Seven supplements we tell people not to take.

Sold as the red-wine molecule that activates your 'longevity genes.'

Why we skip it: The idea that it switches on SIRT1 to mimic calorie restriction came from a lab assay later shown to be an artifact. Large human trials never delivered the metabolic or longevity benefits the hype promised.

Instead: If autophagy and cellular clean-up are the goal, spermidine and urolithin A have far better human evidence.

The trendy NAD+ booster in every longevity influencer's cabinet.

Why we skip it: We prefer NR, which raises NAD+ with a deeper, more stable human trial record. NMN's evidence is thinner and its regulatory status in the US has been in flux.

Instead: Nicotinamide Riboside (NR) — same target, stronger evidence.

Marketed as a 'more bioavailable resveratrol,' often bundled with NAD+ products.

Why we skip it: In a human trial it raised LDL cholesterol. A small, uncertain upside is not worth a known move in the wrong direction on a heart-disease marker.

A 2023 headline said it 'reverses aging.'

Why we skip it: That headline came from mice and monkeys. In humans there is no causal longevity evidence yet — and a healthy body already makes its own taurine.

Added to NAD+ stacks to 'support methylation.'

Why we skip it: In trials, betaine supplementation raised LDL and total cholesterol. And most people don't have the methylation problem it's sold to fix — a blood test tells you if you do.

The 'zombie cell' clean-out protocol from longevity podcasts.

Why we skip it: The senolytic idea is exciting in mice but unproven in humans at those doses, and high-dose quercetin can interfere with how your body processes some medications.

The diabetes drug taken off-label 'for longevity.'

Why we skip it: It's a prescription medication, not a supplement — and in healthy, active people it has been shown to blunt the cardiovascular and muscle gains you get from exercise.