Heliograms

All Things Considered

Here's Some Info On My Vitamins

BIOASTIN

BioAstin is a dietary supplement that contains astaxanthin, a powerful antioxidant derived from the microalgae Haematococcus pluvialis. It is known for supporting various aspects of health, including eye, skin, joint, and cardiovascular health, as well as aiding in exercise recovery.

BERBERINE

Berberine is valued for its potential health benefits, including aiding in weight loss, improving blood sugar regulation, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects in the digestive system, and supporting heart health. It has a long history of use in traditional medicine and is being studied for its effects on various chronic conditions.
Newer research shows it fights chronic inflammation by lowering cytokines, boosting anti-oxidants and inhibiting NF-kB. Berberine is similar to metformin in that it works on the AMKP pathway. Latest recommendation states 500mg 2-3x daily, before meals, best with probiotics for gut health, and cycle - 8 wks on, 2-4 wks off.
(The AMPK pathway, or AMP-activated protein kinase pathway, is a crucial regulator of cellular energy metabolism, activated in response to low energy levels. It promotes energy-generating processes like fatty acid oxidation and autophagy while inhibiting energy-consuming processes such as protein and lipid synthesis.)

BROMELAIN

Bromelain is often used for its potential anti-inflammatory effects and may aid in reducing pain, swelling, and general healing, particularly after surgeries or in conditions like sinusitis and osteoarthritis. It is also used as part of a spike protein detox protocol.

HYALURONIC ACID

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a substance naturally found in the skin and joints that helps retain moisture. It is commonly used in skincare products to improve skin hydration, reduce the appearance of wrinkles, and promote wound healing.1 It is also used in some joint supplements and injections to relieve pain and improve mobility by lubricating and cushioning the joints.

L GLUTAMINE

L-glutamine is an amino acid that plays critical roles in health, such as supporting the immune system, wound healing, irritable bowel symptoms and digestive health, and also helps to protect against heart disease.

LIPOSOMAL GLUTAMATE

Liposomal glutathione is a form of glutathione that is encapsulated in liposomes, which enhances its absorption and bioavailability in the body. This delivery method helps protect glutathione from degradation in the digestive system, allowing it to more effectively neutralize free radicals and support various bodily functions. It supports detoxification, boosts immune functions, and enhances energy levels

L SERINE

Serine is a naturally occurring amino acid, meaning the body can produce it on its own. This organic molecule serves as a fundamental building block for various components throughout the human body. It plays a role in numerous biochemical processes, contributing to the formation of many different substances and underpinning diverse biological structures and functions.

LUTEIN

This is a powerful anti-oxidant that can help with your eye and skin health, LDL reduction and cognitive function. Studies show that lutein and zeaxanthin play a significant role in preventing age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by blocking harmful blue light. Additional studies show how Lutein halps to reduce LDL (bad cholesterol) and increase HDL (good cholesterol), which benefits eye, skin and heart heath.

MAGNESIUM GLYCINATE

Magnesium glycinate is the most bioavailable form of magnesium that may help improve sleep, reduce anxiety, support bone health, and manage blood sugar levels. It is often recommended for those who have difficulty getting enough magnesium from their diet or have specific health concerns. It is generally believed to improve leep quality, relieve anxiety and stress, help contol blood sugar, and supports better bone and heart health.

N-ACETYL CYSTEINE (NAC)

NAC is valued primarily for its role in antioxidant production. Along with two other amino acids — glutamine and glycine — NAC is necessary to make and replenish glutathione. Glutathione is one of your body’s most important antioxidants — compounds that help neutralize free radicals that can damage cells and tissues. Antioxidants help support the body’s natural immune system and toxin-elimination processes. Research also suggests that antioxidant intake can reduce the risk of several chronic conditions, including cardiovascular disease. As an antioxidant, NAC also helps replenish glutathione levels in your lungs and reduces inflammation in your bronchial tubes and lung tissue.

