Ingredients

What is actually in the products

Our complete ingredient catalogue. Search for an ingredient or filter by category to read what each one is, what it does in the body and what the research looks at. Every entry links to the studies on PubMed and to the products in our range that contain it.

144 ingredients

5-HTP (Griffonia simplicifolia)

Sleep

5-hydroxytryptophan, extracted from the seeds of a West African climbing shrub. It is the direct precursor to serotonin, one step further along the pathway than tryptophan.

What it does in the body

5-HTP crosses the blood-brain barrier without competing for transport the way tryptophan does, and is converted to serotonin and onward to melatonin. Vitamin B6 is a cofactor in that conversion, which is why the two are usually formulated together.

What the research looks at

  • Sleep onset and sleep depth
  • Mood and appetite regulation
  • Frequency of migraine attacks
Typical daily dose
50–200 mg
Time to effect
1–4 weeks
Usually taken
Evening, away from protein

5-MTHF (Methylfolate)

Vitamins

L-5-methyltetrahydrofolate, the form of folate that actually circulates in blood. Folic acid has to pass through several enzymatic steps to get here; 5-MTHF skips them.

What it does in the body

Because it bypasses the MTHFR enzyme, methylfolate is available to the methylation cycle regardless of how efficiently that enzyme works — a common variant reduces its activity substantially.

What the research looks at

  • Homocysteine levels in carriers of MTHFR variants
  • Folate status where folic acid conversion is limited
Typical daily dose
400–1000 µg
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
Morning, with food

Algal Oil

Fatty acids In the Blueprint protocol

Omega-3 taken from the source rather than from the fish that ate it. Marine microalgae are where EPA and DHA originate in the food chain; fish accumulate them.

What it does in the body

Chemically the same fatty acids as fish oil, in triglyceride or phospholipid form. The practical differences are that it is suitable for vegans, contains no accumulated heavy metals, and does not oxidise into a fish smell.

What the research looks at

  • Blood levels of EPA and DHA compared with fish oil
  • Triglycerides
  • Contaminant load compared with marine sources
Typical daily dose
500–2000 mg EPA + DHA
Time to effect
8–12 weeks
Usually taken
With a meal containing fat

Aloe Vera (inner leaf)

Gut & digestion

The clear gel from the inner leaf, distinct from the yellow latex just under the skin — that latex is a stimulant laxative and is filtered out of quality preparations.

What it does in the body

The gel contains acemannan and other polysaccharides that form a film over mucous membranes. Applied to skin it works the same way, holding water at the surface.

What the research looks at

  • Symptoms of irritable bowel
  • Wound and burn healing on skin
  • Gastric mucosal comfort
Typical daily dose
100–200 mg inner leaf extract
Time to effect
2–8 weeks
Usually taken
Between meals

Alpha-GPC

Brain & focus

L-alpha-glycerylphosphorylcholine, a choline compound found in small amounts in milk and organ meat. It is the choline form that reaches the brain most readily.

What it does in the body

Alpha-GPC crosses the blood-brain barrier and is cleaved into choline and glycerophosphate, feeding acetylcholine synthesis directly. Plain choline salts largely do not make that crossing.

What the research looks at

  • Attention and memory in older adults
  • Power output and growth hormone response around training
  • Acetylcholine levels in brain tissue
Typical daily dose
300–600 mg
Time to effect
1–8 weeks
Usually taken
Morning, or before training

Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA)

Antioxidants

An unusual antioxidant in that it is soluble in both water and fat, so it works in every compartment of the cell. The R-form is the one the body makes; racemic mixtures contain both.

What it does in the body

ALA is a cofactor for the mitochondrial dehydrogenase complexes, and it regenerates other antioxidants — vitamin C, vitamin E and glutathione — after they have been used up.

What the research looks at

  • Nerve symptoms in diabetic neuropathy
  • Insulin sensitivity
  • Regeneration of other antioxidants
Typical daily dose
300–600 mg
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
On an empty stomach

Animal-Based Protein (beef)

Protein

Protein isolated from beef rather than milk. It suits people who react to dairy and want a complete amino acid profile without a plant blend.

What it does in the body

Contains all nine essential amino acids in proportions close to human tissue, and carries the naturally occurring creatine, carnitine and carnosine found in muscle meat.

What the research looks at

  • Muscle protein synthesis compared with dairy protein
  • Digestibility and tolerance in dairy-sensitive people
Typical daily dose
25–30 g
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
After training or with meals

Apigenin

Sleep

A flavonoid found in chamomile, parsley and celery. Chamomile tea is the traditional route to it, and the reason that tea is drunk at night.

What it does in the body

Apigenin binds weakly to benzodiazepine sites on GABA-A receptors. It is also studied as an inhibitor of CD38, an enzyme that consumes NAD+.

What the research looks at

  • Sleep quality and time to fall asleep
  • NAD+ levels in tissue
  • Markers of oxidative stress
Typical daily dose
50–100 mg
Time to effect
1–4 weeks
Usually taken
Evening

Ashwagandha (KSM-66)

Stress In the Blueprint protocol

An adaptogenic root used in ayurvedic medicine for more than three thousand years. KSM-66 is a full-spectrum root extract standardised to a fixed level of withanolides, which is why it is the form most of the clinical work has been done on.

What it does in the body

Ashwagandha acts on the HPA axis, the loop between the hypothalamus, the pituitary and the adrenal glands that regulates the body's stress response. It also interacts with GABA receptors, which is thought to explain why it is calming without being sedating.

What the research looks at

  • Perceived stress and cortisol levels
  • Sleep onset and sleep quality
  • Strength training adaptations
  • Testosterone levels in men
Typical daily dose
300–600 mg
Time to effect
4–8 weeks
Usually taken
Evening, with food

Astaxanthin

Antioxidants In the Blueprint protocol

The red carotenoid that makes salmon, shrimp and flamingos pink. It is produced by the microalga Haematococcus pluvialis, which the whole food chain ultimately draws on.

What it does in the body

Astaxanthin spans the full width of the cell membrane, with its ends protruding on both sides, so it can quench radicals in the water phase and the lipid phase at once. Most antioxidants sit in only one.

What the research looks at

  • Skin elasticity and moisture
  • Eye fatigue
  • Markers of oxidative stress after exercise
Typical daily dose
4–12 mg
Time to effect
6–12 weeks
Usually taken
With a fat-containing meal

Bacopa Monnieri

Brain & focus

A creeping marsh plant used in ayurveda as a nootropic, standardised on bacosides.

What it does in the body

Bacosides influence acetylcholine and serotonin signalling and promote dendritic branching in animal models. Effects build slowly, which distinguishes it from acute stimulants.

What the research looks at

  • Memory acquisition and recall speed
  • Attention in tasks lasting a long time
  • Anxiety symptoms
Typical daily dose
300 mg extract
Time to effect
8–12 weeks
Usually taken
With food

Bakuchiol

Skin

An extract from the seeds of Psoralea corylifolia, structurally unrelated to vitamin A but studied as an alternative to it.

What it does in the body

Bakuchiol influences some of the same gene expression as retinoic acid without binding retinoid receptors. It is stable in daylight and does not carry the same irritation profile.

What the research looks at

  • Wrinkle depth and pigmentation compared with retinol
  • Skin tolerance during pregnancy and breastfeeding
Typical daily dose
0.5–2% topically
Time to effect
12 weeks
Usually taken
Morning or evening

Beef Tallow

Fatty acids

Rendered beef fat, the standard cooking fat in Europe until seed oils displaced it in the middle of the last century. Grass-fed tallow contains more conjugated linoleic acid than grain-fed.

What it does in the body

Predominantly saturated and monounsaturated fat, which means a high smoke point and very little polyunsaturated fat to oxidise during cooking. It also carries fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.

What the research looks at

  • Oxidation products formed during high-heat cooking
  • Fatty acid profile of grass-fed versus grain-fed fat
Typical daily dose
As a cooking fat
Time to effect
Not applicable
Usually taken
When cooking

Berberine

Energy

A bright yellow alkaloid from barberry, goldenseal and Coptis root, used in Chinese and ayurvedic medicine long before its metabolic effects were described.

What it does in the body

Berberine activates AMPK, the enzyme that signals low cellular energy and switches the cell from storing to burning. It also changes the composition of the gut microbiota, which may account for part of the effect.

What the research looks at

  • Fasting glucose and HbA1c
  • LDL cholesterol and triglycerides
  • Gut microbiota composition
Typical daily dose
500 mg, two or three times daily
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
With meals

Beta-Glucan

Immunity

A soluble fibre found in oats, barley, baker's yeast and mushroom cell walls. The oat and yeast forms differ in structure and do different things.

What it does in the body

Oat beta-glucan forms a viscous gel that traps bile acids in the gut, forcing the liver to draw cholesterol from the blood to replace them. Yeast beta-glucan is recognised by receptors on immune cells instead.

What the research looks at

  • LDL cholesterol from oat beta-glucan
  • Frequency of upper respiratory infections
  • Post-meal blood glucose
Typical daily dose
3 g oat, 250–500 mg yeast
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
With meals

Betaine HCl

Gut & digestion

A source of hydrochloric acid in capsule form. Stomach acid production falls with age and with long-term acid-suppressing medication.

What it does in the body

Betaine HCl lowers gastric pH, which is what activates pepsin and what releases minerals such as iron, zinc, calcium and B12 from the food matrix so they can be absorbed further down.

What the research looks at

  • Gastric pH after ingestion
  • Protein digestion and mineral absorption
  • Absorption of drugs that require an acidic stomach
Typical daily dose
200–650 mg per meal
Time to effect
Same meal
Usually taken
Mid-meal, never on an empty stomach

Binders (zeolite, charcoal, chitosan)

Liver & detox

Not nutrients but adsorbents: porous materials that bind compounds in the gut so they leave with stool rather than being reabsorbed.

What it does in the body

Each material has a different affinity — activated charcoal is broad and non-selective, zeolite has a crystalline cage structure, chitosan binds fats. Because they are non-selective they also bind medication and nutrients.

What the research looks at

  • Adsorption capacity for specific compounds
  • Enterohepatic recirculation
  • Interaction with medicines taken at the same time
Typical daily dose
1–2 g
Time to effect
Same day
Usually taken
Away from food, medicine and supplements

Biotin (Vitamin B7)

Vitamins In the Blueprint protocol

The vitamin most associated with hair and nails. Gut bacteria produce some of what the body uses, and deficiency in people eating normally is uncommon.

What it does in the body

Biotin is the coenzyme for carboxylase enzymes involved in fatty acid synthesis and gluconeogenesis. Keratin production depends on those pathways, which is the link to hair and nails.

What the research looks at

  • Nail thickness and brittleness
  • Hair growth where biotin status is low
  • Glucose metabolism
Typical daily dose
30–5000 µg
Time to effect
3–6 months
Usually taken
Morning, with food

Biotinyl Peptides

Hair In the Blueprint protocol

Biotin bound to a short peptide chain so that it can be delivered into the skin rather than swallowed. Biotinyl tripeptide-1 is the form used in most scalp serums.

