Zach Ware

Current Supplements

Last Updated: March 14, 2026

My supplementation strategy is very much downstream of my food lifestyle. I want to get most of my nutrients from food, most of what I supplement with is for acute support of critical areas of concern.


Supplement Protocol

Morning (~10am, post-training)

Dose Item Why
2x Turmeric Curcumin w/ Saffron I use this for inflammation control given my joint load from sprinting and lifting. Saffron smooths out nervous system stress.
1x Zinc Picolinate I’m not short on zinc (thanks oysters), but it supports testosterone and methylation balance. I cycle it based on stress and immune load.
2x Magnesium L-Threonate I take this for cognitive performance, neuroplasticity, and nervous system recovery.
1x Carlson Max Omega 2g I use this for cardiovascular health and inflammation. High-quality EPA/DHA that complements my statin.
1x NatureWise Vitamin D3 5000 IU AM dose — 5,000 IU in cold-pressed olive oil softgel. Split 10k IU/day (5k AM + 5k PM) to improve absorption after 10k single-dose failed to move serum D from 49 to target 70-75 ng/mL. Must take with fatty food.
1x Vitamin K2 MK-7 Calcium transport and arterial calcification prevention. Paired with D3 but taken separately now that D3 was switched to a standalone formulation.
1x Astaxanthin 10mg I take this for antioxidant protection and skin/eye resilience. Daily defense layer for sun exposure and training load. Haven’t gotten a sunburn since starting it.
1x NAC 500mg I use NAC to maintain glutathione and detox support. AM dose keeps antioxidant status steady.
1x CoQ10 100mg I take this for mitochondrial energy and CV protection. Offsets CoQ10 depletion from the statin.
2x 5-MTHF (methyl-folate) 400µg I take this to address rising MCV (100.8 → target <96). Macrocytosis fix alongside B6.
1x P-5-P (active B-6) 25mg I take this alongside 5-MTHF to address rising MCV (100.8 → target <96). Macrocytosis fix.
2x Broccoli Seed Extract I take this to activate Nrf2 and boost my body’s own glutathione production. Mitochondrial defense, inflammation, and lipid oxidation support.
1x Taurine 1g I added this for endothelial function, vascular tone, and bile acid metabolism (relevant with my lipid meds). Also a mitochondrial stabilizer.
1x TMG (Trimethylglycine) 500mg Accelerates homocysteine reduction via the alternative BHMT pathway. Added after 5-MTHF alone moved homocysteine from 10.3 to 9.1 but hasn’t yet reached <8.0 target.
1x Thorne Selenium 200mcg Selenomethionine form. Supports thyroid peroxidase function and T4→T3 conversion. Added after Free T4 and Free T3 declined and TPO antibodies crept up (13 from <9).

Evening (~5pm)

Dose Item Why
1x NatureWise Vitamin D3 5000 IU PM dose — second 5,000 IU softgel. Split dosing for better absorption. Must take with fatty food.
2x Magnesium L-Threonate PM dose for wind-down and neurological reset after stacked physical and cognitive stress.
1x NAC 600mg I split NAC to support recovery at night and ease oxidative stress from the day.
1x Broccoli Seed Extract PM dose for sustained Nrf2 activation (sulforaphane half-life is only ~2–3 hours).

Medications (evening)

Dose Item Why
10mg Rosuvastatin (Crestor) I take this to lower LDL and ApoB, reducing atherosclerotic risk. Last ApoB: 56 mg/dL (desirable, Feb 2026).
10mg Ezetimibe I use this for deeper ApoB reduction without upping my statin dose. Last ApoB: 56 mg/dL (desirable, Feb 2026).
0.5mg Anastrozole (Mon/Thu) I take this to manage estradiol on TRT. Goal: keep E2 between 20–40 pg/mL.

Bedtime

Dose Item Why
Chamomile Tea Base of the bedtime routine.
1x Cadence Sleep Powder I dropped my pile of sleep supplements for just this and it transformed my sleep quality and HRV. Electrolytes and key ingredients, no melatonin.
3g Glycine (2x 1.5g) I take this as a direct glutathione precursor (pairs with NAC), to improve sleep architecture, and to offset methionine load from my heavy red meat intake. Cardiometabolic support too.
1x L-Theanine 100mg (optional) I use this for acute calm—before high-stress events, sleep, or with caffeine to smooth the stimulation curve. Flexible tool I lean on when needed.

