In a recent candid interview, a fitness expert opened up about his essential daily supplements—and why, after years of overtraining and sleep deprivation, he’s putting health over hype.
While his supplement stack includes familiar standbys like vitamin D and caffeine, others—like NAD+ and healing peptides—play a crucial role in recovery, gut health, and long-term vitality.
But what stands out most? The surprising realization that nothing matters more than quality sleep.
If you’ve ever wondered what committed athletes take daily, or how to prioritize your own health stack, this deep dive offers valuable clues. Let’s break down his go-to supplements and what makes each one worth considering.
Jump to:
- 1. Caffeine: The Non-Negotiable Preworkout & Lifestyle Staple
- 2. BPC-157 & TB-500 Peptides: Healing from the Inside Out
- 3. Sleep: The Underrated “Supplement” That Changed Everything
- 4. NAD+: Cellular Energy and Longevity
- 5. Standard Vitamins: The Reliable Core Stack
- 6. Creatine: The One He’s Adding Back
- The Bigger Picture: Supplements Only Work If the Basics Are Covered
1. Caffeine: The Non-Negotiable Preworkout & Lifestyle Staple
“My primary supplement has—and always will be—caffeine,” he states without hesitation.
Introduced to coffee by his mom as a teenager, and later working as a barista in Hawaii’s first coffee bar, caffeine has become a deeply embedded part of his lifestyle. Though he acknowledges taking up to 500 mg of caffeine on certain high-demand days, he also notes that doesn’t cause withdrawal symptoms when skipping it.
If you want something simple that actually works, this is one of the most effective tools I’ve used to build strength, conditioning, and endurance without needing a full gym setup.
- Full-body training with one weight using swings, squats, and presses
- Solid cast iron build that feels stable and lasts for years
- Comfortable grip that makes high-rep workouts easier to handle
That may suggest he’s a fast caffeine metabolizer—a trait influenced by the cytochrome P450 enzyme—known to vary from person to person. Fast metabolizers break caffeine down quickly, which might explain his ability to consume large amounts without insomnia or negative effects felt by others.
What caffeine does:
- Enhances alertness and focus by blocking adenosine receptors
- Increases physical performance and endurance
- Acts as a mild fat-burning aid by increasing thermogenesis
For most adults, up to 400 mg per day is considered safe according to the FDA. However, tolerance, timing, and lifestyle factors (like sleep and genetics) play huge roles in how it affects each individual.
2. BPC-157 & TB-500 Peptides: Healing from the Inside Out
After years of overtraining and dealing with chronic inflammation, he turned to BPC-157 and TB-500—two peptides known in the biohacking and fitness communities for their powerful healing properties. Originally used to support injury recovery in high-performance athletes, these peptides may also benefit gut health, which he discovered firsthand.
Having undergone colon removal surgery due to cancer more than a decade ago, he recalls, “My guts have never been right… I noticed right away a big improvement when I started peptides. No probiotics—just those—and my gut felt better.”
How peptides work:
- BPC-157: A peptide derived from gastric juices, known to support gut lining, joint healing, and reduce inflammation
- TB-500: A synthetic version of Thymosin Beta-4, believed to promote cell migration and regeneration
While not cures or miracle drugs, peptides like these show promise in managing chronic inflammation and aiding recovery. However, he warns that when he first started taking them, he pushed himself harder in training, which made his joint issues worse. Their success, he realized, also depends on dialing back training and optimizing sleep.
3. Sleep: The Underrated “Supplement” That Changed Everything
Despite years of hustling on 4-5 hours of sleep a night, he now considers sleep his “biggest supplement.”
If you want something simple that actually works, this is one of the most effective tools I’ve used to build strength, conditioning, and endurance without needing a full gym setup.
- Full-body training with one weight using swings, squats, and presses
- Solid cast iron build that feels stable and lasts for years
- Comfortable grip that makes high-rep workouts easier to handle
“More than anything I’m doing on Instagram or any physical feats, my biggest focus is retraining my nervous system and my circadian rhythm,” he explains. Now pushing toward 6 hours of sleep consistently, his knees and joints have seen an enormous improvement—proving no supplement can outdo the healing power of rest.
Benefits of proper sleep:
- Improved muscle recovery and growth via human growth hormone release
- Lower inflammation and improved joint health
- Enhanced mood, resilience, and mental performance
In many ways, his story reinforces something science has long confirmed: Lack of sleep is linked to poor metabolic health, impaired physical performance, and chronic inflammation.
4. NAD+: Cellular Energy and Longevity
One standout entry in his supplement list is NAD—or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide—a coenzyme vital for mitochondrial energy production and cellular repair.
“It helps you create energy at a precellular level,” he explains. “If you run out of NAD in the body, you’ll be dead in about 15 seconds.” His understanding is basic, but this molecule truly is essential for fueling enzymatic reactions that drive everything from repair to gene expression.
Why NAD+ matters:
- Supports mitochondrial function and energy metabolism
- May slow age-related cellular decline
- Linked to DNA repair and inflammation control
NAD levels decline with age, which has sparked interest in precursors like nicotinamide riboside (NR) and nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN). These forms are often taken as supplements to increase intracellular NAD+ levels.
5. Standard Vitamins: The Reliable Core Stack
He doesn’t go heavy on flashy formulas. Alongside his more advanced supplements, he keeps things simple with daily use of:
If you want something simple that actually works, this is one of the most effective tools I’ve used to build strength, conditioning, and endurance without needing a full gym setup.
- Full-body training with one weight using swings, squats, and presses
- Solid cast iron build that feels stable and lasts for years
- Comfortable grip that makes high-rep workouts easier to handle
- A multivitamin – for general micronutrient insurance
- Vitamin D3 – crucial for immune regulation, mood, and bone health
- Vitamin C (Ester-C) – an antioxidant form reported to be gentler on the stomach
While basic, these supplements help cover nutritional bases in a training-heavy lifestyle and compensate for possible gaps in diet and absorption—especially for someone with a surgically altered digestive system.
6. Creatine: The One He’s Adding Back
Surprisingly, he’s not currently taking creatine—but plans to.
“You just hear more and more about all the not just physical but even neurological benefits,” he says.
Once seen strictly as a muscle-building tool, creatine is now recognized for its brain-protective benefits as well. Studies show it may improve short-term memory, cognitive function, and even support better sleep in some users.
Creatine’s modern-day benefits:
- Improves strength, power, and muscle hydration
- May support neurological health and reduce fatigue
- Emerging research links it to improved deep sleep phases
For most, a dose of 3-5 grams per day is widely accepted and safe. Given its benefits across multiple systems, it’s becoming a staple more for performance and longevity than just muscle gain.
The Bigger Picture: Supplements Only Work If the Basics Are Covered
In the end, the biggest shift wasn’t what he took—it was the mindset adjustment.
If you want something simple that actually works, this is one of the most effective tools I’ve used to build strength, conditioning, and endurance without needing a full gym setup.
- Full-body training with one weight using swings, squats, and presses
- Solid cast iron build that feels stable and lasts for years
- Comfortable grip that makes high-rep workouts easier to handle
He stopped overtraining. He prioritized rest. He no longer let social media metrics dictate how hard he pushed his body. And through it all, he learned that supplements are tools—not solutions on their own.
“I’ll miss a workout,” he says, “but I won’t miss sleep. That’s the new me.”
So for anyone chasing performance without sacrificing health, his evolving supplement stack serves as a reminder: Start with sleep, fuel recovery, listen to your gut—literally—and use supplements to support a smarter foundation of wellness, not mask overtraining or exhaustion.
