Eight years of bloodwork sit in a folder on my desktop. Not because I am obsessive. Because I got tired of not knowing. Every supplement I had ever bought, every protocol I had ever followed — none of it told me whether anything was actually working.
So I started measuring.
What "the protocol" actually means
A protocol is a system with feedback. You run it, you measure it, you adjust it. If there is no biomarker, no tracked outcome, no before and after — it is not a protocol. It is a habit. Habits are fine. But habits do not compound the way a real protocol does.
The number that matters is never the one on the label. It is the one in your bloodwork.
What the evidence shows
Magnesium Glycinate — 400mg nightly. Moves rMSSD within weeks. The most common deficiency in active men. Standard blood tests miss it — only RBC magnesium shows intracellular stores accurately.
Creatine Monohydrate — 5g daily. Over five hundred human trials. No kidney changes at this dose in healthy adults. The creatinine rise is metabolic, not structural — GFR and cystatin C remain unchanged.
Vitamin D3 + K2 — 5,000 IU D3 + 100mcg K2-MK7 daily. Most men over forty are deficient. The K2 directs calcium toward bones and away from arterial walls — never take D3 at this dose without it.
Omega-3 — 3g EPA+DHA daily. Check the EPA+DHA total on the label, not the "fish oil" total. They are different numbers. Most products are significantly underdosed.
Zinc — 15mg with food. Rate-limiting factor for testosterone synthesis. Deficiency is common in men who sweat regularly. RBC zinc is more accurate than serum zinc.
What I dropped
Proprietary pre-workout blends. Mass-market protein powders. Several testosterone support products — no measurable effect on LH, free T, or SHBG across two ninety-day cycles. The evidence is limited on most of what is marketed to men. I try to say that clearly.
Not medical advice. FDA has not evaluated these statements. Products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Some links may earn a commission.
