Ben Greenfield's 5 Daily Supplements & the Spiritual Practice He Regrets Missing
May 7, 2026
AI Summary
5 min readBen Greenfield has tried more biohacks, supplements, and experimental therapies than almost anyone in the health space. But when Dr. Josh Axe pressed him on what actually moved the needle—for testosterone, sleep, digestion, and daily energy—his answers were surprisingly grounded. And then the conversation took a turn neither of them expected: into the spiritual practice Greenfield says he regrets neglecting for most of his adult life, and the family rituals he now uses to make sure his twin sons don't repeat the same mistake.
The supplements that actually work (in order)
Greenfield offered a ranked list of five supplements he considers foundational for almost anyone, regardless of their specific health goals. Number one is minerals—specifically magnesium—taken first thing in the morning in a large glass of water. He argues that modern life is an "electrical soup" of EMF exposure and that starting the day with mineral repletion offsets that stress. Number two is omega-3 fatty acids, ideally from fish oil or algae oil, with the caveat that he skips fish oil on days he eats fatty fish. Number three is creatine, which has strong long-term human data for muscle, brain, and metabolic health. Number four is essential amino acids, which Greenfield uses to maintain muscle protein synthesis when he cannot get enough quality protein from food—especially while traveling. Number five
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What you'll learn
- 1 (01:30) **Climbing the Wrong Mountain** - Ben describes the common trap of pursuing financial success and business building while neglecting family and spirituality.
- 2 (03:24) **Surprising Biohacks That Worked** - Ben and Josh discuss peptides, specifically BPC-157 and KPV, as game-changers for gut health.
- 3 (08:24) **GLP-1 Agonists: The Dose Makes the Poison** - Ben explains how low-dose GLP-1 agonists like retatrutide can suppress appetite without causing muscle loss.
- 4 (11:52) **How to Decipher What Actually Works** - Josh and Ben discuss the challenge of isolating effective interventions when you're doing ten things at once.
- 5 (14:50) **Josh's Game-Changer: NAC and Glycine** - Josh shares how genetic testing revealed his poor glutathione recycling, leading to a simple fix.
- 6 (17:20) **Ad Break: Caraway Cookware** - Sponsored segment for non-toxic cookware.
- 7 (18:18) **The #1 Reason People Wake Up at Night** - Ben explains that getting too hot is the primary cause of sleep disturbances, far more common than sleep apnea.
+ Full timestamped outline available in the app
Guests on this episode
Show Notes
I've shared some wild experiences with my good friend Ben Greenfield—including getting beaten with branches in freezing Russian plunge pools—but today we are diving into something much deeper. Ben is one of the world's leading experts in human performance, but after spending years "climbing the wrong mountain," he realized that a fully optimized body means nothing without a fully optimized soul and family legacy.
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This content is strictly the opinion of Dr. Josh Axe and is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of medical advice or treatment from a personal physician. All viewers of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Neither Dr. Axe nor the publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of a
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