What it does in the body

The peptide carrier gets biotin past the stratum corneum, where it feeds the carboxylase enzymes involved in keratin production in the follicle itself.

What the research looks at

  • Hair anchoring strength and shedding
  • Delivery of biotin through the skin barrier
Typical daily dose
As formulated
Time to effect
12–24 weeks
Usually taken
Daily on the scalp

Bitter Herbs (gentian, dandelion, artichoke)

Gut & digestion

A traditional European category rather than a single substance: gentian root, dandelion, artichoke leaf and wormwood, taken before a meal. The point is the bitterness itself.

What it does in the body

Bitter compounds activate taste receptors on the tongue and further down the gut, which triggers the release of saliva, gastric acid, bile and digestive enzymes before food arrives.

What the research looks at

  • Bile flow and fat digestion
  • Feelings of fullness and bloating after meals
  • Appetite regulation
Typical daily dose
A few drops to 1 ml
Time to effect
Minutes
Usually taken
10–15 minutes before a meal

Bone Broth Protein

Protein

Protein extracted by simmering bones and connective tissue, then dried. The amino acid profile is dominated by glycine, proline and hydroxyproline rather than the branched-chain amino acids.

What it does in the body

That profile is the opposite of muscle protein's, which makes it a poor choice for hypertrophy and an interesting one for connective tissue and for the glycine-dependent pathways in the gut lining and liver.

What the research looks at

  • Glycine intake and collagen synthesis
  • Gut barrier integrity
  • Amino acid profile compared with muscle meat
Typical daily dose
15–20 g
Time to effect
8–12 weeks
Usually taken
Any time of day

Boron

Minerals In the Blueprint protocol

A trace element found in fruit, nuts and pulses. It has no officially set requirement in the EU, but intakes vary by a factor of ten between diets.

What it does in the body

Boron affects how the body handles calcium, magnesium and vitamin D, and influences the amount of free testosterone and oestradiol by reducing how much is bound to carrier proteins.

What the research looks at

  • Free testosterone and oestradiol levels
  • Bone metabolism and calcium retention
  • Joint comfort
Typical daily dose
3–10 mg
Time to effect
1–8 weeks
Usually taken
With food

Boswellia (Indian frankincense)

Bones & joints

Resin from the Boswellia serrata tree, standardised on boswellic acids. Used alongside turmeric in ayurvedic practice for the same kind of complaint.

What it does in the body

Boswellic acids inhibit 5-lipoxygenase, an enzyme in the leukotriene pathway. That is a different route than the one anti-inflammatory drugs take, which is why the two are often studied together.

What the research looks at

  • Joint stiffness and walking distance in osteoarthritis
  • Markers of inflammation
Typical daily dose
300–500 mg extract
Time to effect
4–8 weeks
Usually taken
With food

Bovine Colostrum

Immunity

The first milk a cow produces after calving, collected in the window before it turns into ordinary milk. It is dense in immune factors because a newborn calf is born without any.

What it does in the body

Colostrum carries immunoglobulins, lactoferrin, and growth factors including IGF-1 and TGF-beta. These act locally in the gut rather than being absorbed intact, supporting the epithelial lining and the immune tissue beneath it.

What the research looks at

  • Intestinal permeability, including exercise-induced
  • Upper respiratory infections in athletes
  • Gut immune signalling
Typical daily dose
1–3 g
Time to effect
4–8 weeks
Usually taken
On an empty stomach, in cold water

Caffeine (coffee)

Energy

The most widely consumed psychoactive substance on earth. How fast it is cleared varies several-fold between people, which is largely down to a single liver enzyme.

What it does in the body

Caffeine blocks adenosine receptors. Adenosine accumulates through the day and produces the feeling of tiredness; caffeine does not remove it, it hides it — and the backlog is still there when the caffeine wears off.

What the research looks at

  • Alertness and reaction time
  • Endurance and strength performance
  • Half-life and sleep disruption from afternoon intake
Typical daily dose
80–200 mg
Time to effect
30–60 minutes
Usually taken
Morning; at least eight hours before bed

Caffeine (topical)

Skin In the Blueprint protocol

The same molecule as in coffee, used on skin and scalp rather than swallowed. It is a common ingredient in eye creams and hair serums.

What it does in the body

On skin caffeine constricts small blood vessels and acts as a mild diuretic locally, which is the basis for its use around the eyes. On the scalp it is studied as a counter to the effect of DHT on the follicle.

What the research looks at

  • Under-eye puffiness
  • Hair shaft growth in follicle culture
  • Scalp penetration from leave-on formulations
Typical daily dose
0.5–3% topically
Time to effect
8–24 weeks on scalp
Usually taken
Morning on skin, daily on scalp

Calcium

Minerals

The most abundant mineral in the body by weight; around ninety-nine per cent of it sits in the skeleton, which doubles as a reservoir the rest of the body can draw on.

What it does in the body

Beyond bone structure, calcium is the trigger for muscle contraction and a second messenger in most cells. Vitamin D governs how much is absorbed, and vitamin K where it ends up.

What the research looks at

  • Bone density and fracture risk
  • Blood pressure
  • Interaction with vitamin D and K status
Typical daily dose
800–1000 mg total intake
Time to effect
6–12 months for bone
Usually taken
Split doses, with food

Casein Protein

Protein

The other eighty per cent of milk protein, and the fraction that forms the curd. It clots in stomach acid, which is exactly why it behaves differently from whey.

What it does in the body

The clot slows gastric emptying, so amino acids are released over six to eight hours instead of one. That makes it the protein studied for overnight supply rather than for the post-workout window.

What the research looks at

  • Overnight muscle protein synthesis
  • Muscle breakdown during fasting periods
  • Satiety
Typical daily dose
20–40 g
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
Before bed

Cat's Claw (Uncaria tomentosa)

Immunity

A woody vine from the Amazon basin, named after the curved thorns along its stem. The bark contains oxindole alkaloids and is used in traditional Peruvian medicine.

What it does in the body

The alkaloids appear to modulate immune signalling and NF-κB activity. Extracts differ substantially depending on which alkaloid group dominates in the raw material.

What the research looks at

  • Joint comfort in osteoarthritis
  • Immune cell activity
  • Markers of inflammation
Typical daily dose
250–350 mg extract
Time to effect
4–8 weeks
Usually taken
Any time of day

Centella Asiatica (Cica)

Skin

A marsh plant used in ayurvedic and Chinese medicine, and the ingredient that made the Korean "cica" category. The active fraction is madecassoside and asiaticoside.

What it does in the body

The triterpenes stimulate collagen type I synthesis and strengthen capillary walls, which is why centella is used both for wound healing and for visible redness.

What the research looks at

  • Wound healing and scar formation
  • Skin redness and sensitivity
  • Barrier recovery
Typical daily dose
0.1–5% topically
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
Morning and evening

Ceremonial Grade Matcha

Antioxidants In the Blueprint protocol

Whole green tea leaves shaded for several weeks before harvest, then stone-ground. Because the leaf is drunk rather than steeped and discarded, the dose of everything in it is far higher than in brewed tea.

What it does in the body

Shading raises the leaf's theanine content, and matcha therefore delivers caffeine and theanine together — the combination associated with alertness without the edge of coffee.

What the research looks at

  • Attention and reaction time from caffeine with theanine
  • Catechin intake compared with brewed tea
  • Cardiometabolic markers
Typical daily dose
1–2 g
Time to effect
30–60 minutes
Usually taken
Morning or early afternoon

Chaga (Inonotus obliquus)

Immunity In the Blueprint protocol

A black, charcoal-like growth on birch trunks across northern Europe and Siberia. It has been brewed as a tea in Nordic and Russian folk medicine for centuries.

What it does in the body

Chaga is exceptionally high in melanin and in betulinic acid drawn from the birch it grows on, alongside the beta-glucans common to medicinal mushrooms.

What the research looks at

  • Antioxidant capacity in vitro
  • Immune modulation
  • Oxalate content, which is high enough to be worth noting
Typical daily dose
1–3 g extract
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
Any time of day

Chlorella

Liver & detox

A single-celled green alga with a cellulose wall too tough for human digestion — quality products have that wall physically cracked, which is what "broken cell wall" on a label means.

What it does in the body

The cell wall material binds certain compounds in the gut, and chlorella is unusually rich in chlorophyll. Unlike spirulina it does contain some bioavailable B12.

What the research looks at

  • Binding of dioxins and heavy metals in the gut
  • Liver enzymes
  • Immune markers
Typical daily dose
3–6 g
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
With food

Choline

Brain & focus

An essential nutrient grouped with the B vitamins although it is not one. Egg yolk and liver are the richest common sources, and most Europeans fall short of the adequate intake.

What it does in the body

Choline is the raw material for acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter of memory and muscle activation, and for phosphatidylcholine, a structural component of every cell membrane. It also donates methyl groups.

What the research looks at

  • Memory and attention
  • Fat transport out of the liver
  • Foetal brain development
Typical daily dose
400–550 mg
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
With food

Chondroitin Sulphate

Bones & joints

A long glycosaminoglycan chain that forms part of cartilage. It is usually sourced from bovine trachea or shark cartilage and is nearly always paired with glucosamine.

What it does in the body

Chondroitin draws water into cartilage, which is what gives it compressive resistance, and inhibits the enzymes that break the matrix down. Its molecular size makes absorption a genuine question.

What the research looks at

  • Joint pain and mobility alongside glucosamine
  • Cartilage matrix degradation markers
Typical daily dose
800–1200 mg
Time to effect
8–12 weeks
Usually taken
With food, daily

Chromium

Minerals

A trace mineral usually sold as chromium picolinate, which absorbs considerably better than the chloride form. Chromax® is a standardised picolinate used in most of the trials.

What it does in the body

Chromium appears to potentiate insulin signalling at the receptor, though the precise mechanism is still debated and there is no established storage form in the body.

What the research looks at

  • Fasting glucose and insulin sensitivity
  • Carbohydrate cravings
  • Body composition
Typical daily dose
200 µg
Time to effect
8–12 weeks
Usually taken
With food

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)

Energy

A fat-soluble quinone found in every cell membrane, densest in heart tissue. Levels fall with age, and statins reduce them further because both share the same synthesis pathway.

What it does in the body

CoQ10 carries electrons between complexes I and III of the respiratory chain — the step at which food energy becomes ATP. In its reduced form it also protects membrane lipids from oxidation.

What the research looks at

  • Heart function and exercise capacity
  • Statin-associated muscle symptoms
  • Migraine frequency
Typical daily dose
100–300 mg
Time to effect
8–12 weeks
Usually taken
With a fat-containing meal

Collagen Peptides

Skin In the Blueprint protocol

Collagen broken into short chains of two or three amino acids so they survive digestion intact. Whole collagen would simply be dismantled into its constituent amino acids like any other protein.

What it does in the body

Specific di- and tripeptides, particularly prolyl-hydroxyproline, appear in blood after ingestion and are thought to act as signals to fibroblasts and chondrocytes rather than as raw material.

