Important: consult your doctor. The supplement information below describes a personal stack, not a recommendation. Several items (particularly high-dose Vitamin D) carry real risks if used without medical monitoring. Do not adopt this stack without blood work and professional guidance. This is especially critical if you take medications, have kidney issues, or have calcium metabolism concerns.
NooKeto's supplement philosophy is simple: food delivers 90% of what you need. Supplements handle the remaining gaps — nutrients where optimal doses exceed what's practical through food alone, or where absorption requires specific forms.
The stack below is divided into core (daily, non-negotiable) and rotating experiments (personal trials with emerging evidence).
Core stack
Astaxanthin — 12mg/day
What it is: A carotenoid pigment (the thing that makes salmon pink). One of the most potent lipid-soluble antioxidants known — 6,000× stronger than vitamin C in singlet oxygen quenching, and unlike most antioxidants, it crosses both the blood-brain barrier and the blood-retinal barrier.
Why: Neuroprotection, eye health (particularly retinal protection), and systemic anti-inflammatory effects. At 12mg/day, it's above what food can deliver (wild salmon provides ~1–4mg per serving).
Evidence: Emerging. Animal studies are consistently positive for neuroprotection. Human trials exist for eye health and exercise recovery, but cognitive-specific trials are small and short-term. Safe at supplemental doses (no known toxicity). This is a bet on a strong mechanistic rationale with a good safety profile.
Timing: With a fat-containing meal (it's lipid-soluble — absorption requires dietary fat).
Magnesium — 300–400mg/day (glycinate or citrate)
What it is: An essential mineral involved in 300+ enzymatic reactions. Most adults are deficient or suboptimal — especially on keto, where increased renal excretion depletes magnesium faster.
Why: Muscle relaxation, sleep quality, nerve function, blood pressure regulation, and prevention of cramps (a common keto complaint). Glycinate form is preferred for sleep support; citrate for those who need additional gut motility.
Evidence: Strong. Magnesium's roles are biochemically established. Supplementation in deficient populations consistently improves sleep, reduces cramps, and supports blood pressure. This is gap-filling, not experimentation.
Timing: At night, 30–60 minutes before bed. The relaxation effect supports sleep onset.
Strong multivitamin
Why: Insurance. NooKeto's food base covers most micronutrients well (fish, eggs, greens, nuts, organ meats if eaten). A multivitamin provides a safety net for B vitamins (especially B1, B6, B12), zinc, selenium, and anything that might fall short on days when food variety is limited.
Note: Not a replacement for food quality — it's the backup, not the primary source. Choose a high-quality brand without fillers, artificial colours, or mega-doses of anything.
Timing: Morning, with food.
Liposomal Vitamin C — 1000mg/day
What it is: Vitamin C encapsulated in liposomes (phospholipid spheres) that bypass the gut's absorption limit for standard ascorbic acid. Standard vitamin C absorption tops out at ~200mg per dose; liposomal form achieves higher blood levels without GI distress.
Why: Immune support, collagen synthesis (joints, skin, connective tissue), and antioxidant activity. On a diet without fruit (the typical vitamin C source), supplementation ensures adequacy. Leafy greens provide some vitamin C, but not reliably at optimal levels.
Evidence: Vitamin C's roles are well-established. The liposomal form's superior absorption is demonstrated in pharmacokinetic studies. 1000mg/day is above the RDA (90mg) but within safe upper limits and commonly used in practice.
Timing: Morning, with or without food (liposomal form doesn't require fat for absorption).
Vitamin D — titrated to blood level
⚠ CRITICAL SAFETY WARNING — Vitamin D
High-dose Vitamin D supplementation carries real risk of hypercalcemia (dangerously elevated blood calcium) which can cause kidney stones, kidney damage, cardiovascular calcification, and in extreme cases, organ failure.
