supplement-stack-evaluator

name	supplement-stack-evaluator
description	Evaluate a user's current supplement stack and recommend additions or removals with specific dosages, forms, and timing. Use when someone asks about supplements, wants to know what to take, lists their current supplements, or asks 'should I take X.' This skill gives personalized recommendations based on the user's goals, with exact mg dosages and timing protocols from Huberman Lab.

Supplement Stack Evaluator

You evaluate the user's current supplements and goals, then build or refine their stack using Huberman's specific recommendations with exact dosages, forms, and timing.

The Consultation

Step 1: Current Stack Audit

Ask:

1. What supplements do you currently take? (Name, dosage, form, timing)
2. What are your primary health goals? (Sleep, focus, mood, exercise performance, general health, stress, longevity)
3. Any medications? (Important for interactions — flag but don't give medical advice)
4. Diet overview: (Standard, vegetarian, keto, fasting — affects baseline nutrient status)
5. Budget sensitivity? (Supplements add up — helps prioritize)

Step 2: Evaluate Current Stack

For each supplement they're taking, check against Huberman's recommendations:

• Right substance, wrong form? (e.g., magnesium oxide instead of threonate)
• Right substance, wrong dosage? (e.g., melatonin at 5mg instead of 0.5mg or none)
• Right substance, wrong timing? (e.g., caffeine immediately upon waking)
• Unnecessary? (Something Huberman doesn't recommend or actively advises against)
• Missing something important? (Based on their goals)

Step 3: The Huberman Supplement Reference

Use these as the source of truth. All dosages and recommendations are from Huberman's episodes.

Foundational (Huberman takes these himself)

Supplement	Dosage	Form	Timing	Purpose
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA)	1-3g EPA per day (above DHA content)	Liquid fish oil or high-EPA capsules	With food	Mood, brain health, inflammation. Key: the EPA fraction is what matters for mood — minimum 1000mg EPA above whatever DHA content.
Vitamin D3	1000-5000 IU/day	D3 (not D2)	Morning, with fat-containing food	Immune function, mood, bone health. Many people are deficient.
Magnesium threonate	300-400mg	Threonate form (e.g., Magtein)	30-60 min before sleep	Sleep, cognitive function. Crosses blood-brain barrier.
Creatine monohydrate	5g/day	Monohydrate (cheapest, most studied)	Any time, with or without food	Physical performance + cognitive benefits. "One of the most well-studied and safe supplements."

Sleep Stack

Supplement	Dosage	Form	Timing	Notes
Magnesium threonate	300-400mg	Threonate	30-60 min before bed	Primary sleep supplement
Apigenin	50mg	Capsule	30-60 min before bed	GABA-A agonist, mild sedation
L-theanine	100-400mg	Capsule	30-60 min before bed	Caution: can cause vivid dreams or sleepwalking in some. Start at 100mg.
Glycine	2g	Powder or capsule	30-60 min before bed	Lowers core body temperature
Inositol	900mg	Myo-inositol	Before bed or upon night waking	Specifically for middle-of-night waking

Focus & Cognitive Stack

Supplement	Dosage	Form	Timing	Notes
Alpha-GPC	300-600mg	Capsule	30 min before focused work	Acetylcholine precursor. Caveat: Huberman mentions some concern about long-term use and TMAO — consider garlic (600mg) as a counterbalance.
L-tyrosine	500mg	Capsule	30 min before focused work	Dopamine precursor. Not for daily use — use on demanding days.
Caffeine	100-400mg (1-3mg/kg body weight)	Coffee, tea, or pill	90-120 min after waking	Standard focus enhancer. Delay is key.

Mood & Stress Stack

Supplement	Dosage	Form	Timing	Notes
EPA omega-3	1000mg+ EPA	See foundational	With food	Threshold for mood effects. Below this, effects are minimal.
Ashwagandha	300-600mg	KSM-66 or Sensoril extract	Evening	Cortisol reduction. BUT: Huberman warns against chronic daily use — concerns about thyroid function and blunting beneficial stress responses. Cycle: 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off, or use only during high-stress periods.
Rhodiola rosea	100-200mg	Standardized extract	Before stressful events	Acute cortisol modulation. Not for daily long-term use.

Exercise Performance Stack

Supplement	Dosage	Form	Timing	Notes
Creatine monohydrate	5g/day	Monohydrate	Any time	Strength, power, cognitive. No loading phase needed.
Caffeine	1-3mg/kg	Coffee or pill	30-60 min pre-workout	Performance enhancer.
Beta-alanine	3.2g/day	Powder	Any time (split doses to reduce tingling)	Endurance, buffering capacity.
Electrolytes	Sodium, potassium, magnesium	Salt + electrolyte mix	Before and during training	Hydration and performance.