What the research looks at

  • Skin elasticity and hydration
  • Joint comfort in athletes
  • Tendon and ligament properties
Typical daily dose
10–15 g
Time to effect
8–12 weeks
Usually taken
Any time, with vitamin C

Copper

Minerals

A trace mineral that has to be kept in balance with zinc — a high zinc intake sustained over months will depress copper status, which is the usual reason it is supplemented at all.

What it does in the body

Copper is the cofactor for lysyl oxidase, the enzyme that cross-links collagen and elastin, and for superoxide dismutase, one of the body's own antioxidant enzymes. It is also needed for melanin.

What the research looks at

  • Connective tissue and skin elasticity
  • Iron transport and red blood cell formation
  • Copper–zinc balance during long-term zinc supplementation
Typical daily dose
1–2 mg
Time to effect
8–12 weeks
Usually taken
With food, away from zinc

Cordyceps

Energy In the Blueprint protocol

A fungus that in the wild parasitises insect larvae. Commercial supplements use Cordyceps militaris grown on grain, not the wild Tibetan species, which is among the most expensive biological materials on earth.

What it does in the body

Cordycepin and adenosine analogues appear to affect ATP turnover and oxygen utilisation. It became widely known after Chinese distance runners credited it in the early nineties.

What the research looks at

  • VO2 max and time to exhaustion
  • Fatigue resistance in older adults
  • Immune cell activity
Typical daily dose
1–3 g extract
Time to effect
3–12 weeks
Usually taken
Morning or before training

Creatine Monohydrate

Muscles In the Blueprint protocol

The most thoroughly studied sports supplement in existence, with well over a thousand controlled trials. Monohydrate is both the cheapest form and the one every trial has used.

What it does in the body

Creatine is stored in muscle as phosphocreatine, a phosphate reserve that regenerates ATP within seconds. The same system operates in the brain, which is the basis for the cognitive research.

What the research looks at

  • Strength and power output
  • Lean mass gain alongside resistance training
  • Cognition during sleep deprivation
Typical daily dose
3–5 g
Time to effect
2–4 weeks
Usually taken
Any time, daily

Curcumin

Antioxidants In the Blueprint protocol

The yellow pigment in turmeric, and roughly three per cent of the dried root by weight. On its own it is very poorly absorbed, which is why serious formulations pair it with piperine, phospholipids or a micellar carrier.

What it does in the body

Curcumin acts on NF-κB, the transcription factor that switches on much of the body's inflammatory signalling, and on Nrf2, which regulates the cell's own antioxidant defences.

What the research looks at

  • Markers of inflammation such as CRP
  • Joint comfort and mobility
  • Exercise-induced muscle damage
Typical daily dose
500–1500 mg
Time to effect
4–8 weeks
Usually taken
With a fat-containing meal

DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid)

Brain & focus In the Blueprint protocol

The longest and most unsaturated of the common omega-3 fatty acids. Around a quarter of the fat in the brain's grey matter is DHA, and the retina is richer in it still.

What it does in the body

DHA is a structural component of neuronal membranes, where its flexible shape governs how easily receptors change conformation. It is not primarily a signalling molecule but a building material.

What the research looks at

  • Cognitive function and memory in older adults
  • Visual development in infants
  • Membrane composition in nerve tissue
Typical daily dose
250–1000 mg
Time to effect
12 weeks or more
Usually taken
With a meal containing fat

DHEA

Hormones

A steroid hormone made by the adrenal glands, and the most abundant one in circulation. It peaks in the twenties and falls by around eighty per cent by the age of seventy. It is a prescription medicine in most European countries.

What it does in the body

DHEA is a precursor the body converts into testosterone and oestradiol. Because it sits upstream, the effect depends on which enzymes are active in a given tissue and in a given person.

What the research looks at

  • Bone density in older adults
  • Adrenal insufficiency
  • Sexual function
Typical daily dose
Prescription-dependent
Time to effect
8–24 weeks
Usually taken
Morning

Digestive Enzymes

Gut & digestion

Protease, amylase, lipase, lactase and cellulase, usually from fungal fermentation so that they remain active across the pH range of the whole digestive tract.

What it does in the body

They break large molecules into absorbable ones — protein into amino acids, starch into glucose, fat into fatty acids. Plant and fungal enzymes work in the stomach as well as the small intestine, unlike pancreatic ones.

What the research looks at

  • Bloating and fullness after meals
  • Protein and fat digestion
  • Lactose tolerance with added lactase
Typical daily dose
1 capsule per meal
Time to effect
Same meal
Usually taken
At the start of a meal

DIM (Diindolylmethane)

Hormones

Formed in the stomach when indole-3-carbinol from broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts meets stomach acid. Eating the vegetables gives the precursor; the supplement gives the product.

What it does in the body

DIM shifts oestrogen metabolism in the liver towards the 2-hydroxy pathway rather than the 16-hydroxy one, changing the ratio between metabolites rather than the total amount of hormone.

What the research looks at

  • Ratio of 2-hydroxy to 16-hydroxy oestrogen metabolites
  • Hormone-related cyclical symptoms
  • Prostate markers
Typical daily dose
100–200 mg
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
With a fat-containing meal

EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate)

Antioxidants In the Blueprint protocol

The dominant catechin in green tea, and roughly half of its total polyphenol content. Concentrated extracts carry a liver-safety caveat that brewed tea does not.

What it does in the body

EGCG inhibits catechol-O-methyltransferase, which slows the breakdown of noradrenaline, and it interacts with several signalling pathways involved in cell growth.

What the research looks at

  • Fat oxidation and energy expenditure
  • Blood lipids
  • Liver safety at high extract doses
Typical daily dose
200–400 mg
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
With food

Electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium)

Minerals

Not one ingredient but a ratio. Sweat carries roughly a gram of sodium per litre, along with smaller amounts of potassium, magnesium and chloride — water alone does not replace that.

What it does in the body

Electrolytes set the osmotic gradient that decides whether water stays in the bloodstream or is passed out. Sodium in particular drives the reabsorption of water in the kidney.

What the research looks at

  • Rehydration after sweat loss
  • Endurance performance in heat
  • Cramping during prolonged exercise
Typical daily dose
500–1500 mg sodium per litre
Time to effect
Minutes to hours
Usually taken
Before and during exertion

Eleuthero (Siberian ginseng)

Energy

Eleutherococcus senticosus, a thorny shrub from north-eastern Asia. Despite the common name it is not botanically a ginseng; the active compounds are eleutherosides rather than ginsenosides.

What it does in the body

Classified as an adaptogen: it modulates the stress response rather than stimulating a single system, and it is used in traditional medicine during periods of sustained physical load.

What the research looks at

  • Endurance capacity and recovery between sessions
  • Fatigue during periods of high workload
  • Immune cell counts
Typical daily dose
300–1200 mg
Time to effect
2–6 weeks
Usually taken
Morning

EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid)

Fatty acids In the Blueprint protocol

One of the two long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. The body can make it from the plant omega-3 ALA, but the conversion rate is in the low single digits, which is why intake from fish or algae matters.

What it does in the body

EPA is the substrate for resolvins and other specialised pro-resolving mediators — the signalling molecules that end an inflammatory response rather than start one. It competes with arachidonic acid for the same enzymes.

What the research looks at

  • Triglyceride levels
  • Markers of inflammation
  • Mood and depressive symptoms
Typical daily dose
500–2000 mg
Time to effect
8–12 weeks
Usually taken
With a meal containing fat

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

Fatty acids In the Blueprint protocol

Cold-pressed olive oil that has not been refined. What separates a good one is not the fat — that is much the same everywhere — but the polyphenol content, which ranges from near zero to over 500 mg/kg.

What it does in the body

Oleocanthal, the polyphenol responsible for the peppery catch at the back of the throat, inhibits COX enzymes in the same way ibuprofen does, at far lower potency. Hydroxytyrosol is the main antioxidant.

What the research looks at

  • Cardiovascular endpoints in Mediterranean diet trials
  • LDL oxidation
  • Blood pressure and endothelial function
Typical daily dose
20–40 ml
Time to effect
8–12 weeks
Usually taken
Raw, over food

Fisetin

Antioxidants

A flavonoid found in strawberries, apples and persimmon. It came to attention when a screen of senolytic candidates ranked it above the others tested.

What it does in the body

Fisetin appears to trigger apoptosis selectively in senescent cells while leaving healthy ones alone. It also crosses the blood-brain barrier, which most flavonoids do not.

What the research looks at

  • Senescent cell burden in animal models
  • Neuroprotection markers
  • Inflammatory signalling
Typical daily dose
100–500 mg
Time to effect
Unclear; often dosed intermittently
Usually taken
With a fat-containing meal

Folate (Vitamin B9)

Vitamins In the Blueprint protocol

Folate is the form found in leafy greens and legumes; folic acid is the synthetic form used in fortification. They are not interchangeable in every respect.

What it does in the body

Folate carries single-carbon units in the methylation cycle, which the body uses to build DNA and to convert homocysteine back into methionine.

What the research looks at

  • Homocysteine levels
  • Neural tube development in pregnancy
  • Red blood cell formation
Typical daily dose
200–400 µg DFE
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
Morning, with food

GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid)

Stress

The brain's main inhibitory neurotransmitter. Whether oral GABA crosses the blood-brain barrier is genuinely disputed, which is worth knowing before buying it.

What it does in the body

In the brain GABA dampens neuronal firing. Effects reported after oral doses may come from GABA receptors in the enteric nervous system and the vagus nerve rather than from the brain directly.

What the research looks at

  • Subjective relaxation and stress markers
  • Sleep latency
  • Blood-brain barrier permeability — the open question
Typical daily dose
100–300 mg
Time to effect
30–60 minutes
Usually taken
Evening

Geranylgeraniol (GG)

Energy

A compound found in annatto and in small amounts in the body. It sits downstream in the mevalonate pathway — the same pathway statins interrupt.

What it does in the body

GG is required for prenylation, the process that anchors certain proteins to cell membranes so they can carry signals. It is also a precursor to CoQ10 and to MK-4.

What the research looks at

  • Endogenous CoQ10 and MK-4 synthesis
  • Muscle protein synthesis
  • Testosterone production in Leydig cells
Typical daily dose
150–300 mg
Time to effect
8–12 weeks
Usually taken
With a fat-containing meal

GHK-Cu (Copper Peptide)

Skin

A tripeptide — glycine, histidine, lysine — that carries a copper ion. It occurs naturally in plasma, and levels fall by roughly two-thirds between the ages of twenty and sixty.

What it does in the body

GHK-Cu signals to fibroblasts to produce collagen, elastin and glycosaminoglycans, and delivers copper to the enzymes that cross-link them. It is a signalling molecule rather than a raw material.

What the research looks at

  • Skin firmness and wrinkle depth
  • Wound healing
  • Hair follicle size
Typical daily dose
1–3 mg topically
Time to effect
8–12 weeks
Usually taken
Evening, away from vitamin C

Ginger (Zingiber officinale)

Gut & digestion In the Blueprint protocol

The rhizome of the ginger plant. The pungency comes from gingerols, which turn into shogaols when the root is dried — a different compound profile in dried extract than in fresh root.