You MUST:
- Get baseline blood work before starting (25-OH vitamin D level AND serum calcium)
- Retest every 3 months while dose-finding
- Monitor BOTH vitamin D levels AND calcium levels — vitamin D toxicity manifests through calcium dysregulation
- Work with your doctor to titrate the dose
- Never exceed 10,000 IU/day without medical supervision and blood monitoring
- Stop immediately and seek medical attention if you experience: persistent nausea, excessive thirst/urination, confusion, or kidney pain
This is not a "more is better" supplement. It is a fat-soluble vitamin that accumulates in tissue. Overdose is possible and dangerous.
The NooKeto approach: target a blood level of approximately 80 nmol/L (32 ng/mL) — the upper end of the optimal range identified in most guidelines. The dose required to achieve this varies enormously between individuals (skin colour, latitude, sun exposure, body fat percentage, genetics all affect it). This is why titration with blood monitoring is essential — there is no universal "correct dose."
Why: Vitamin D is involved in immune regulation, bone health, mood, and emerging evidence links deficiency to cognitive decline. Most people in northern latitudes are deficient, especially in winter. On a dairy-free diet (NooKeto removes milk, which is often fortified with D), dietary intake is minimal — supplementation is necessary.
Co-factors: Vitamin D increases calcium absorption from the gut. To prevent calcium accumulating inappropriately, ensure adequate vitamin K2 (MK-7 form) — found in eggs, aged cheese, and some multivitamins — which directs calcium to bones rather than soft tissue.
Evidence: Strong for correcting deficiency. Moderate-to-strong for optimal range maintenance. The specific target of 80 nmol/L is at the higher end of recommendations and reflects a personal optimisation choice — some guidelines suggest 50 nmol/L is sufficient. This is an area where individual blood work matters more than general advice.
Rotating experiments
These are supplements NooKeto has trialled or currently rotates. They are clearly labelled as personal experimentation — the evidence base is early, and inclusion is based on plausible mechanism + acceptable safety profile, not proven efficacy.
Cat's claw (Uncaria tomentosa)
A vine bark extract used traditionally in South American medicine. Contains oxindole alkaloids with anti-inflammatory and potentially neuroprotective properties. Some in-vitro research suggests it may reduce tau tangles and amyloid-beta plaques. Early-stage, speculative, but safe at standard doses.
Shilajit
A mineral-rich resin from Himalayan rock formations. Contains fulvic acid and dibenzo-alpha-pyrones. Traditional Ayurvedic use for cognitive enhancement and vitality. Some evidence for mitochondrial support and as a bioavailability enhancer for other supplements. Early evidence, traditional use, acceptable safety profile.
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)
An adaptogenic herb with the strongest evidence base of the rotating experiments. Multiple RCTs show reductions in cortisol, improvements in stress resilience, and potential testosterone support in men. Used cyclically (8 weeks on, 4 weeks off) to avoid tolerance. Not taken continuously.
On rotating experiments. These are included for transparency — to show what NooKeto has tried and is trying, not to recommend them. If you're starting NooKeto, ignore this section entirely for the first 3 months. Get the food, the core stack, and the daily protocol locked in. Experiments are for people who have the basics running smoothly and want to explore further edges. Even then, add one at a time, run it for 8+ weeks, and assess honestly whether you notice a difference.
What NooKeto does NOT supplement
- Omega-3 capsules — food (daily sardines) is the primary source. Whole fish provides DHA/EPA in a matrix the body handles better than isolated oil capsules.
- Protein powder — whole food protein (meat, fish, eggs) is preferred. Protein powder is a processed food by definition.
- Exogenous ketones — if you're eating under 20g net carbs, you produce your own ketones. Exogenous ketones are expensive, taste terrible, and solve a problem that dietary ketosis already solves.
- Pre-workouts / fat burners — stimulant stacking with poor-quality ingredients. Coffee exists.
Where to go next
See the daily protocol that frames when to take these: Daily Protocol. Learn about the training component: Training. Or explore the evidence: The Research.