Hormonal Support (with strong caveats)

Supplement	Dosage	Form	Timing	Notes
Tongkat ali	400mg	Standardized extract (10:1)	Morning	May support testosterone. Huberman mentions taking this.
Fadogia agrestis	425-600mg	Extract	Morning	Testosterone support. BUT: Huberman has flagged potential toxicity concerns at higher doses. Cycle: 8-12 weeks on, 2-4 weeks off. Blood work recommended.
Boron	2-6mg	Capsule	Morning	May support free testosterone. Low risk.

What Huberman Recommends AGAINST

Substance	Why
Melatonin (most doses)	"Melatonin is a hormone, not a supplement." Doses in products (3-10mg) are 10-100x physiological. Label accuracy is poor. Suppresses gonadal hormones at high doses. Exception: 0.5-1mg for jet lag, short-term only.
High-dose vitamin C	"Most people get enough from food. High doses just create expensive urine."
Most testosterone boosters	"The vast majority have no good data." Tongkat ali and fadogia are the exceptions he mentions, with caveats.

Step 4: Build the Optimized Stack

Based on their goals, current stack, and budget:

1. Keep: What they're already taking that aligns with Huberman's recommendations
2. Adjust: Form, dosage, or timing changes
3. Add: Missing supplements for their stated goals
4. Remove: Things that are unnecessary, poorly dosed, or counterproductive
5. Deprioritize: Nice-to-haves they can add later if budget allows

Output

# Your Optimized Supplement Stack

**Goals:** [their goals]

## Changes to Current Stack

| Current | Change | Why |
|---------|--------|-----|
| [what they take] | [keep/adjust/remove] | [specific reason] |

## Recommended Stack

### Priority 1 (Start Here)
| Supplement | Dosage | Form | Timing | Purpose |
|-----------|--------|------|--------|---------|
| [name] | [exact mg] | [specific form] | [when] | [why] |

### Priority 2 (Add When Ready)
| Supplement | Dosage | Form | Timing | Purpose |
|-----------|--------|------|--------|---------|

### Priority 3 (Optional Enhancements)
| Supplement | Dosage | Form | Timing | Purpose |
|-----------|--------|------|--------|---------|

## Timing Schedule

| Time of Day | Supplements | Notes |
|------------|-------------|-------|
| Morning (with food) | [list] | |
| Pre-workout | [list] | |
| 30-60 min before bed | [list] | |

## Important Caveats
- [Interactions to watch]
- [Cycling recommendations]
- [When to get blood work]

## Cost Estimate
[Rough monthly cost for the priority 1 stack]

## Source Episodes
[Relevant episode filenames]

Related Skills

• dopamine-masterclass — The dopamine stacking warning is critical context for supplement decisions.
• sleep-optimizer — For sleep-specific stacks and timing.
• exercise-protocol-builder — For workout supplement timing (creatine, caffeine, beta-alanine).
• gut-brain-connection — Gut health affects supplement absorption and efficacy.

Related Frameworks

• magnesium-forms-guide.md — Why the form matters more than the dose (threonate vs. glycinate vs. oxide).
• omega-3-epa-threshold.md — The 1000mg EPA threshold for mood effects and why DHA ratio matters.
• ashwagandha-nuanced-view.md — Why Huberman warns against chronic daily use and recommends cycling.
• tongkat-ali-fadogia-protocol.md — Hormonal support with specific cycling and blood work caveats.
• creatine-brain-body.md — The most well-studied supplement: 5g/day for both physical and cognitive benefits.
• alpha-gpc-focus-protocol.md — Acetylcholine precursor for focus, with TMAO caveat and garlic counterbalance.
• melatonin-warning.md — Why Huberman recommends against supplemental melatonin and the label accuracy problem.
• hormozi-value-equation-health-protocols.md — Score supplements on dream outcome, evidence quality, time to effect, and compliance burden.
• balaji-truth-classifier-health-claims.md — Separate scientific truth from commercial/social truth in supplement marketing claims.
• sleep-supplements-stack.md — Alternative sleep stack reference with additional formulation details.

Disclaimer

This is educational information organized from a public podcast. It is not medical advice. Supplement quality varies widely — Huberman recommends testing through third-party verification (NSF, USP, Informed Sport). Consult a healthcare provider, especially if you take prescription medications.