What it does in the body

Gingerols influence prostaglandin and leukotriene synthesis, the same enzymatic pathways involved in the body's inflammatory signalling, and ginger speeds up gastric emptying.

What the research looks at

  • Nausea, including motion sickness and pregnancy
  • Markers of inflammation
  • Muscle soreness after exercise
Typical daily dose
500–2000 mg
Time to effect
Same day for nausea
Usually taken
With food

Ginkgo Biloba

Brain & focus

Leaf extract from the maidenhair tree, a species with no living relatives that has been essentially unchanged for two hundred million years. Standardised extracts contain flavone glycosides and terpene lactones.

What it does in the body

Ginkgo affects microcirculation and platelet aggregation, and the terpene lactones act on platelet-activating factor. Blood flow to peripheral tissue is the mechanism most often invoked.

What the research looks at

  • Memory and processing speed in older adults
  • Peripheral circulation
  • Tinnitus and dizziness
Typical daily dose
120–240 mg extract
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
Split across the day

Glucosamine Sulphate

Bones & joints In the Blueprint protocol

An amino sugar normally made from shellfish shells, though vegetarian versions from fermented corn exist. The sulphate form is the one used in the trials that found an effect; the hydrochloride form generally has not.

What it does in the body

Glucosamine is a precursor to the glycosaminoglycans in cartilage. The sulphate group itself may matter, since sulphur is required for proteoglycan synthesis.

What the research looks at

  • Joint pain and function in knee osteoarthritis
  • Cartilage space narrowing over several years
Typical daily dose
1500 mg
Time to effect
8–12 weeks
Usually taken
With food, daily

Glutathione

Antioxidants In the Blueprint protocol

The body's own principal antioxidant, a tripeptide of glutamate, cysteine and glycine present in every cell. Oral glutathione is broken down readily, which is why liposomal delivery exists.

What it does in the body

Glutathione neutralises peroxides and regenerates vitamins C and E. It is also the conjugating molecule in phase II liver detoxification, which is how fat-soluble compounds are made excretable.

What the research looks at

  • Blood and tissue glutathione levels after supplementation
  • Oxidative stress markers
  • Liver detoxification capacity
Typical daily dose
250–1000 mg
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
On an empty stomach

Glycine

Sleep In the Blueprint protocol

The smallest amino acid, and a third of every collagen molecule. The body makes some of its own but probably not enough to cover collagen turnover on a diet built around muscle meat.

What it does in the body

Glycine is an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brainstem and spinal cord, and it lowers core body temperature slightly — the physiological signal that precedes sleep onset.

What the research looks at

  • Sleep quality and next-day alertness
  • Collagen synthesis
  • Glutathione production
Typical daily dose
3 g
Time to effect
Same evening to 4 weeks
Usually taken
30–60 minutes before bed

Glycolic Acid (AHA)

Skin

The smallest alpha hydroxy acid, originally isolated from sugar cane. Its small molecular size is exactly why it penetrates further than the other AHAs.

What it does in the body

Glycolic acid dissolves the bonds holding dead cells to the surface of the skin, so they release rather than being scrubbed off. At higher concentrations it also stimulates collagen synthesis.

What the research looks at

  • Skin texture and pigmentation
  • Collagen density after repeated peels
  • Sun sensitivity during use
Typical daily dose
5–10% at home
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
Evening, two or three times a week

Hesperidin

Antioxidants

A flavanone concentrated in the white pith of citrus fruit — the part most people discard. It is the main bioflavonoid in orange juice.

What it does in the body

Hesperidin improves endothelial function and capillary resistance, and its metabolite hesperetin is the form that actually reaches tissue after gut bacteria have processed it.

What the research looks at

  • Endothelial function and blood pressure
  • Capillary fragility
  • Markers of inflammation
Typical daily dose
500 mg
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
With food

Hyaluronic Acid

Skin In the Blueprint protocol

A glycosaminoglycan that holds up to a thousand times its own weight in water. It is present in skin, joint fluid and the vitreous of the eye, and its content in skin falls sharply with age.

What it does in the body

On skin it holds water at the surface; molecular weight decides how deep it penetrates. Taken orally it is broken into fragments that appear to signal fibroblasts to produce more of the body's own.

What the research looks at

  • Skin hydration and wrinkle depth
  • Joint fluid viscosity and comfort
  • Molecular weight and depth of penetration
Typical daily dose
120–240 mg orally
Time to effect
6–12 weeks
Usually taken
Any time; on damp skin topically

Immunoglobulins (Serum-Derived, SBI)

Immunity

Concentrated IgG antibodies from bovine serum rather than from milk, which makes them suitable for people who cannot have dairy.

What it does in the body

The antibodies bind bacterial toxins and antigens inside the gut lumen so that they never reach the epithelium. They act like a filter in the gut, not like a drug in the bloodstream.

What the research looks at

  • Intestinal barrier integrity
  • Loose stools and bloating
  • Immune activation markers in the gut
Typical daily dose
1–5 g
Time to effect
2–8 weeks
Usually taken
On an empty stomach

Inositol

Hormones

A sugar alcohol the body makes from glucose, once called vitamin B8. Myo-inositol and D-chiro-inositol are the two forms used in supplements, often in a 40:1 ratio.

What it does in the body

Inositol is part of the second messenger system that carries signals from insulin and several hormone receptors into the cell interior.

What the research looks at

  • Insulin sensitivity and ovulation in PCOS
  • Anxiety and panic symptoms
  • Metabolic markers
Typical daily dose
2–4 g
Time to effect
8–12 weeks
Usually taken
Split morning and evening

Inulin (Prebiotic Fibre)

Fibre

A chain of fructose units found in chicory root, Jerusalem artichoke and onion. It is a prebiotic: food for bacteria rather than bacteria themselves.

What it does in the body

Human enzymes cannot break the bonds in inulin, so it reaches the colon intact and is fermented by bifidobacteria into short-chain fatty acids, primarily butyrate, which the colon cells use as fuel.

What the research looks at

  • Bifidobacteria counts in stool
  • Calcium absorption
  • Post-meal glucose and satiety
Typical daily dose
5–10 g
Time to effect
2–4 weeks
Usually taken
With food, increasing gradually

Iodine

Minerals In the Blueprint protocol

A trace mineral found mainly in seafood, seaweed and iodised salt. Countries that stopped iodising salt have seen intake fall again within a generation.

What it does in the body

Thyroid hormone is built around iodine atoms — four in T4, three in T3. Without iodine the gland cannot make the hormone that sets the body's metabolic rate.

What the research looks at

  • Thyroid hormone production
  • Cognitive development in children
  • Intake on plant-based diets without iodised salt
Typical daily dose
150 µg
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
Morning, with food

Iron

Minerals

The most common nutritional deficiency in the world, and the one supplement that should not be taken speculatively — excess iron is stored, not excreted, and it is pro-oxidant.

What it does in the body

Iron sits at the centre of haemoglobin, where it binds oxygen, and in the cytochromes of the respiratory chain. Haem iron from meat absorbs several times better than non-haem iron from plants.

What the research looks at

  • Fatigue where ferritin is low
  • Endurance capacity
  • Absorption alongside vitamin C
Typical daily dose
Only on the basis of a blood test
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
On an empty stomach, with vitamin C

L-Carnitine

Energy

A compound the body makes from lysine and methionine, and takes in from red meat. The name comes from carnis, Latin for flesh.

What it does in the body

Carnitine ferries long-chain fatty acids across the mitochondrial membrane, which is the step that has to happen before fat can be burned for energy.

What the research looks at

  • Fatigue and recovery after exercise
  • Fat oxidation during exercise
  • Muscle carnitine content, which is hard to raise
Typical daily dose
1–2 g
Time to effect
12–24 weeks
Usually taken
With a carbohydrate-containing meal

L-Citrulline

Heart & circulation

An amino acid first isolated from watermelon. It raises blood arginine levels more reliably than arginine itself does, because it escapes first-pass breakdown in the gut and liver.

What it does in the body

Citrulline is converted to arginine in the kidney, and arginine is the substrate for nitric oxide — the signalling molecule that relaxes the smooth muscle in blood vessel walls.

What the research looks at

  • Blood flow and blood pressure
  • Exercise performance and perceived exertion
  • Endothelial function
Typical daily dose
3–8 g
Time to effect
1–4 weeks
Usually taken
60 minutes before exertion

L-Glutamine

Gut & digestion

The most abundant free amino acid in the body. It is conditionally essential: production keeps up under normal conditions but not during severe illness, burns or trauma.

What it does in the body

Glutamine is the preferred fuel of enterocytes, the cells lining the small intestine, and of rapidly dividing immune cells. It is also a nitrogen shuttle between tissues.

What the research looks at

  • Intestinal barrier integrity
  • Immune function under heavy training load
  • Recovery in catabolic states
Typical daily dose
5–15 g
Time to effect
4–8 weeks
Usually taken
On an empty stomach

L-Lysine

Protein In the Blueprint protocol

An essential amino acid, and the one that most often limits protein quality in cereal-based diets. Pulses are rich in it, which is why beans and grains complement each other.

What it does in the body

Lysine is cross-linked into collagen by lysyl oxidase, and it is the precursor to carnitine. It also competes with arginine for the same transporters, which is the basis of its traditional use.

What the research looks at

  • Collagen cross-linking and wound healing
  • Calcium absorption
  • Recurrence of cold sores
Typical daily dose
1–3 g
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
On an empty stomach

L-Theanine

Stress In the Blueprint protocol

An amino acid found almost exclusively in tea leaves. It is the reason a cup of green tea feels different from an equivalent dose of coffee.

What it does in the body

Theanine crosses the blood-brain barrier and increases alpha wave activity — the electrical pattern of relaxed alertness. It also modulates glutamate and GABA signalling.

What the research looks at

  • Attention and reaction time, particularly with caffeine
  • Subjective stress and relaxation
  • Sleep quality
Typical daily dose
100–400 mg
Time to effect
30–60 minutes
Usually taken
With caffeine, or in the evening

Lion's Mane (Hericium erinaceus)

Brain & focus In the Blueprint protocol

A white, shaggy mushroom that grows on hardwood and looks like its name. It is edible as food and has a texture close to crab meat.

What it does in the body

Hericenones in the fruiting body and erinacines in the mycelium stimulate nerve growth factor synthesis in laboratory work. The two compound groups are found in different parts of the organism, which is why extract source matters.

What the research looks at

  • Cognitive scores in older adults
  • Nerve growth factor expression
  • Mood and subjective wellbeing
Typical daily dose
500–3000 mg extract
Time to effect
4–16 weeks
Usually taken
Morning, with food

Lutein

Antioxidants In the Blueprint protocol

A xanthophyll carotenoid found in kale, spinach and egg yolk. Along with zeaxanthin it is one of only two carotenoids the eye concentrates in the macula.

What it does in the body

Lutein absorbs blue light before it reaches the photoreceptors and neutralises the singlet oxygen that light exposure generates in retinal tissue.