NATTOKINASE

Nattokinase is valued for its potential health benefits, particularly in improving heart health by reducing blood pressure, preventing blood clots, and possibly lowering cholesterol levels. It is derived from natto, a traditional Japanese food made from fermented soybeans, and is available as a dietary supplement. Nattokinase is also part of three OTC products that are essential as a triple base combination in fighting the spike protein that the covid vax placed into our bodies and has been determined to be the major factor in most injuries reported after being vaaxed.:
  • Nattokinase 2000 FU (100 mg) twice a day
  • Bromelain 500 mg once a day
  • Nano/Liposomal Curcumin 500 mg twice a day
With three months being a minimum duration, and some requiring more than a year. read more

SCHISANDRA BERRIES

Schizandra berries are a powerful adaptogen. This means that they will help you adapt to your environment allowing you to better handle stress, whether mental or physical.
It can increase your capacity for physical and mental exercise and protect you from environmental stress.
Schizandra is often used in the treatment of hepatitis C. Besides its liver protecting properties, it is also beneficial to the kidneys as it helps balances the fluid in the body.
This herb can increase your energy by stimulating the central nervous system without making you nervous like caffeine would. But since it’s an adaptogen, it can also calm the nervous system when facing stress.
Many people take this herb to increase energy as it boosts nitric oxide levels in the body. It fights fatigue as well, making it even more beneficial. Schizandra increases energy at the cellular level.
Probably its best known property is as a protector of the liver, due to the lignans it contains. It helps maintain its proper functioning and regeneration and is also used to prevent liver damage. Schizandra uses its fat soluble compounds found in the core of its seed to protect the liver from toxins.

TRU NIAGEN

Nicotinamide riboside is a form of vitamin B3, also called niacin. Like other forms of vitamin B3, nicotinamide riboside is converted by your body into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), a coenzyme or helper molecule. NAD+ helps to promote many key biological processes, such as: converting food into energy, repairing damaged DNA, fortifying cells’ defense systems, and setting your body’s internal clock or circadian rhythm
However, the amount of NAD+ in your body naturally falls with age. Low NAD+ levels have been linked to health concerns like aging and chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and vision loss. Nicotinamide riboside supplements have quickly become popular because they appear to be effective at raising NAD+ levels.

UNIQUINOL

Ubiquinol is the reduced form of coenzyme Q10, a compound that mitochondria need to make energy. It’s also a strong antioxidant that protects cell membranes and keeps them stable, while helping prevent LDL cholesterol from oxidizing

RAY KURZWEIL

Raymond Kurzweil is an American computer scientist, author, entrepreneur, futurist, and inventor. He is involved in fields such as optical character recognition, text-to-speech synthesis, speech recognition technology and electronic keyboard instruments.

His belief in vitamins and supplements as tools for extending life stems from his overarching philosophy that human aging is not inevitable but a solvable problem through aggressive intervention. He views biology as an "information process" that can be reprogrammed, much like software, to combat diseases and slow deterioration. According to Kurzweil, our bodies are not evolutionarily optimized for longevity beyond reproduction, leading to deficiencies that accelerate aging—issues he believes can be mitigated with targeted supplementation until advanced technologies arrive.

This approach is detailed in his 2004 book Fantastic Voyage: Live Long Enough to Live Forever, co-authored with physician Terry Grossman, where he outlines a multi-bridge strategy for radical life extension.

