Is it possible to slow down the aging process?
We've all wondered how. As a health and performance coach, l spend considerable time researching for the "formula", and recently, l came across Bryan Johnson's supplement list, diet, and fitness routine.
The anti-aging program was so detailed and comprehensive, and I was particularly surprised that our bodies needed that many supplements.
Try it out, maybe it is actually possible to slow the aging process.
Bryan Johnson Stats
- Age: 45 years
- Height: 1.8 m
- Weight: 79 kg
- Waist: 32 inches
Bryan Johnson’s Supplements
Bryan Johnson starts with ashwagandha in the morning, proven to lower anxiety and enhance energy, per the Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine [1].
At dinner, he opts for omega-3 fatty acids, particularly EPA, for immune health and other benefits, as noted in the Advances in Nutrition journal [2]. Before bed, he takes melatonin to fall asleep faster and increase total sleep time [3].
Johnson constantly monitors his biomarkers and progress since one of his philosophies is that “everything that can be measured can be improved.”
His supplement strategy has reportedly reversed his biological aging, improved his (BMI), brain, and skin health, reduced body fat percentage, and alleviated chronic pain.
Genetic testing helps tailor supplements to individual needs, a method Bryan employs for optimized health benefits.
As a personal coach and fitness enthusiast, I've never seen such a comprehensive supplement regimen as Bryan's. Here's his daily supplement list:
Learn More:
Upon Waking
Below are the supplements Bryan Johnson takes upon waking up:
- Acarbose (200 mg) (Rx)
- Ashwagandha (600 mg)
- B complex (.25 pill M/Th)
- BroccoMax (17.5 mg)
- C vitamin (500 mg)
- Ca-AKG (1 gram)
- Cocoa flavanols (500 mg)
- D-3 (2,000 IU)
- DHEA (25 mg)
- E vitamin (67 mg)
- EPA (500 mg with vitamin E, 5 mg)
- Garlic 1.2g (kyolic)
- Ginger Root 2.2g
- Glucosamine sulphate (2KCL), 1,500 mg
- Iodine as potassium iodide (125 mcg)
- Lithium, as lithium orotate, 1 mg
- Lycopene 10 mg
- Garlic 2.4g equivalent
- Lysine 1g
- Metformin ER 1,500 (Rx)
- N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (NAC) 1,800 mg
- Proferrin 10 mg
- Turmeric with piperine, 1g
- Taurine 2g
- Nicotinamide riboside, 375 mg (6x per week)
- Zinc 15 mg
- Zeaxanthin (20 mg lutein, 4 mg zeaxanthin) (take 3x per week to avoid yellowing skin color)
- Ubiquinol, 100 mg
With Dinner
Below are the supplements Bryan Johnson takes during dinner to achieve his age-related peak:
- Acarbose 200 mg (Rx)
- BroccoMax 17.5 mg
- Ca-AKG 1 gram
- Cocoa flavanols, 500 mg
- E 67 mg
- EPA 500 mg
- Garlic 2.4g equivalent
- Garlic 1.2g (kyolic)
- Ginger root, 2.2g
- Glucosamine sulphate (2KCL), 1,500 mg
- Hyaluronic acid 300 mg
- Lysine 1g
- L-Tyrosine, 500 mg
- Metformin ER 500 mg (Rx)
- N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (NAC): 1,800 mg
- Nicotinamide riboside, 375 mg (6x per week)
- Taurine 1g
- Turmeric 1g
Before Bed
The only supplement Bryan takes before bed is 300 mcg of melatonin to fall asleep easier.
Other
Here is the list of other supplements Bryan Johnson takes periodically or when he decides it is time to change certain things in his diet:
- Extra virgin olive oil, 30ml daily
- Pea protein, 29 grams daily
- Dark chocolate, 15 grams
- Rapamycin 13 mg, bi-weekly (Rx)
- HGH 6 mg, 5x per week
- 17aE2, 4g per week transdermal
- Testosterone 2 mg patch, 6x per week
- NDGA 50 mg, 1x daily
- B12 methylcobalamin, 1x per week
- Aspirin 81 mg, 3x per week
“While we could begin several centuries ago in Ancient Greece when athletes supposedly drank wine as a health food, or several centuries ago when fish oils began to be used, it seems prudent to look instead at commercially made products such as protein powders or vitamin extracts."
- Conor Heffernan, Certified Nutritionist
While Bryan Johnson's list includes various supplements, understanding the differences in bioavailability and efficacy between natural and synthetic forms can guide users towards making more informed choices that align with their health goals.
Bryan Johnson’s Fitness Routine
Bryan Johnson tackles about 24 to 25 exercises weekly, spread across various intensities.
His anti-aging workout protocol is impressively detailed and effective.
Here's the breakdown:
- Daily 1-hour exercise, varying in intensity.
- A total of ~25 exercises, tailored to his diet, supplement regime, and method updates.
- Weekly workout time: 7 hours.
- Heart rate zones: 88–105 bpm for ~1 hour, 106–159 bpm for 4.5 hours, and 159+ bpm for 90 minutes.
Johnson primarily hits the moderate intensity zone in his workouts, focusing on his glycolytic energy system.