What the research looks at

  • Macular pigment optical density
  • Contrast sensitivity and glare recovery
  • Cognitive measures in older adults
Typical daily dose
10–20 mg
Time to effect
12 weeks or more
Usually taken
With a fat-containing meal

Lycopene

Antioxidants In the Blueprint protocol

The carotenoid that makes tomatoes red. Unusually, cooking increases how much of it the body can absorb — passata delivers more than a raw tomato does.

What it does in the body

Lycopene has no vitamin A activity but is among the most efficient quenchers of singlet oxygen of any carotenoid, and it concentrates in prostate tissue and skin.

What the research looks at

  • Prostate health markers
  • LDL oxidation and blood pressure
  • Skin resistance to UV-induced redness
Typical daily dose
10–30 mg
Time to effect
8–12 weeks
Usually taken
With a fat-containing meal

Macadamia Nuts (Omega-7)

Fatty acids In the Blueprint protocol

The fattiest nut there is, and the one with the highest proportion of monounsaturated fat. It is also the best plant source of palmitoleic acid, omega-7.

What it does in the body

Palmitoleic acid behaves partly as a signalling lipid, and monounsaturated fat replacing saturated fat is the change most consistently associated with an improved lipid profile.

What the research looks at

  • LDL cholesterol when replacing saturated fat
  • Satiety and appetite regulation
  • Palmitoleic acid and metabolic markers
Typical daily dose
20–30 g
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
Any time of day

Maca Root

Energy

A cruciferous root vegetable grown above 4,000 metres in the Peruvian Andes, eaten as a food there and sold elsewhere as a dried powder or extract.

What it does in the body

Maca contains macamides and glucosinolates. It does not appear to contain hormones or bind hormone receptors directly; the mechanism behind its traditional use is not settled.

What the research looks at

  • Subjective energy and mood
  • Sexual function in both men and women
  • Menopausal symptoms
Typical daily dose
1.5–3 g
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
Morning, with food

Magnesium

Minerals In the Blueprint protocol

A cofactor in more than three hundred enzyme reactions, and one of the minerals European diets most often fall short on. The salt matters: citrate and glycinate absorb well, oxide largely does not.

What it does in the body

Magnesium stabilises ATP — the molecule cells actually spend — and regulates calcium flow across membranes, which is why it affects both muscle relaxation and nerve excitability.

What the research looks at

  • Sleep quality and night-time cramping
  • Blood pressure
  • Muscle function and recovery
Typical daily dose
200–400 mg elemental
Time to effect
2–6 weeks
Usually taken
Evening, with food

Magnesium L-Threonate (Magtein®)

Brain & focus

Magnesium bound to threonic acid, a metabolite of vitamin C. It was developed at MIT specifically to get magnesium across the blood-brain barrier, which ordinary magnesium salts do poorly.

What it does in the body

The threonate carrier raises magnesium concentration in cerebrospinal fluid. Magnesium in the brain modulates NMDA receptors and synaptic density, which is the mechanism the cognitive work is built on.

What the research looks at

  • Working memory and executive function
  • Sleep quality
  • Synaptic density in animal models
Typical daily dose
1.5–2 g compound
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
Evening

Magnolia Bark

Stress

Bark from Magnolia officinalis, used in traditional Chinese medicine. The active compounds are the lignans honokiol and magnolol.

What it does in the body

Honokiol and magnolol act as positive modulators of GABA-A receptors, which is the mechanism most sedating botanicals share.

What the research looks at

  • Perceived stress and tension
  • Sleep quality
  • Evening cortisol
Typical daily dose
200–400 mg
Time to effect
1–4 weeks
Usually taken
Evening

Manganese

Minerals In the Blueprint protocol

A trace mineral present in wholegrains, nuts and tea. Requirements are small and intakes are usually adequate, which is why it appears in multivitamins at modest amounts.

What it does in the body

Manganese is the metal at the core of mitochondrial superoxide dismutase, the enzyme that neutralises superoxide where most of it is produced. It is also needed to build cartilage.

What the research looks at

  • Antioxidant enzyme activity in mitochondria
  • Bone and cartilage formation
Typical daily dose
2–5 mg
Time to effect
8–12 weeks
Usually taken
With food

Melatonin

Sleep

The hormone the pineal gland releases when light fades. In several EU countries it is available over the counter at low doses and is a prescription medicine at higher ones.

What it does in the body

Melatonin is a timing signal, not a sedative: it tells the body which part of the day it is. That is why the timing of the dose matters more than the size of it, and why very large doses are not more effective.

What the research looks at

  • Time to fall asleep and jet lag
  • Shift work and circadian realignment
  • Antioxidant activity in mitochondria
Typical daily dose
0.5–3 mg
Time to effect
Same evening
Usually taken
30–60 minutes before bed

Milk Thistle (Silymarin)

Liver & detox

A thistle from the Mediterranean whose seeds contain silymarin, a group of flavonolignans. It is the most-studied botanical in the liver category by a wide margin.

What it does in the body

Silymarin stabilises hepatocyte membranes and supports glutathione levels in liver tissue. It also acts as a direct antioxidant in a tissue that handles a high oxidative load by design.

What the research looks at

  • Liver enzymes such as ALT and AST
  • Fat accumulation in the liver
  • Antioxidant status in liver tissue
Typical daily dose
200–600 mg
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
With food

Minoxidil

Hair

A licensed medicine, not a supplement — we do not sell it, and it is listed here because it is the reference point every hair ingredient is compared against. It was developed as a blood pressure drug and the hair growth was an unwanted side effect.

What it does in the body

Minoxidil opens potassium channels and widens the blood vessels feeding the follicle, and it lengthens the growth phase of the hair cycle. Stopping treatment reverses the effect within months.

What the research looks at

  • Hair count and thickness in androgenetic alopecia
  • Response rates and time to relapse after stopping
Typical daily dose
As directed on the medicine
Time to effect
12–24 weeks
Usually taken
Per the product's own instructions

Molecular Hydrogen (H2)

Antioxidants

The smallest molecule there is, dissolved in water from an effervescent tablet. Its size is the whole argument: it diffuses into places larger antioxidants cannot reach.

What it does in the body

H2 selectively reduces hydroxyl radicals, the most damaging reactive species, while leaving the signalling radicals the body uses deliberately alone. It also crosses cell membranes and the blood-brain barrier without a transporter.

What the research looks at

  • Markers of oxidative stress
  • Recovery and perceived exertion after exercise
  • Metabolic markers
Typical daily dose
1–2 tablets in water
Time to effect
Minutes to weeks
Usually taken
Drink immediately after dissolving

Molybdenum

Minerals

One of the least discussed essential trace minerals. The requirement is measured in tens of micrograms, and pulses and grains supply it readily.

What it does in the body

Molybdenum is the cofactor for sulphite oxidase, which converts sulphite to sulphate, and for the enzymes that break down purines and certain drugs.

What the research looks at

  • Sulphite metabolism
  • Purine and uric acid handling
Typical daily dose
45–150 µg
Time to effect
4–8 weeks
Usually taken
With food

MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane)

Bones & joints

An organic sulphur compound found in small amounts in fruit, vegetables and milk. It is odourless, unlike most sulphur compounds.

What it does in the body

MSM supplies sulphur for the disulphide bonds that give keratin and collagen their structure. It also appears to affect inflammatory signalling, though the mechanism is less well characterised.

What the research looks at

  • Joint pain and physical function
  • Muscle soreness after exercise
  • Hair and nail strength
Typical daily dose
1.5–3 g
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
With food, split doses

N-Acetyl-D-Glucosamine (NAG)

Gut & digestion

An amino sugar, and the building block of chitin, hyaluronic acid and the mucin layer that lines the gut. Distinct from the glucosamine sulphate sold for joints.

What it does in the body

NAG is a substrate for glycosaminoglycan synthesis, the material of both cartilage and the mucus barrier that separates gut bacteria from the epithelium underneath.

What the research looks at

  • Mucin layer thickness
  • Intestinal barrier function
  • Cartilage matrix synthesis
Typical daily dose
500–1500 mg
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
Between meals

N-Acetylcysteine (NAC)

Liver & detox In the Blueprint protocol

A stabilised form of the amino acid cysteine. In hospitals it is the standard antidote for paracetamol overdose, given precisely because it restores liver glutathione quickly.

What it does in the body

Cysteine is the rate-limiting ingredient in glutathione synthesis — the body has plenty of the other two amino acids and not enough of this one. NAC also breaks disulphide bonds in mucus.

What the research looks at

  • Glutathione levels in liver and lung tissue
  • Mucus viscosity in airway conditions
  • Markers of oxidative stress
Typical daily dose
600–1800 mg
Time to effect
2–8 weeks
Usually taken
On an empty stomach

Niacin (Vitamin B3)

Vitamins In the Blueprint protocol

Nicotinic acid, the form of B3 that causes the familiar flush — warm, red skin for twenty minutes or so, caused by prostaglandin-mediated dilation of small blood vessels.

What it does in the body

Niacin is a precursor to NAD+ and NADP, the coenzymes that carry electrons in essentially every energy-producing reaction in the cell. At pharmacological doses it also affects blood lipids.

What the research looks at

  • NAD+ levels in tissue
  • Blood lipid profile at high doses
  • Energy metabolism
Typical daily dose
16–35 mg
Time to effect
4–8 weeks
Usually taken
With food, to reduce flushing

Niacinamide (Nicotinamide)

Vitamins In the Blueprint protocol

The amide form of B3. It does not cause the flush, and it is the form used in skincare, where it appears on labels at two to ten per cent.

What it does in the body

Applied to skin, niacinamide supports ceramide synthesis in the barrier and interferes with the transfer of pigment from melanocytes to surrounding cells. Taken orally it feeds the same NAD+ pathway as niacin.

What the research looks at

  • Skin barrier function and moisture loss
  • Uneven pigmentation and redness
  • Sebum production
Typical daily dose
2–5% topically, 16 mg orally
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
Morning and evening on skin

NMN (Nicotinamide Mononucleotide)

Energy In the Blueprint protocol

One step away from NAD+ in the salvage pathway. NAD+ levels decline substantially with age, and raising them is one of the more actively pursued ideas in longevity research.

What it does in the body

NMN is converted to NAD+ by the NMNAT enzymes. NAD+ is consumed by the sirtuins and by PARP enzymes during DNA repair, so demand rises exactly when supply is falling.

What the research looks at

  • Blood NAD+ levels after supplementation
  • Insulin sensitivity and physical function
  • Sirtuin activity in animal models
Typical daily dose
250–1000 mg
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
Morning, on an empty stomach

NR (Nicotinamide Riboside)

Energy

The other common NAD+ precursor, one step further back than NMN. It has been through more human trials than NMN has, largely because it reached the market earlier.

What it does in the body

NR enters cells intact and is phosphorylated to NMN before conversion to NAD+. Whether NR or NMN raises tissue NAD+ more effectively is not settled.