Core Reasons for His Belief

Kurzweil argues that vitamins and supplements are essential for several interconnected reasons:

  • Addressing Nutritional Deficiencies and Modern Diet Shortfalls: He points out that contemporary farming practices, including over-farming, pesticides, and soil depletion, have reduced the nutrient density of food, making it impossible to get optimal levels of vitamins and minerals from diet alone. Government-recommended daily allowances (RDAs) are, in his view, insufficient for preventing chronic diseases or promoting longevity—they're merely baselines to avoid overt deficiency diseases like scurvy. Instead, he advocates "megadosing" (doses far exceeding RDAs) to achieve therapeutic effects, citing genetic variations that impair nutrient absorption in many people.
  • Combating Free Radicals and Inflammation: Aging is largely driven by oxidative stress from free radicals, which damage cells, DNA, and tissues. Kurzweil emphasizes antioxidants like vitamins C, E, and A, along with compounds such as coenzyme Q10, grape seed extract, and resveratrol, to neutralize these threats and reduce inflammation—a root cause of conditions like heart disease, cancer, and neurodegeneration. He references studies, including those in medical journals like the New England Journal of Medicine, showing that supplementation can lower markers like homocysteine (linked to cardiovascular risks) and C-reactive protein (an inflammation indicator).
  • Supporting Cellular and Metabolic Health: Supplements help maintain cell membrane integrity, boost energy production (e.g., via CoQ10 for mitochondrial function), and regulate hormones. Kurzweil also promotes omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) to curb inflammation and support brain health, drawing on evidence from animal studies and human trials suggesting these extend lifespan by mimicking caloric restriction effects, such as reduced free radical production.
  • Bridging to Future Breakthroughs: This is perhaps his most distinctive rationale—supplements are "Bridge One" in a three-phase plan. By extending life modestly now through nutrition and lifestyle, individuals can reach "Bridge Two" (biotechnology advancements like gene therapy in the 2020s-2030s) and "Bridge Three" (nanotechnology by the 2040s), which he predicts will enable indefinite lifespans via nanobots repairing cells at the molecular level.
    Kurzweil estimates that staying healthy for another 15-20 years (from his perspective in the early 2000s) would allow access to these technologies, aligning with his predictions of the technological singularity around 2045, where AI and human intelligence merge to conquer biological limits.

He substantiates these views with emerging science from the Human Genome Project, which he says reveals aging as a series of genetic and enzymatic processes that can be hacked. While acknowledging that not all supplements have ironclad evidence for every claim, he relies on a growing body of research showing benefits for specific nutrients in reducing disease risk and extending healthspan.

His Personal Regimen

urzweil's routine is highly personalized and intensive, involving regular blood tests (monitoring ~50 biomarkers) to adjust dosages. He reportedly takes around 250 pills daily, divided into categories:

  • Core Vitamins and Minerals: High doses like 5,000 IU vitamin A, 600-2,000 IU vitamin D, 500-2,000 mg vitamin C, and B vitamins (e.g., B6, B12, folic acid) to lower homocysteine and support methylation.
  • Antioxidants and Anti-Inflammatories: CoQ10 (30-100 mg twice daily), grape seed extract (50-100 mg twice daily), resveratrol (200 mg twice daily), lutein (6 mg for eyes), and lycopene (10-30 mg for prostate).
  • Omega-3s and Other Essentials: 1,000-3,000 mg EPA and 700-2,000 mg DHA, with higher amounts for those with inflammation.
  • Lifestyle Integration: He combines this with a low-glycemic, anti-inflammatory diet (limiting carbs, favoring alkaline foods), exercise (at least 30 minutes daily, citing studies showing 60% reduced mortality), and alkaline water (pH 9.5-10) to maintain bodily pH balance.

Kurzweil has claimed this regimen effectively "reprogrammed" his biochemistry, reversing his type 2 diabetes diagnosis and maintaining youthful biomarkers into his 70s. However, he stresses individualization through testing, as needs vary by genetics and health status.In summary, Kurzweil's advocacy isn't just about vitamins for marginal gains but as a pragmatic, evidence-informed tactic to outpace aging until exponential tech growth—fueled by AI—makes death optional. He encourages readers to adopt similar strategies, viewing them as empowering in an era where knowledge of biology is rapidly advancing.

So, as you can see, if a man as smart as Ray Kurzweil believes in vitamins, who am I to argue with him?