Routine
Here is the entire fitness routine with the different exercises Bryan uses for his weekly training sessions:
- Backward sled - 2-minute total working time needs to be achieved
- Posture exercises
- Tricep extensions - perform 1 set of 25 reps without pausing
- Face pulls - perform 1 set of 15 reps without resting
- Butterfly - complete 1 set of 15 reps without resting
- Band pull apart (back muscles) - perform 1 set of 15 reps without resting
- Back extensions (on a hyperextension) - complete 1 set of 25 reps without pausing
- Obliques (each side, on a hyperextension) - perform 1 set of 25 reps without pausing
- Stretches - kneeling shin, hip flexor, and couch (hold each for at least 15 seconds)
- Leg raises (for abdomen) - perform 1 set of 50 reps without pausing
- Seated calf raises - complete 1 set of 25 reps without resting
- Poliquin step-ups - perform 3 sets of 10 reps without resting for each leg
- Slant board squats - complete 3 sets of 15 reps without pausing
- ATG split squats - perform 3 sets of 10 reps without resting
- Nordics - complete 1 set of 10 reps without resting
- Reverse Nordics - perform 1 set of 15 reps without resting
- Tibialis raises - complete 1 set of 25 reps without resting
- IsoTib ankle rotations (each) - perform 1 set of 15 reps without resting
- Pull-ups - complete 1 set of 15 reps without resting
- Chin-ups - perform 1 set of 15 reps without resting
- 10 min HIIT (M, W, F)
- Hiking on weekends, basketball, tennis
"Modern powerbuilding training mixes the hard-and-heavy compound lifting of powerlifting with the variety and skin-tearing pumps of bodybuilding. If you want to gain strength and put some mass on, powerbuilding is an alluring premise."
- Jake Boly, Certified Personal Trainer
Bryan Johnson’s Diet
Johnson's diet consists of three meals a day. The first two, super veggie and nutty pudding, are always the same, and the third one varies but always consists of either vegetables, nuts, seeds, or berries.
Johnson claims each meal has been carefully crafted based on the gold standard of scientific evidence for optimal nutrition.
With the introduction of new scientific evidence in the nutritional space, the diet is highly likely to be modified.
Bryan follows high-antioxidant cooking methods for his meals to make everything healthier, following the 2021 study published in the International Journal of Food Science [4].
Also, even though Johnson has three meals, he has something called the green giant upon waking, so technically, we can say it is four meals.
Upon Waking: The Green Giant
The 'Green Giant' that Bryan takes, alongside his extensive supplement list, is quite an innovative approach. In my experience, starting the day with such a nutrient-rich drink can significantly boost overall health.
Here is what Johnson exactly takes upon waking up:
- 20 oz. of water
- Spermidine, 2 tbsp. chlorella powder or in pill form, yielding 13.5 mg spermidine
- Creatine, 2.5 g, most likely in powder form
- Collagen peptides (20 g)
- Cocoa flavanols, 500 mg
- Ceylon cinnamon, 1 tsp
- Morning pills (these can be found on the supplement list)
First Meal: Super Veggie
The super veggie is Bryan's first big meal in a day.
Here is what exactly a super veggie meal contains:
- Black lentils, 300 grams (weighed and cooked)
- Broccoli (head and stalk), 250 grams
- Shiitake or maitake mushrooms, 50 grams
- Ginger root, 3 grams
- Cauliflower. 150 grams
- Lime, 1
- Cumin, 1 tbsp.
- Garlic, 1 clove (a piece)
- Apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon
- After prep, drizzle 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
- Hemp seeds, 1 tbsp.
Second Meal: Nutty Pudding
The nutty pudding, as Bryan's second meal, is not just tasty but also nutritionally dense. I often recommend similar meals to my clients for their balance of healthy fats and proteins.
Here is what nutty pudding exactly has:
- 50-100 ml Malk almond milk
- 2 tsp. of ground walnuts
- 3 tbsp. ground macadamia nuts (20% off + free m-nut oil)
- 1 tbsp. of ground flaxseed (seed that is ground into flour)
- 1/4 or half a Brazil nut
- 1 tbsp. non-dutched cocoa
- 1 tsp. sunflower lecithin
- 1/2 tsp. Ceylon cinnamon
- 1 cup blueberries/raspberries/strawberries (your choice)
- 3 cherries
- 2 oz. freshly squeezed pomegranate juice
Third Meal: Varies
The third meal always varies depending on his updates, philosophy, and new scientific evidence.
Here is the first example of the third meal (asparagus almond beet salad, 500 cal.):
- Beets 500 grams cooked
- Asparagus 300 grams cooked
- Almonds slivers, 21 grams
- Arugula, 1 cup
- Shallot 1 large
- Balsamic, 3 tablespoons
- Dijon, 3 tablespoons
- Mustard Seeds 1 tablespoon
Here is the second example of the third meal (orange fennel salad, 500 calories):
- Cara cara orange, 1 segmented orange
- Fennel, ¼ cup shredded
- Goji berries, 30 grams
- Pecans, 30 grams
- Grape tomatoes 14
- Spring mix 3 cups
- Arugula leaf or sprouts, 1 cup
- Fresh mint, ¼ cup
- Fig balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoon
Here is the third example of the third meal (stuffed sweet potato, 500 calories):
- Sweet potato, 300 grams cooked
- Chickpeas, 45 grams cooked
- Grape tomatoes 12
- Avocado ½
- Radishes 4
- Cilantro ¼ cup
- Jalapeno pepper, 1 large
- Limes, 2 whole
- Lemon, 1 whole
- Chile powder, 1 teaspoon
References:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3573577/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3262608/
- https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/melatonin-what-you-need-to-know
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7910052/
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