What the research looks at

  • Blood NAD+ levels
  • Muscle function in older adults
  • Metabolic markers
Typical daily dose
250–500 mg
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
Morning, with or without food

Panax Ginseng

Energy

Asian ginseng, the root that gives the whole adaptogen category its reputation. Standardised on ginsenosides, of which there are more than a hundred distinct forms.

What it does in the body

Ginsenosides affect nitric oxide signalling and the way cells respond to oxidative load. The composition differs between species and preparations, which is a large part of why study results vary.

What the research looks at

  • Working memory and mental fatigue
  • Subjective energy during illness and convalescence
  • Blood glucose regulation
Typical daily dose
200–400 mg extract
Time to effect
2–8 weeks
Usually taken
Morning

Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5)

Vitamins In the Blueprint protocol

Named from the Greek for "from everywhere", because it turns up in almost all foods. Outright deficiency is correspondingly rare.

What it does in the body

B5 is the backbone of coenzyme A, which carries acetyl groups into the citric acid cycle and into the synthesis of fatty acids, cholesterol and steroid hormones.

What the research looks at

  • Adrenal steroid synthesis
  • Wound healing
  • Blood lipids at high doses
Typical daily dose
5–500 mg
Time to effect
4–8 weeks
Usually taken
Morning, with food

Pea Protein

Protein In the Blueprint protocol

Isolated from yellow split peas. It is the plant protein that comes closest to animal protein on leucine content, though it is comparatively low in methionine.

What it does in the body

Digests at a moderate rate and reaches roughly the same muscle protein synthesis response as whey when the dose is raised somewhat to compensate for the lower leucine density.

What the research looks at

  • Muscle thickness alongside resistance training
  • Comparison with whey on strength outcomes
  • Amino acid profile and complementary pairing with rice protein
Typical daily dose
25–40 g
Time to effect
8–12 weeks
Usually taken
After training or with meals

Peptides (skincare)

Skin In the Blueprint protocol

Short chains of amino acids used as signals rather than as ingredients. Matrixyl, argireline and copper peptides are the ones that appear most often on labels.

What it does in the body

Signal peptides mimic the fragments released when collagen breaks down, which tells fibroblasts to produce more. Neuropeptides work differently, interfering with the signal that contracts small facial muscles.

What the research looks at

  • Wrinkle depth and skin firmness
  • Collagen synthesis in skin explants
  • Penetration through the stratum corneum
Typical daily dose
As formulated
Time to effect
8–12 weeks
Usually taken
Morning and evening

Phosphatidylserine

Brain & focus

A phospholipid concentrated in the inner leaflet of neuronal membranes. Supplements were originally made from bovine brain and are now derived from sunflower or soy lecithin.

What it does in the body

Phosphatidylserine influences membrane fluidity and the activity of membrane-bound enzymes and receptors. It is also studied for its effect on the cortisol response to exercise.

What the research looks at

  • Memory and attention in older adults
  • Cortisol response to physical stress
  • Recovery after intense training
Typical daily dose
100–300 mg
Time to effect
6–12 weeks
Usually taken
With food

Potassium

Minerals

The electrolyte inside the cell, the counterpart to sodium outside it. Almost nobody eating a Western diet reaches the recommended intake, which is set at 3.5 grams a day.

What it does in the body

The sodium-potassium pump maintains the electrical gradient across every cell membrane. That gradient is what nerve impulses and heart rhythm are made of.

What the research looks at

  • Blood pressure, particularly alongside a high sodium intake
  • Stroke risk in population studies
  • Muscle cramping
Typical daily dose
3500 mg total intake
Time to effect
2–8 weeks
Usually taken
Split across the day, with food

PQQ (Pyrroloquinoline Quinone)

Energy

A small quinone found in fermented soy, kiwi and human breast milk. It is redox-stable enough to cycle thousands of times, where most antioxidants are consumed after one.

What it does in the body

PQQ activates PGC-1α, the transcription coactivator that signals a cell to build new mitochondria. That is a different mechanism from CoQ10, which supports the mitochondria already present.

What the research looks at

  • Mitochondrial biogenesis markers
  • Sleep quality and fatigue
  • Cognitive performance
Typical daily dose
10–20 mg
Time to effect
4–8 weeks
Usually taken
Morning, with food

Probiotics

Gut & digestion

Live bacteria, most commonly Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains. Effects are strain-specific, not species-specific — two products with the same species name can behave quite differently.

What it does in the body

Probiotic strains compete with less desirable bacteria for space and substrate, produce short-chain fatty acids and lactic acid, and interact with the immune tissue in the gut wall.

What the research looks at

  • Antibiotic-associated digestive upset
  • Symptoms of irritable bowel by strain
  • Immune markers
Typical daily dose
1–50 billion CFU
Time to effect
2–8 weeks
Usually taken
With or just before food

Pterostilbene

Antioxidants

A close relative of resveratrol found in blueberries. Two methyl groups make it considerably more fat-soluble, and its half-life in blood is several times longer.

What it does in the body

Acts on the same sirtuin and AMPK pathways as resveratrol, but reaches tissue at higher concentrations for the same dose because it resists first-pass metabolism better.

What the research looks at

  • Blood lipids and blood pressure
  • Cognitive markers
  • Bioavailability compared with resveratrol
Typical daily dose
50–250 mg
Time to effect
8–12 weeks
Usually taken
With a fat-containing meal

Quercetin

Antioxidants

The most abundant flavonoid in the diet, concentrated in onion skin, capers and apples. Absorption is low unless it is formulated with phospholipids or enzymatically modified.

What it does in the body

Quercetin stabilises mast cells, which is the basis of its use for seasonal complaints, and acts as a senolytic in laboratory work — selectively clearing cells that have stopped dividing.

What the research looks at

  • Histamine release and seasonal symptoms
  • Senescent cell clearance in animal models
  • Blood pressure
Typical daily dose
500–1000 mg
Time to effect
4–8 weeks
Usually taken
With food

Raw Honey

Antioxidants

Honey that has not been heated or filtered, so it keeps its pollen, enzymes and the compounds that pasteurisation drives off. It is still sugar, and should be counted as such.

What it does in the body

The enzyme glucose oxidase produces small amounts of hydrogen peroxide, which is why honey resists spoiling and why it is used on wounds. Raw honey also contains flavonoids and phenolic acids from the nectar source.

What the research looks at

  • Cough and throat irritation in children
  • Wound dressing in clinical use
  • Antioxidant content by floral source
Typical daily dose
1–2 teaspoons
Time to effect
Same day for throat use
Usually taken
Any time; not added to boiling liquid

Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum)

Sleep In the Blueprint protocol

A hard, lacquered bracket fungus called the mushroom of immortality in Chinese texts. It is too woody to eat, so it is always taken as an extract.

What it does in the body

Triterpenes give reishi its bitterness and are linked to its calming reputation; beta-glucans are the immune-active fraction. A dual extract is needed because the two dissolve in different solvents.

What the research looks at

  • Sleep quality and fatigue
  • Immune cell markers
  • Blood pressure and lipids
Typical daily dose
1–3 g extract
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
Evening

Resveratrol

Antioxidants

The polyphenol in grape skin that started the red wine argument. A glass of wine contains around a milligram; the doses used in research are hundreds of times that.

What it does in the body

Resveratrol activates SIRT1 and AMPK, two of the pathways that respond to calorie restriction. Bioavailability is poor — it is metabolised within minutes of absorption.

What the research looks at

  • Endothelial function and blood pressure
  • Insulin sensitivity
  • Sirtuin and AMPK activation
Typical daily dose
150–500 mg
Time to effect
8–12 weeks
Usually taken
With a fat-containing meal

Retinol (topical)

Skin

Vitamin A applied to skin. Retinol has to be converted twice — to retinaldehyde and then to retinoic acid — before it does anything, which is why it is gentler and slower than prescription tretinoin.

What it does in the body

Retinoic acid binds nuclear receptors in keratinocytes and speeds up cell turnover, while signalling fibroblasts in the dermis to lay down new collagen. The initial peeling is the turnover, not damage.

What the research looks at

  • Fine lines and skin thickness
  • Pigmentation and texture
  • Tolerance and irritation over time
Typical daily dose
0.1–1% topically
Time to effect
12–24 weeks
Usually taken
Evening only, with sunscreen by day

Rhodiola Rosea

Energy In the Blueprint protocol

An arctic root that grows on mountainsides and coastal cliffs across Scandinavia and Siberia. Extracts are standardised to rosavins and salidroside, the two marker compounds.

What it does in the body

Rhodiola influences the turnover of serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline, and affects how cells handle energy under load. Unlike ashwagandha it is generally described as activating rather than calming.

What the research looks at

  • Mental fatigue during long working days
  • Physical endurance and perceived exertion
  • Attention and reaction time under stress
Typical daily dose
200–600 mg
Time to effect
1–3 weeks
Usually taken
Morning, before food

Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)

Vitamins

The vitamin that turns urine bright yellow a few hours after a B complex. That is not a problem — it is simply the surplus leaving the body.

What it does in the body

Riboflavin forms FAD and FMN, the two flavin coenzymes that carry electrons through the respiratory chain. It is also required to regenerate glutathione.

What the research looks at

  • Migraine frequency at high doses
  • Energy metabolism and fatigue
  • Homocysteine levels together with folate and B12
Typical daily dose
1.3–400 mg
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
Morning, with food

Salicylic Acid (BHA)

Skin

A beta hydroxy acid derived from willow bark, and a close relative of aspirin. Unlike the AHAs it is oil-soluble.

What it does in the body

Because it dissolves in oil, salicylic acid can travel down into a sebum-filled pore and exfoliate from the inside. The AHAs work only on the surface, where there is water.

What the research looks at

  • Blocked pores and blackheads
  • Inflammatory acne lesions
  • Sebum regulation
Typical daily dose
0.5–2% topically
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
Evening, on oily areas

Saw Palmetto

Hair

Berries from a dwarf palm native to the south-eastern United States, extracted for their fatty acids and sterols.

What it does in the body

Saw palmetto is studied as an inhibitor of 5-alpha-reductase, the enzyme that converts testosterone into dihydrotestosterone — the androgen involved in both prostate growth and pattern hair loss.

What the research looks at

  • Urinary symptoms in benign prostate enlargement
  • Androgenetic hair loss
  • DHT levels in scalp tissue
Typical daily dose
160–320 mg extract
Time to effect
8–24 weeks
Usually taken
With food

Scutellaria baicalensis (Baicalin)

Antioxidants

Chinese skullcap, one of the fundamental herbs in traditional Chinese medicine. The root is rich in the flavones baicalin, baicalein and wogonin.

What it does in the body

Baicalin is a flavonoid antioxidant that influences several enzymes in the inflammatory cascade. It is also studied for how it interacts with liver detoxification enzymes.

What the research looks at

  • Markers of oxidative stress
  • Liver enzyme activity
  • Airway and seasonal complaints
Typical daily dose
250–1000 mg
Time to effect
2–8 weeks
Usually taken
With food

Selenium

Minerals In the Blueprint protocol

A trace mineral whose content in food depends entirely on the soil the crop grew in. European soils are comparatively poor in it; a single Brazil nut can cover a day's requirement.

