends to pair this with taking an ice bath about an hour before going to sleep, as well as reading fiction while lying in bed. It is worth mentioning that Ferriss does not take melatonin every night, and only takes it when he needs to fall asleep. Tim does not mention what brand he takes, but Natrol has a great time-released melatonin product. Ferriss also mentions being a fan of Yogi Soothing Caramel Bedtime Tea.