As Needed

Dose Item Why
1x L-Theanine Same as above—I keep this on hand for daytime use too.
1pk LMNT Electrolytes (Citrus / Orange) I sweat heavy and lose a lot of sodium. I use these before and during training to avoid cramping.

Nutrition & Fueling

First Thing

With Coffee

Preworkout (Strength)

Preworkout (Endurance / Distance)

During Training

Post Workout

Nighttime


Change Log

3/14/26 - Post-Feb 24 Labs Optimization
2/17/26 - Simplification
11/12/25 - Ezetimbe, D3, glutathione, homocysteine focus changes, for retest in November

SUPPLEMENT GUIDE UPDATE NOTE


▼ 11/12/2025 - Biomarker-Driven Optimization (Post-Ezetimibe Addition)

Context:

Changes Made:

Supplement Previous Dose New Dose Biomarker Driver
Vitamin D3 125mcg (5,000 IU) 250mcg (10,000 IU) Vitamin D: 46.9 ng/mL → Target 70-75 ng/mL
5-MTHF (Methyl-Folate) 400µg 800µg Homocysteine: 10.3 µmol/L → Target <8.0 µmol/L
Broccoli Seed Extract 2 caps AM 3 caps AM + 2 caps PM Glutathione: 229 µmol/L → Target >320 µmol/L

Rationale by Marker:

Vitamin D (46.9 ng/mL):

Homocysteine (10.3 µmol/L):

Glutathione (229 µmol/L):

Strategic Holds:

ApoB Management:

Cortisol:

Other Markers Stable:

Next Actions:

Philosophy:


Implementation Date: 11/13/2025

Next Review: Late November 2025 (post-retest) + Mid-January 2026 (D3/glutathione recheck)

9/29/25 - Removed Ashwaganda, Phosphatidyl-serine, Apigen from sleep stack to keep it simple, built around magnesium biglycinate.
8/15/25 - Finally added a statin based on badgering from Zack Kanter. Removed herbal stack focused on ApoB
6/20/2025 - Check-in labs complete.
When Keep & Tweak Remove / Pause Add
Morning (09-10 a.m.) Beef-Organ caps2 caps (was 3) to curb Vitamin A load • Red Yeast Rice moved to bedtime (see below). • Everything else unchanged (turmeric, fish-oil, Mg-L-Threonate, nicotine-taper stack, etc.) Alpha-Lipoic Acidstop for 4 wks (insulin too low) 5-MTHF (methyl-folate) 400 µg
P-5-P (active B-6) 25 mg
Citrus Bergamot 500 mg
Afternoon (~15:00) Routine stays the same (CoQ10, NAC, Mg-L-Threonate, nicotine-taper stack). Citrus Bergamot 500 mg second dose
Bedtime (30-60 min pre-sleep) Mag Glycinate, Taurine, Glycine, PS, Ashwagandha remain.
Red Yeast Rice (200 mg double-strength) + CoQ10 200 mg – single nightly dose replaces the AM/PM split
Aged-Garlic Extract 1 000 mgCalcium-D-Glucarate 500 mg (E2 clearance)
(Optional) DIM 100 mg here or with breakfast if estradiol > 45 pg/mL next draw
Nutrition add-on 20 g casein + 15 g raw honey shake at lights-out (soft insulin bump, recovery)
Psyllium Husk 5 g in yogurts (soluble fibre for LDL/ApoB)

What Goes Away (for now)

Why the Moves Matter

5/31/25: Removed GABA, replaced bedtime GABA with taurine.
3/20/2025: Removed Methyl B supplement. Found in labs that I do not have a methylization issue (**homocysteine is normal at 9.0 µmol/L**, B12 is high, and not folate deficient). And tested higher in B12 than is recommended.
4/6/2025: Added nicotine cessation stack that's half focused on cravings, half on sleep.