What it does in the body

Selenium is built into selenoproteins, including glutathione peroxidase and the deiodinase enzymes that convert thyroid hormone T4 into the active T3.

What the research looks at

  • Thyroid antibody levels
  • Antioxidant enzyme activity
  • Immune function
Typical daily dose
55–200 µg
Time to effect
8–12 weeks
Usually taken
With food

Silica (Silicon)

Minerals

Bioavailable silicon, usually from bamboo extract, horsetail or orthosilicic acid. Beer is, improbably, one of the richest dietary sources in Europe.

What it does in the body

Silicon is involved in the cross-linking of collagen and glycosaminoglycans in connective tissue. In binder formulations it also has a physical role, adsorbing compounds in the gut.

What the research looks at

  • Hair and nail strength
  • Skin elasticity
  • Bone collagen formation
Typical daily dose
10–40 mg
Time to effect
12–20 weeks
Usually taken
With food

Spermidine

Antioxidants In the Blueprint protocol

A polyamine found in wheat germ, aged cheese and natto. It is one of the few dietary compounds with population data linking higher intake to longer life.

What it does in the body

Spermidine induces autophagy, the process by which cells dismantle and recycle damaged components. Autophagy declines with age, and most of the interest in spermidine follows from that.

What the research looks at

  • Markers of autophagy
  • Cognitive performance in older adults
  • Cardiac function in animal models
Typical daily dose
1–6 mg
Time to effect
12 weeks or more
Usually taken
Morning, on an empty stomach

Spirulina

Protein

A blue-green cyanobacterium rather than an alga, grown in alkaline lakes. It is around sixty per cent protein by dry weight, which is higher than any common food.

What it does in the body

Phycocyanin, the blue pigment, is the main antioxidant and gives spirulina its colour. It also supplies iron and, notably, no usable B12 — the form it contains is a pseudo-vitamin the body cannot use.

What the research looks at

  • Blood lipids and blood pressure
  • Exercise-induced oxidative stress
  • Iron status in anaemia
Typical daily dose
3–10 g
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
With food

Squalane

Skin In the Blueprint protocol

The hydrogenated, shelf-stable version of squalene, a lipid the skin makes itself. Modern squalane is produced from sugar cane or olives rather than from shark liver.

What it does in the body

Squalane is close enough to the skin's own sebum to absorb without a film, so it restores the lipid part of the barrier — the fats that stop water escaping between the cells.

What the research looks at

  • Transepidermal water loss
  • Barrier repair after irritation
  • Comedogenicity, which is low
Typical daily dose
A few drops
Time to effect
Days to weeks
Usually taken
Last step, on damp skin

Sulforaphane

Antioxidants In the Blueprint protocol

Formed when broccoli is chewed or chopped and the enzyme myrosinase meets glucoraphanin. Broccoli sprouts contain up to a hundred times more of the precursor than the mature head.

What it does in the body

Sulforaphane is the most potent known natural activator of Nrf2, the transcription factor that switches on the cell's own antioxidant and phase II detoxification enzymes. It works indirectly, by making the cell defend itself.

What the research looks at

  • Nrf2 target gene expression
  • Detoxification of airborne pollutants
  • Markers of oxidative stress
Typical daily dose
10–40 mg
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
On an empty stomach

Taurine

Heart & circulation In the Blueprint protocol

A sulphur-containing amino acid that is not built into proteins. It is abundant in shellfish and meat, and largely absent from plant foods.

What it does in the body

Taurine regulates calcium handling inside cells, stabilises membranes and conjugates bile acids. Concentrations in tissue fall with age, which is why it appears in longevity research.

What the research looks at

  • Blood pressure and cardiac function
  • Exercise performance and recovery
  • Age-related decline in tissue taurine
Typical daily dose
1–3 g
Time to effect
4–8 weeks
Usually taken
Any time of day

Thiamine (Vitamin B1)

Vitamins In the Blueprint protocol

The first B vitamin to be isolated, which is where the number comes from. It is water-soluble and stored only in small amounts, so intake has to be continuous.

What it does in the body

As thiamine pyrophosphate it is a cofactor for the enzymes that move pyruvate into the citric acid cycle. Without it, cells cannot extract energy from carbohydrate efficiently.

What the research looks at

  • Energy metabolism in nerve and muscle tissue
  • Cognitive function where intake is low
  • Status in people with a high alcohol intake
Typical daily dose
1.1–100 mg
Time to effect
2–6 weeks
Usually taken
Morning, with food

TMG (Betaine / Trimethylglycine)

Liver & detox

Three methyl groups attached to glycine. Beetroot is the richest food source, which is where the name betaine comes from.

What it does in the body

TMG donates a methyl group to convert homocysteine back into methionine — a route that runs parallel to the folate and B12 pathway and does not depend on either.

What the research looks at

  • Homocysteine levels
  • Liver fat
  • Power output in strength athletes
Typical daily dose
500–3000 mg
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
With food

Tocotrienols

Vitamins

The other half of the vitamin E family, and the half normally left out. Annatto is the only common source that contains tocotrienols without any tocopherol alongside them.

What it does in the body

The unsaturated side chain lets tocotrienols move more freely within cell membranes than tocopherols can. They also inhibit HMG-CoA reductase, the enzyme statins target.

What the research looks at

  • Blood lipid profile
  • Liver fat
  • Bone metabolism
Typical daily dose
150–300 mg
Time to effect
8–12 weeks
Usually taken
With a fat-containing meal, away from tocopherols

Trans-Resveratrol

Antioxidants

The biologically active isomer. Resveratrol exists as cis and trans forms, and only the trans form has meaningful activity — which is why the label should say which one it contains.

What it does in the body

Same mechanisms as resveratrol, but the trans configuration is what binds the targets. It is also unstable in light and heat, so packaging and storage matter more than for most ingredients.

What the research looks at

  • Stability and isomer content in commercial products
  • Bioavailability with piperine or fat
Typical daily dose
150–500 mg
Time to effect
8–12 weeks
Usually taken
With a fat-containing meal

Tribulus Terrestris

Hormones

A low-growing plant found across southern Europe and Asia, standardised on steroidal saponins called protodioscins.

What it does in the body

Often sold as a testosterone booster. Controlled trials in healthy men have generally not found an effect on testosterone; the findings that do exist relate mostly to sexual function.

What the research looks at

  • Libido and sexual function
  • Testosterone levels — with largely negative results in healthy men
Typical daily dose
250–750 mg extract
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
With food

Triglyceride-Form Omega-3

Fatty acids

Most concentrated fish oil on the market is in ethyl ester form, a by-product of how it is purified. Re-esterified triglyceride oil converts it back to the form fat naturally takes in food.

What it does in the body

Pancreatic lipase cleaves triglycerides more readily than ethyl esters, so a larger share of the dose reaches the bloodstream — the difference measured in absorption studies is substantial.

What the research looks at

  • Omega-3 index after supplementation
  • Absorption compared with ethyl ester oils
  • Oxidative stability
Typical daily dose
1000–2000 mg oil
Time to effect
8–12 weeks
Usually taken
With a meal containing fat

Tryptophan

Sleep

An essential amino acid, meaning the body cannot make it and it has to come from food. Turkey gets the reputation, but eggs, oats and cheese contain more per gram.

What it does in the body

Tryptophan is the raw material for serotonin and, by extension, melatonin. It competes with other large neutral amino acids for transport into the brain, which is why it is taken away from protein-rich meals.

What the research looks at

  • Sleep latency and night-time waking
  • Mood under stress
Typical daily dose
500–2000 mg
Time to effect
1–3 weeks
Usually taken
Evening, on an empty stomach

Ubiquinol

Energy

The reduced, already-active form of CoQ10. Younger bodies convert ubiquinone to ubiquinol without difficulty; that conversion becomes less efficient with age, which is the argument for buying it pre-reduced.

What it does in the body

Same role in the respiratory chain as ubiquinone, but ubiquinol is the form that actually donates electrons to lipid radicals, so it is the antioxidant-active state of the molecule.

What the research looks at

  • Plasma CoQ10 levels compared with ubiquinone
  • Cardiac output in heart failure
  • Oxidative stress markers
Typical daily dose
100–200 mg
Time to effect
8–12 weeks
Usually taken
With a fat-containing meal

Valerian Root

Sleep

A perennial European herb whose root has been used as a sleep aid since antiquity. The smell is unmistakable and comes from valerenic acid and its relatives.

What it does in the body

Valerenic acid binds to GABA-A receptors, the same family benzodiazepines act on, though far more weakly and without the same dependency profile.

What the research looks at

  • Time taken to fall asleep
  • Subjective sleep quality
  • Restlessness and tension
Typical daily dose
300–600 mg extract
Time to effect
Same evening to 2 weeks
Usually taken
30–60 minutes before bed

Vitamin A (Retinol)

Vitamins

A fat-soluble vitamin that comes in two forms: preformed retinol from animal foods such as liver and cod liver oil, and beta-carotene from plants, which the body converts with varying efficiency.

What it does in the body

Retinol is converted to retinal in the retina, where it forms the light-sensitive pigment rhodopsin, and to retinoic acid, which regulates gene expression in skin and mucous membranes.

What the research looks at

  • Night vision and eye health
  • The barrier function of skin and mucous membranes
  • Immune cell maturation
Typical daily dose
700–900 µg RAE
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
With a fat-containing meal

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine / P-5-P)

Vitamins In the Blueprint protocol

Sold either as pyridoxine hydrochloride or as pyridoxal-5-phosphate, the active coenzyme form the liver would otherwise have to make itself.

What it does in the body

B6 is a cofactor in more than a hundred enzyme reactions, including the synthesis of serotonin, dopamine and GABA, and the conversion of homocysteine to cysteine.

What the research looks at

  • Homocysteine levels together with folate and B12
  • Premenstrual symptoms
  • Neurotransmitter synthesis
Typical daily dose
1.4–25 mg
Time to effect
4–8 weeks
Usually taken
Morning, with food

Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)

Vitamins

The only vitamin that contains a metal atom — cobalt — and the one that is genuinely absent from plant foods. Methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin are the two active forms; cyanocobalamin has to be converted.

What it does in the body

B12 is a cofactor in two reactions: the conversion of homocysteine to methionine, and the handling of methylmalonyl-CoA in fatty acid metabolism. Nerve myelin depends on both.

What the research looks at

  • Homocysteine and methylmalonic acid levels
  • Nerve function and sensation
  • Status on vegan and vegetarian diets
Typical daily dose
2.4 µg–1000 µg
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
Morning, with or without food

Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)

Vitamins In the Blueprint protocol

Humans are among the few mammals that cannot make their own vitamin C — a broken enzyme, shared with guinea pigs and fruit bats, is the reason it has to come from food.

What it does in the body

Ascorbate is a cofactor for the enzymes that hydroxylate collagen, which is why deficiency shows up first in connective tissue. It also regenerates vitamin E and keeps iron and copper in the right oxidation state.

