Supplements Rhonda Patrick No Longer Takes & Why

Over time Rhonda Patrick has experimented with a number of different supplements. Many of which she has taken for a period of time before stopping.

Previously they were listed within the supplements Rhonda takes article, but as the list got longer, it made sense to separate them out.

Supplements Rhonda Doesn’t Take & Why

Supplement	Duration Taken
Previously taken, but stopped
Moringa	~2020 to 2025
Benfotiamine	Started and stopped in 2025
L-Carnitine	~July 2023 to Oct 2024
Berberine	~May 2023 to Oct 2024
BROQ	~July 2022 to October 2024
Never taken (but explains why below)
Resveratrol	Never taken & why
Metformin	Never taken & why
Athletic Greens	Never taken & why
Lithium	Never taken & why
Used Infrequently
Glutathione	Mentioned July 2023, used infrequently

Supplements Rhonda Patrick has discontinued or chosen not to take, with timeframes

Table of Contents

Previously taken, but stopped

Moringa

Rhonda took Moringa from roughly 2020 to 2025, stating in Q&A #72 that she’s stopped for now.

She says her concern is over “green powders”, as a broad category, potentially containing high levels of lead.

That said, I’m not aware of any recent data saying the brand she was using (Kuli Kuli) has elevated levels of lead.

Rhonda had added Moringa powder to her diet after research from Jed Fahey at Johns Hopkins University.

Moringa is derived from the leaves of the Drumstick Tree, which are harvested, dried and then powdered.

It contains an isothiocynate with very similar properties to sulforaphane, called Moringin.

In Jed’s studies on Moringa, participants consumed it as a cold-brewed tea. This can be made by:

Adding moringa powder to room temperature water at a ratio of 1:100 powder to water
Leaving to stand for at least 10 minutes prior to drinking
The reason for avoiding hot water is that the myrosinase enzyme in moringa is sensitive to heat, and it’s crucial to preserve it.

In terms of which Moringa to use, Jed’s studies used Kuli Kuli Moringa (15% off coupon code here). He notes in their FAQs that excessive sunlight or heat after harvest will rapidly degrade some of the phytochemicals and vitamins of interest in the leaves – so it’s worth caution when sourcing

Benfotiamine

In 2025 Rhonda Rhonda was taking Benfotiamine for a period of time.

However in Q&A #72 she said she’s stopped taking it for now.

While you may not be familiar with the word benfotiamine, you may have heard of thiamine, also known as vitamin B1. Benfotiamine is a synthetic, fat-soluble form of thiamine.

Rhonda takes it primarily because it has been shown to reduce the formation of “Advanced Glycation End Products” (AGEs).

AGEs are junk products that typically accumulate when blood sugar levels are elevated for prolonged periods. They can circulate throughout the body and bind to tissues and organs, contributing to stiffness and cellular damage

Rhonda took Life Extension’s Benfotiamine product. I imagine she used their 250 mg version, as she previously used the 200 mg version by Pure Encapsulations, but I haven’t seen her mention the exact dose with Life Extension. They also offer a 100 mg version.

Life Extension – Benfotiamine 250 mg (see 20% off coupon code)
Life Extension – Benfotiamine 100 mg (see 20% off coupon code)

L-Carnitine

N.B. Rhonda took this roughly between July 2023 and October 2024.

Acetyl-L-Carnitine (and below, Alpha Lipoic Acid) we mentioned as new additions in Rhonda’s July 2023 Q&A.

L-Carnitine is a non-essential amino acid that body can synthesize from protein in the diet, specifically the amino acids; lysine and methionine. The latter of which are abundant in diets containing animal products.

My understanding of why Rhonda was taking Acetyl-L-Carnitine is due to the research on its potential ability to improve mitochondrial function as we age.

As a quick recap, mitochondria exist in all of our cells, and they produce the energy that cells rely on to live and function. Mitochondrial function declines with age, and it’s part of the reason our activity levels decline over time.

L-Carnitine is a key nutrient for proper mitochondrial function and is notable for its role in fatty acid oxidation (part of the process by which mitochondria convert fat into energy).

In addition, L-Carnitine also plays a major part in protecting cellular membranes, preventing fatty acid accumulation, modulating ketogenesis and glucogenesis and in the elimination of toxic metabolites¹).

Below I’ve linked to some studies that indicate benefits of L-Carnitine supplementation in older rodents and humans.

