Testing & Tracking
CGM for Non-Diabetic Optimization
Continuous glucose monitoring devices have been the standard of care in insulin-dependent diabetes for over a decade — Dexcom and Abbott Libre systems track interstitial glucose every 1–15 minutes via a small subcutaneous sensor worn for 10–15 days,…
DEXA Scan — Bone Density and Body Composition
Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA, sometimes written DXA) is the gold-standard imaging modality for measuring bone mineral density and the most accurate consumer-accessible method for measuring body composition (fat mass, lean mass, visceral…
Energy and Fatigue — A Diagnostic-First Protocol
Lumen — Metabolic Flexibility Tracking
Lumen is a consumer-direct handheld device that measures CO₂ concentration in a single exhaled breath, computes the respiratory exchange ratio (RER), and reports a number indicating whether the user is metabolically in a fat-burning or…
Microbiome Testing — Viome, ZOE, Sun Genomics
Consumer microbiome testing has emerged as a substantial commercial category over the past decade, with companies including Viome, ZOE, Sun Genomics, Thryve, DayTwo, and various direct-to-consumer offerings sequencing stool samples and returning…
SIBO Breath Testing — Glucose, Lactulose, and Trio-Smart
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) describes an excessive concentration of bacteria in the small intestine, traditionally defined as ≥10⁵ colony-forming units per mL on small bowel aspirate. The condition has been increasingly diagnosed…
VO2max Testing — Methods Comparison
VO2max — maximum oxygen consumption during exhaustive exercise — is the single most predictive fitness metric for all-cause mortality across multiple longitudinal cohort studies. Companion to the existing Vanguard VO2max Maximization Protocols…
Compounds & Therapies
5-Amino-1MQ — NNMT Inhibitor
5-Amino-1-methylquinolinium iodide (5-amino-1MQ) is a small-molecule inhibitor of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT), the enzyme that methylates nicotinamide using S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) as a methyl donor. Two metabolic problems flow from…
Acarbose
Alpha-glucosidase inhibitor: approved for type 2 diabetes, longevity potential in animal models
ALCAR / L-Carnitine: A Practical Guide
Alpha-Ketoglutarate (AKG)
A metabolic intermediate supporting cellular energy production and muscle protein synthesis
Alpha-Lipoic Acid: A Practical Guide
AOD-9604
Failed Drug Candidate With Misleading GRAS Status
ARA-290 (Cibinetide)
Innate Repair Receptor Agonist in Phase 2 Development
B-Complex Vitamins
Essential water-soluble vitamins supporting energy metabolism, neurological function, and stress resilience
Berberine
A plant alkaloid with emerging evidence for metabolic and cardiovascular support, requiring clinical context
Bimagrumab (BYM338)
Bimagrumab (BYM338) is a fully human monoclonal antibody that binds and blocks the activin receptor type II (ActRII), preventing signaling from myostatin, activin A, and other ActRII ligands that negatively regulate skeletal muscle mass. By blocking…
BPC-157
Emerging Peptide for Tissue Repair Research
BPC-157 (Body Protection Compound-157): A Practical Guide
Bupropion-Naltrexone (Contrave)
Bupropion-naltrexone sustained-release (brand name Contrave) is an FDA-approved combination weight-loss drug, approved in September 2014. It pairs bupropion — a norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitor used as an antidepressant and…
Colostrum (Bovine)
Bovine first-milk concentrate for immune support and gut barrier health
Creatine Monohydrate
The gold standard for muscle energy and strength, backed by decades of research and approved globally
HMB (Beta-Hydroxy Beta-Methylbutyrate)
A leucine metabolite supporting muscle protein synthesis and exercise recovery with solid clinical evidence
IGF-LR3 (Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 Long Arg3)
Potent Modified IGF-1 With Extreme Abuse Potential
Inulin
A prebiotic fiber supporting gut microbiota, digestive health, and metabolic markers
L-Carnitine Tartrate (LCLT)
Lactoferrin
Leucine