What the research looks at

  • Duration of common colds
  • Collagen synthesis and skin firmness
  • Non-haem iron absorption
Typical daily dose
80–1000 mg
Time to effect
2–8 weeks
Usually taken
Split across the day

Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol)

Vitamins In the Blueprint protocol

Technically a hormone rather than a vitamin. Skin makes it from sunlight, but above roughly 40 degrees latitude the sun sits too low from October to March for that to work at all — which covers most of Europe.

What it does in the body

Cholecalciferol is hydroxylated in the liver and then the kidney into calcitriol, which binds a nuclear receptor present in most tissues and regulates several hundred genes, including those governing calcium absorption.

What the research looks at

  • Calcium absorption and bone density
  • Respiratory infections during winter
  • Muscle strength in older adults
Typical daily dose
1000–4000 IU
Time to effect
8–12 weeks
Usually taken
With the largest meal of the day

Vitamin E (Tocopherols)

Vitamins In the Blueprint protocol

A family of eight related compounds, not one substance. Most supplements contain only alpha-tocopherol, which is the form the body retains preferentially but not the only one that matters.

What it does in the body

Vitamin E sits inside cell membranes and stops the chain reaction of lipid peroxidation — it takes the hit so the membrane fat does not. Vitamin C then regenerates it.

What the research looks at

  • Oxidation of LDL particles
  • Skin barrier and photodamage
  • Membrane stability in red blood cells
Typical daily dose
12–268 mg
Time to effect
8–12 weeks
Usually taken
With a fat-containing meal

Vitamin K1 (Phylloquinone)

Vitamins In the Blueprint protocol

The form of vitamin K found in green leaves — kale, spinach, broccoli. It is the form the liver takes up preferentially.

What it does in the body

K1 activates the clotting factors made in the liver by carboxylating specific glutamate residues. Little of it reaches tissue outside the liver.

What the research looks at

  • Blood coagulation
  • Bone mineral density
Typical daily dose
75–120 µg
Time to effect
4–8 weeks
Usually taken
With a fat-containing meal

Vitamin K2 (MK-4)

Vitamins In the Blueprint protocol

A short-chain menaquinone found in butter, egg yolk and organ meat. The body can also convert some K1 into MK-4 itself.

What it does in the body

MK-4 activates osteocalcin in bone and matrix Gla protein in arterial walls — the proteins that direct calcium into the skeleton rather than into soft tissue. Its half-life in blood is only a few hours.

What the research looks at

  • Bone density and fracture rate
  • Arterial calcification
Typical daily dose
45 mg in trials, 100–1500 µg typically
Time to effect
12 weeks or more
Usually taken
Split across the day, with food

Vitamin K2 (MK-7)

Vitamins In the Blueprint protocol

The long-chain menaquinone produced by bacterial fermentation — natto, the Japanese fermented soybean dish, contains more of it than anything else people eat.

What it does in the body

Same carboxylation reactions as MK-4, but MK-7 stays in circulation for around three days rather than a few hours, so a single daily dose keeps tissue levels steady.

What the research looks at

  • Arterial stiffness and calcification
  • Bone mineral density over several years
Typical daily dose
90–200 µg
Time to effect
12 weeks or more
Usually taken
With a fat-containing meal

Whey Protein

Protein

The liquid fraction left when milk is curdled. It was a waste product from cheese-making until its amino acid profile turned out to be close to ideal for muscle protein synthesis.

What it does in the body

Whey is high in leucine, the amino acid that switches on mTOR signalling, and it digests fast — blood amino acids peak within an hour, which is why it is used around training.

What the research looks at

  • Muscle protein synthesis after resistance training
  • Lean mass retention during weight loss
  • Satiety compared with other protein sources
Typical daily dose
20–40 g
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
After training or between meals

Wild Blueberries

Antioxidants In the Blueprint protocol

The small, dark northern berry, not the cultivated kind. It has a much higher skin-to-flesh ratio, and the skin is where the anthocyanins are — roughly twice the concentration.

What it does in the body

Anthocyanins cross into brain tissue in small amounts and are studied for their effect on cerebral blood flow and on signalling in the hippocampus.

What the research looks at

  • Memory and executive function
  • Cerebral blood flow after a single dose
  • Blood pressure and endothelial function
Typical daily dose
100–250 g fresh equivalent
Time to effect
2–12 weeks
Usually taken
Any time of day

Zeaxanthin

Antioxidants In the Blueprint protocol

Lutein's structural isomer, differing by the position of a single double bond. It is concentrated at the very centre of the macula, where lutein sits further out.

What it does in the body

Same blue-light filtering role as lutein but in the region of highest visual acuity. The two are taken together because the eye deposits them in different zones.

What the research looks at

  • Macular pigment density in the central fovea
  • Visual performance in bright light
Typical daily dose
2–4 mg
Time to effect
12 weeks or more
Usually taken
With a fat-containing meal

Zinc

Minerals In the Blueprint protocol

A trace mineral present in the active site of hundreds of enzymes. There is no storage depot for it, so a few weeks of low intake shows up in function rather than in a reserve being drawn down.

What it does in the body

Zinc is structural in zinc-finger proteins that read DNA, required for T-cell maturation, and a cofactor in the enzymes that build collagen and keratin.

What the research looks at

  • Duration of common colds
  • Wound healing and acne
  • Testosterone levels where intake is low
Typical daily dose
10–25 mg
Time to effect
4–12 weeks
Usually taken
With food, away from iron and calcium

Zinc Carnosine

Gut & digestion

A one-to-one chelate of zinc and L-carnosine, developed in Japan where it has been used for gastric complaints since the nineties.

What it does in the body

The complex is more stable in the stomach than either component alone and adheres to areas of damaged mucosa, releasing zinc slowly at the site rather than being absorbed straight away.

What the research looks at

  • Gastric mucosal integrity
  • Small intestinal permeability, including damage from NSAIDs
Typical daily dose
75 mg
Time to effect
4–8 weeks
Usually taken
Between meals

Why the form and the dose matter

Two products can name the same ingredient on the label and behave completely differently. Magnesium oxide and magnesium glycinate are both magnesium; only one of them is absorbed properly. Ethyl ester fish oil and triglyceride fish oil are both omega-3. Folic acid and methylfolate are both folate, but not for everyone.

That is the difference this page is written to make visible. Where a form matters we have given it its own entry rather than hiding it inside a general one, and the dose listed is the one used in the research — not the smallest amount a manufacturer can put on a label and still name the ingredient.

We only describe a product as third-party tested when there is documentation behind the claim. Below is what each of our brands actually documents, brand by brand.

Third-party testing

Certificates of analysis

Pick a brand to see what is actually tested and who tests it. Four of the seven publish reports you can open right here — and they publish different amounts, from a certificate for every batch down to a single lot. The other three document their testing and hand over the paperwork for a specific batch when you ask. That difference is worth knowing before you buy, so we have not smoothed it over. Every report is also linked from the product it covers.

Blueprint 24 reports published

Every batch goes to an independent accredited laboratory in the United States, which checks the contents against the label and screens for heavy metals, microbes and other contamination. Blueprint publishes the full report for every batch, and a new one follows each production run.

Supplements

Nutrition

Skincare

Haircare

Lineage Provisions 9 reports published

Samples from every batch are run on ICP-MS, LC-MS and GC-MS and screened for more than three hundred contaminants, among them heavy metals, glyphosate, pesticides and mycotoxins. The analyses are done by Light Labs, who publish a running report per product with every test result in it — not a single certificate but the whole series, with the date of the most recent test.

Supplements

Nutrition

Designs for Health 14 reports published

Raw materials are tested for identity, purity and potency at external ISO-certified laboratories and screened for heavy metals, pesticides and microbiological contamination. A supplier’s own certificate is treated as a claim to verify rather than a result to accept. Certificates are published per lot rather than for the product as a whole, so the one below covers the lot number printed on it and no other — for a different lot, ask us and we will request it.

Supplements

SALTE 1 report published

Each batch is sent to Eurofins, an independent accredited laboratory, which confirms that the sodium, potassium, magnesium and chloride in a sachet match the amounts on the packet. The published report covers five flavours in one document and is the laboratory’s own, in Swedish.

Supplements

ARMRA Testing documented

Every production run is audited by ISO/IEC-accredited third-party laboratories for heavy metals, glyphosate, other contaminants and microbiology before any of it is released for sale. ARMRA documents the programme and its certifications publicly; the report for a specific batch comes from the manufacturer on request.

Quicksilver Scientific Testing documented

Made in an NSF/ANSI 455-2 GMP-certified facility in Colorado with its own ISO/IEC 17025-accredited testing laboratory. Every batch is tested both in-house and by outside laboratories for potency and purity; the certificate for a batch comes from the manufacturer on request.

Solgar Reports on request

Solgar tests raw materials on arrival and finished products before release in its own quality laboratory, and manufactures to GMP. That is an in-house programme, not an outside verification: Solgar carries no NSF or USP certification, so we do not describe it as third-party tested. Batch documentation is available from the manufacturer on request.

Vital Nutrients Testing documented

Vital Nutrients documents a Quality Assurance Programme that engages third-party laboratories — every batch of GMO-susceptible ingredients, for example, is tested for GMO markers at an independent genetics laboratory, and even the bottles are third-party verified BPA-free. Individual lot certificates are not published; documentation for a batch comes from the manufacturer on request.

T.A. Sciences Testing documented

T.A. Sciences documents an end-to-end testing and analysis programme across sourcing, formulation and US manufacturing, and TA-65 has been determined Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) by an independent expert panel. That safety assessment is not batch testing, and no lot certificates are published — documentation comes from the manufacturer on request.

Why testing matters

Why does a supplement need testing at all?

Because nothing else verifies the label. A supplement is regulated as a food, not as a medicine, which means no authority checks each batch before it reaches a shelf. Testing is what turns the number on the tub into something you can look up.

What is being tested for?

Two separate things. Identity and quantity — is the ingredient present, and in the amount the label states. And contamination — heavy metals, microbes, solvent residues and traces from the packaging, which can come from the raw material, the production line or the container.

How often is the label actually wrong?

Often enough to be worth checking. Of 272 supplements implicated in liver injury in the United States, 51 per cent had contents that did not match the label (Hepatology Communications, 2019). Among 57 botanical sports supplements, 89 per cent were inaccurately labelled and 40 per cent contained none of the labelled ingredient at all (JAMA Network Open, 2023).

What can I ask you for?

The report for the batch you were sent. Where a manufacturer does not publish one, we ask them for it — tell us the product and the batch number on the tub and we will come back with what they give us, or with the fact that they would not.

The certificates are the property of the manufacturers and their laboratories, and are linked here in their original location. Blueprint’s reports may not be reused without Blueprint’s permission.

This page is general information about ingredients, not advice for you. Food supplements are not medicines and do not cure, treat or prevent disease. They do not replace a varied diet, sleep, movement or medical care. Doses and timings are those used in published research and on product labels; they are not a recommendation. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or living with a medical condition, talk to a doctor or pharmacist before starting anything new.