The most impressive research on the combination of acetyl-l-carnitine and alpha lipoic acid, so far, seems to have been done in rodents, such as:

Feeding acetyl-L-carnitine and lipoic acid to old rats significantly improves metabolic function while decreasing oxidative stress – link
Acetyl-l-carnitine fed to old rats partially restores mitochondrial function and ambulatory activity (ambulatory activity = movement – such as walking or running) – link
Neuronal mitochondrial amelioration (restoration) by feeding acetyl-L-carnitine and lipoic acid to aged rats – link
Memory loss in old rats is associated with brain mitochondrial decay and RNA/DNA oxidation: Partial reversal by feeding acetyl-l-carnitine and/or R-α-lipoic acid – link
The effect of acetyl-L-carnitine and R-α-lipoic acid treatment in ApoE4 mouse as a model of human Alzheimer’s disease – link

In terms of human studies that combine the two, they’re more limited. I’ve come across:

Effect of Combined Treatment With α-Lipoic Acid and Acetyl-L-Carnitine on Vascular Function and Blood Pressure in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease – link

And then for L-Carnitine alone in humans, related to the above:

Meta-analysis of double blind randomized controlled clinical trials of acetyl-L-carnitine versus placebo in the treatment of mild cognitive impairment and mild Alzheimer’s disease – link
L-Carnitine treatment reduces severity of physical and mental fatigue and increases cognitive functions in centenarians: a randomized and controlled clinical trial – link

More research is needed to understand at what age the benefits start to accrue, and how much benefit there is to people already consuming higher protein diets (e.g. more than 0.36 grams per lb / 0.8 grams per kilogram).

In terms of which specific L-Carnitine supplement Rhonda was taking, she mentioned Pure Encapsulations. However, they do a few different versions and doses. My guess was that she took Pure Encapsulations – Acetyl-L-Carnitine – 500 mg.

The reason for the guess on the type and dosage is the following…

The form of L-Carnitine most commonly used in the studies above is Acetyl-L-Carnitine
During the same Q&A Rhonda mentioned a product by Juvenon called Cellular Health, which contains Acetyl-L-Carnitine and Alpha Lipoic Acid. However, she said she gets adequate amounts already by taking them separately. Juvenon’s product contains 1,000 mg of Acetyl-L-Carnitine per dose. The largest dose Pure Encapsulations do is 500 mg.

Other brands offering Acetyl-l-carnitine include:

Life Extension – Acetyl-L-Carnitine – 500 mg (see 20% off coupon code)
Swanson – Acetyl-L-Carnitine – 500 mg (see 20% off coupon code)
Thorne – Acetyl-L-Carnitine – 500 mg (see 20% off coupon code)

Berberine

N.B. Rhonda took Berberine roughly from May 2023 to October 2024.

This was motivated by a meta-analysis, which looked at 44 randomized controlled trials using Berberine, and found it may help protect against cardiovascular disease.

Specifically, they found it:

Reduced inflammatory biomarkers
Reduced the intima-media thickness (a marker of atherosclerotic plaque)
Improved the scores of people tested for cognitive stroke damage

Broadly speaking, Berberine is regarded as a compound that helps regulate blood sugar levels. For more information on Berberine, Rhonda has a topic page on it here.

It’s worth noting Berberine can interact with other medications, including antidiabetic, antihypertensive and anticoagulants – so for those on medication, some research is needed. A longer list of drug interactions can be found here.

The product Rhonda mentioned taking was Thorne’s Berberine, which is 1,000 mg per dose (2x 500 mg capsules).

BROQ (Sulforaphane)

N.B. Rhonda took Broq roughly from July 2022 to October 2024. She decided to switch over to Amacol Extra strength, possibly because it’s lighter on the stomach.

BROQ contains 10mg of free-form stabilized sulforaphane per tablet.

This has greater bio-availability than sulforaphane glucosinolate, which is used in a lot of sulforaphane supplements, including Avmacol.

Prior to BROQ existing Rhonda was taking Prostaphane, which had to be shipped from France. BROQ is manufactured by the same company as Prostaphane, for the US market.

Rhonda’s Dosage: 2 tablets (20 mg total) of BROQ daily. Potentially splitting up the dose to 1 capsule per meal. She avoids taking it on an empty stomach.

Rhonda noted that for some people, even taking 1 tablet (10 mg) with a meal can result in stomach discomfort. Therefore, as an alternative, she mentions that Avmacol may be kinder on the stomach. And then later, she switched to Avmacol herself!

Not taken (but explains why below)

Resveratrol

Rhonda has had David Sinclair on the podcast discussing the positive effects of Resveratrol.

Since that podcast, Rhonda has posted a literature review of Resveratrol on her site.

However, she mentioned in her June 2023 Q&A that she still does not take resveratrol.

For more on David Sinclair and the supplements he takes, including Resveratrol and NMN, see this separate post.

