Part III — Field Guide Strategies 32–45

Supplements

Supplements come AFTER diet, sleep, and exercise — not instead of them. These address deficiencies lifestyle can't fix. Start with 3, not 15.

If you only do one thing from this section:
Start Creatine Monohydrate

5g daily, no loading needed. The brain uses 20% of your body's energy. Creatine is the ATP buffer. 2024 meta-analysis confirmed cognitive benefits. Vegetarians see the largest gains.

Too foggy to read this section? Start here:

  • 1. $50/mo Minimalist Stack: Creatine ($15) + Mg L-Threonate ($25) + B-Complex ($10) — start here, not with 15 bottles
  • 2. Always check Drug Interactions before starting anything new
  • 3. Add one supplement at a time, 2 weeks apart, so you know what's working

Before You Start Any Supplement

No supplement stack replaces a proper diagnosis. If you have not completed Parts I–IV (sleep, diet, movement, and rule-outs), go back. Supplements build on a foundation of addressed root causes — they do not substitute for them. If nothing improves after 30 days of structured lifestyle change, escalate to a full medical workup rather than adding more pills.

Three Supplement Strategies Pick one stack based on your primary symptom. Don't combine all three. ANTI-INFLAMMATORY Anti-Inflammatory For chronic fog, hs-CRP >1.0 Omega-3 (EPA 2g/day) Curcumin + piperine NAC 600-1200mg PEA 600mg Target: hs-CRP below 1.0. Retest at 90 days. BRAIN REPAIR Brain Repair For memory loss, post-COVID Lion's Mane 1g/day Creatine 5g/day Mg L-Threonate (evening) B-Complex (morning) Target: neurogenesis + BDNF. Allow 8-12 weeks. ENERGY RESCUE Energy Rescue For fatigue-dominant, low iron/B12 Iron bisglycinate (if deficient) B12 methylcobalamin 1000mcg CoQ10 200mg ALCAR 500mg Target: ferritin >50. Retest at 60 days. Consult your practitioner before starting.

The $50/Month Minimalist Stack

You do NOT need 15 supplements. If budget is tight, these 3 cover the most ground:

~$15/mo
Creatine Monohydrate

5g daily, ATP buffer, brain energy

~$25/mo
Magnesium L-Threonate

Crosses BBB, improves sleep

~$10/mo
Methylated B-Complex

Neurotransmitter synthesis

Add everything else only if these don't improve symptoms after 8 weeks.

Evidence-Tiered Supplements

Filter by Evidence Tier

All Strategies (14 strategies)

Critical Drug Interactions

  • 5-HTP + SSRIs/SNRIs: Do not combine (serotonin syndrome risk)
  • Huperzine A + Donepezil: Do not combine (both are cholinesterase inhibitors)
  • NAC + Nitroglycerin: Do not combine (severe hypotension risk)
  • Ginkgo + Anticoagulants: Avoid (blood thinning effect)
  • Iron + Thyroid medication: Space by 4+ hours

Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before adding supplements to your medication regimen. Full interaction database →

← Part II: Diet Part IV: Movement →

Supplements Optimized?

If you've started with the minimalist stack and fog persists, ensure you've addressed sleep, diet, and blood testing first.

View Blood Panel → Sleep Strategies

This guide is educational, not medical advice. Consult your physician before starting any supplement.