An essential branched-chain amino acid crucial for muscle protein synthesis and metabolic signaling
Low-Dose Naltrexone (LDN)
Metformin
The Metabolic Workhorse for Glucose Control and Longevity
Pentadecanoic Acid (C15:0)
Odd-chain saturated fatty acid for metabolic flexibility and cellular signaling
Phentermine/Topiramate (Qsymia) — Second-Line Anti-Obesity in the GLP-1 Era
Qsymia is a fixed-dose combination of immediate-release phentermine (a sympathomimetic appetite suppressant) and extended-release topiramate (an anticonvulsant with appetite-reducing properties through multiple mechanisms), FDA-approved in July 2012…
Probiotics (General)
Live beneficial bacteria for microbiome support and digestive wellness
R-Lipoic Acid (R-ALA)
Setmelanotide (Imcivree)
Setmelanotide (brand name Imcivree, Rhythm Pharmaceuticals) is a melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) agonist administered as a daily subcutaneous injection. It is FDA-approved for chronic weight management in patients aged 6 years and older with obesity…
SGLT2 Inhibitors
Approved for type 2 diabetes, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease; off-label longevity and cardiometabolic optimization
Sulforaphane (Broccoli Extract)
Cruciferous phytochemical with potent anti-cancer and detoxification support
Taurine
Conditionally essential amino acid for cardiac, neurological, and metabolic support
The Next-Generation GLP-1s: Retatrutide, Survodutide, Pemvidutide, and CagriSema
Four investigational compounds reshaping the weight-loss and metabolic-disease conversation in 2025-2026. What the trials actually showed, where each one differs mechanistically, and how to think about them now versus when they reach the pharmacy.
Tirzepatide (Zepbound, Mounjaro)
Tirzepatide is a synthetic peptide agonist of both the glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor and the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor. FDA-approved as Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes (2022) and as Zepbound for chronic…
Ursolic Acid
Pentacyclic triterpenoid from apple peel with emerging longevity potential
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine / TTFD / Benfotiamine)
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid / Pantethine)
Vitamin B6 (P5P / Pyridoxal-5-Phosphate)
Procedures & Modalities
Blood Flow Restriction Training (BFR)
Unregulated training modality; emerging evidence for strength and hypertrophy at low loads
Cold Water Immersion (Cold Plunge)
Unregulated practice; emerging evidence for immune function and stress resilience; cardiovascular precautions necessary
Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS)
Device-regulated; FDA-cleared for muscle stimulation; consumer devices vary in quality and efficacy
Strength Training for Longevity
Skeletal muscle is increasingly recognized in the longevity literature as a metabolic and endocrine organ — a glucose disposal sink, an endocrine signaling source (myokines), a reserve for the metabolic challenges of acute illness and recovery, and…
VO2max Maximization Protocols
Maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max) is the single most predictive fitness metric for all-cause mortality across multiple population studies — more predictive than smoking, hypertension, diabetes, or any other commonly measured risk factor. Each one-MET…
Protocols & Reference
Carnivore Diet — Sober Review
The carnivore diet — exclusive or near-exclusive consumption of animal products, eliminating all plants — has grown from a fringe practice associated with Shawn Baker and Mikhaila Peterson around 2018 into a major cultural movement with millions of…
Fasting-Mimicking Diet (Prolon)
The fasting-mimicking diet (FMD) is a 5-day, low-calorie, low-protein, low-carbohydrate dietary protocol developed by Valter Longo's group at USC and commercialized as the Prolon program (L-Nutra). The protocol provides about 4,600 kJ (\(~1,100\)…
Gut Health & Immune Optimization Protocol
Protocol Guide Series / April 2026 / FOR VANGUARD MEMBERS ONLY — Gut Health & Immune Optimization Protocol
Prolonged Fasting (3, 5, 7 Day)