Metformin

Metformin has been studied in humans since the 1950’s and is most commonly taken to battle type 2 diabetes. In recent years it has become popular amongst biohackers looking to extend their healthspan + lifespan. As this novel, off-label use has become more popular, it has invited further research into whether this approach makes sense.

In a podcast with Kevin Rose (Jan 2020 – link), Rhonda discussed the use of metformin for longevity.

She notes that exercise is better at preventing type 2 diabetes than metformin, citing a randomized controlled trial involving 3,200 people². She also questions the value of metformin in healthy individuals who exercise. This is because the health benefits of exercise are vast and well documented, and it appears that metformin inhibits a number of these. Namely:

So when it comes to healthy individuals who exercise, she doesn’t see any synergy with the use of metformin for improving healthspan and lifespan. However, for people who don’t exercise, the use of metformin may warrant further inspection. See Rhonda’s research section on metformin for more info.

Note that if you’re interested in taking the prescription drug metformin for off-label use, you should consult with a doctor on the subject. The above does not constitute medical advice in any shape or form.

Athletic Greens

Rhonda doesn’t take Athletic Greens AG1, and nor has she in the past. However, she was asked by a subscriber of hers what she thinks of it.

Her response in her May 2022 Q&A was that Athletic Greens contains a blue-green microalgae called spirulina, which is a potential source of a liver toxin called microcystins.

See FDA warning and a paper on microcystins in dietary supplements.

Therefore she suggested to the subscriber to contact Althetic Greens for their microcystin testing data.

However, it is not a given that all spirulina contains cyanotoxins, and there’s a range of specific precautions growers can take to avoid cyanotoxins.

Athletic Greens specifically mention on their website testing for microbes and toxins as part of their batch testing process.

To date (January 2026), I’m not aware of any recent studies/tests that have found cyanotoxins/microcystins in Athletic Greens products. Therefore, I assume their quality control process is working.

Lithium

In Q&A #56 (Feb 2024) Rhonda acknowledged there are studies suggesting a correlation between low-dose lithium and improved mental health.

That being said, the reasons she states for not supplementing lithium are:

She hasn’t read anything that suggests a healthy person, like herself, would benefit from supplementing lithium.
There can be adverse effects when taking excess Lithium. Couple this with the risk that supplements often contain different levels of the supplement they purport to contain; sometimes up to 10x lower, sometimes up to 10x higher. Rhonda doesn’t want to risk taking 10x more lithium than she means to.
She would like to see some higher-quality research showing benefits. For example, an RCT study.

Used Infrequently

Glutathione

N.B. Rhonda noted taking this in her July 2023 Q&A, as a detoxification aid, specifically after drinking alcohol.

She’s quick to point out that she doesn’t binge drink, so this is in the context of a glass of wine, one “hard kombucha” or a beer.

She may still use it from time to time, but it’s not a regular thing.

The version she mentioned taking is Pure Encapsulations’ spray version. 1 dose (2 sprays) is 100 mg total.

Glutathione has many roles in the body, including⁵:

As an antioxidant (neutralizing free radicals)
It detoxifies the metabolites of drugs
It helps regulate gene expression and apoptosis (programmed cell death).

Whilst Rhonda has previously said that some liposomal forms of supplements are just not worth the extra price (such as vitamin C), she seems convinced that liposomal glutathione is sufficiently more bio-available than its reduced form, such that it’s worth the extra cost.

Sources of liquid liposomal glutathione include:

Pure Encapsulations – Liposomal Glutathione liquid (~$1.06 per 100 mg)
Seeking Health – Liposomal Glutathione liquid (~$0.42 per 100 mg) (see 20% off coupon code)

Roundup

Above we’ve covered supplements Rhonda previously took then discontinued, and at least one that she still takes, but rarely.

If you’ve got any questions or comments, please leave them below.

References

1
The Role of l-Carnitine in Mitochondria, Prevention of Metabolic Inflexibility and Disease Initiation – Virmani et al. | 2022 | International Journal of Molecular Sciences
2
Reduction in the Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes with Lifestyle Intervention or Metformin – Diabetes Prevention Program Research Group (2002)
3
Metformin blunts muscle hypertrophy in response to progressive resistance exercise training in older adults: A randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, multicenter trial: The MASTERS trial – Walton et al (Sept 2019)
4
Metformin inhibits mitochondrial adaptations to aerobic exercise training in older adults – Konopka et al (2018)
5
Glutathione – Jefferies et al. | 2003 | ANZ Journal of Surgery

Disclaimer: The above information is for research and educational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. See full medical disclaimer.