Prolonged water-only or near-water-only fasting — typically 3, 5, or 7 days — has emerged from a niche longevity practice into a recurring feature of the men's optimization conversation. The mechanistic case is interesting: prolonged fasting drives…
Time-Restricted Eating
Time-restricted eating (TRE) is the practice of confining all daily caloric intake to a defined window — most commonly 8 hours (16:8), 10 hours (14:10), 6 hours (18:6), or one meal per day (23:1, OMAD). The intervention has exploded in cultural…
VANGUARD OPTIMIZATION Protocol Guide Series METABOLIC & BODY COMPOSITION OPTIMIZATION PROTOCOL April 2026 | FOR VANGUARD MEMBERS ONLY
Practices & Lifestyle
AICAR
AICAR (5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide), also called acadesine or simply AICA riboside, is an AMP analog that activates AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) — the central cellular energy sensor and metabolic regulator. Activation of…
Akkermansia muciniphila: A Practical Guide
ALA (Alpha-Linolenic Acid): A Practical Guide
Arabinogalactan: A Practical Guide
ARBs (Angiotensin Receptor Blockers): A Practical Guide
BCAAs: Isoleucine & Valine (and the BCAA Context)
Berberine vs Metformin
Metformin is the most-prescribed glucose-lowering medication in the world, with over six decades of clinical use, validated efficacy in type 2 diabetes, an extensive safety database, an emerging longevity literature, and a generic cash price of…
Berberine: A Practical Guide
Beta-Alanine
Bifidobacterium Strains: A Practical Guide
Bitter Melon (Momordica charantia): A Practical Guide
Butyrate (Sodium Butyrate / Tributyrin): A Practical Guide
Chromium: A Practical Guide
Cinnamon: A Practical Guide
CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid): A Practical Guide
Cordyceps Mushroom — Mitochondrial Support and Aerobic Performance
Creatine: A Practical Guide
EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate): A Practical Guide
Fenugreek: A Practical Guide
Folate (Methylfolate / Folic Acid): A Practical Guide
Fructooligosaccharides (FOS): A Practical Guide
Galactooligosaccharides (GOS): A Practical Guide
Ginger (Zingiber officinale): A Practical Guide
GLP-1 Receptor Agonists (Semaglutide/Tirzepatide)
Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Agonists for Metabolic Optimization and Weight Management
Gymnema Sylvestre: A Practical Guide
Gynostemma Pentaphyllum: A Practical Guide
L-Glutamine
L-Ornithine
Lactobacillus Strains: A Practical Guide
MCT Oil: A Practical Guide
Metformin: A Practical Guide
Myo-Inositol: A Practical Guide
Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum (PHGG): A Practical Guide
Postbiotics: A Practical Guide
Propionyl-L-Carnitine (PLC): A Practical Guide
Protein Requirements for Aging Adults
The U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. That number was set decades ago based on short-term nitrogen-balance studies in young sedentary adults, and it represents the minimum required…
Rapamycin (Sirolimus) — The mTOR Longevity Case
Rapamycin vs Metformin for Longevity
Rapamycin (sirolimus) and metformin are the two off-label drugs most often discussed in the longevity optimization conversation. Both have substantial preclinical evidence for healthspan or lifespan benefit, both have been the subject of ongoing…
Recovery and Training Stack — A Performance Optimization Protocol
Resistant Starch: A Practical Guide
Saccharomyces boulardii: A Practical Guide
Spore-Forming Probiotics (Bacillus Strains): A Practical Guide
Synbiotics: A Practical Guide
Tirzepatide vs Semaglutide vs Retatrutide
The GLP-1 receptor agonist class has revolutionized obesity medicine over the past five years, but "GLP-1" as a single category obscures three quite different products. Semaglutide (Wegovy for obesity, Ozempic for T2D) is a single GLP-1 receptor…
Vanadium: A Practical Guide
Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin): A Practical Guide
Yohimbine
Yohimbine is an indole alkaloid from the bark of the Pausinystalia yohimbe tree, used as a traditional aphrodisiac in West African medicine and prescribed for erectile dysfunction in the U.S. and Europe before sildenafil became available in 1998.…