Updated Longevity Protocols for 2026: What David Sinclair and I Are Actually Doing

Last month at the 2026 Abundance Summit, I sat down with my friend Dr. David Sinclair, the Harvard geneticist who wrote the book on why we age and how to reverse it, and we compared notes on our longevity protocols. The response from the Community was overwhelming. So many of you asked: What exactly are you two doing right now? Here it is. No fluff. Just updated protocols, David’s and mine, side by side. David’s approach is rooted in what he calls the “Information Theory of Aging”: the idea that aging is a loss of cellular information that can be recovered. His protocol targets the key molecular pathways his lab has been studying for over two decades. NMN (Nicotinamide Mononucleotide): 1g daily. NMN is a precursor to NAD+, the coenzyme critical for DNA repair and cellular energy. NAD+ levels decline dramatically as we age. David has been taking this for over a decade. Resveratrol: 1g daily, always mixed with olive oil, yogurt, or another small fat or protein source for absorption. As Sinclair explains: if you just take resveratrol as a pill without fat, it mostly passes straight through you. This is the sirtuin activator: think of it as the accelerator pedal for your longevity genes. His lab has new data linking sirtuins directly to epigenetic reprogramming, and they’re about to submit a paper for Nature. Metformin (or Berberine): He cycles between metformin (a prescription diabetes drug, taken at 1g/day) and berberine (a natural alternative that activates the same AMPK longevity pathway). Both lower blood glucose, which is critical. We’ve found at Fountain Life that hemoglobin A1C is the #1 correlate to heart disease, more than HDL, LDL, or Lp(a). David recommends not taking metformin in the hours before a workout, or skipping it that day, because it can interfere with the body’s ability to make energy through mitochondria, reducing workout intensity and muscle gains. Nattokinase: 10,000 units daily. David added this in the last couple of years. In his own words, it’s the only compound very clearly shown in large clinical trials of 1,000+ people to actually reverse arterial plaque. Important: it requires about a year of consistent use. Sinclair notes that 6,000 units in clinical trials didn’t work; the dose that worked was 10,000. His father, now 86, takes it too. Spermidine: Stimulates autophagy (your body’s cellular recycling system) and may also delay epigenetic information loss. Sinclair notes it extends lifespan in every animal model studied, from worms to mice, and is considered very safe. Vitamin D3/K2: A daily dosage of a combined formulation of D3 and K2. Vitamin D3: Supports immune function, bone strength, reduces inflammation, while Vitamin K2 directs calcium to bones, prevents arterial calcification. Low-dose Aspirin: A baby aspirin most days. Sinclair takes this because of his personal high cardiovascular risk: he carries elevated LDL and elevated Lp(a) genetically. He notes that medical associations have walked back the general aspirin recommendation for average-risk individuals due to bleeding concerns, but for high-risk individuals he believes the benefit still outweighs the risk. Glycine: ~5g daily, an amino acid Sinclair believes helps regulate DNA methylation (the epigenetic “labels” that tell cells what type they are), potentially slowing the cellular identity loss that drives aging. Sinclair notes it extends lifespan in animal models and is considered very safe with no meaningful downside. Niacin (Vitamin B3): ~500mg daily (high dose). Sinclair takes this specifically to lower his elevated Lp(a): a cardiovascular risk factor he carries genetically. He builds up the dose gradually; it can cause temporary flushing/tingling, which taking it alongside an aspirin can help reduce. He notes it is one of the very few things known to bring Lp(a) down while better drugs are still in development. Diet: David eats mostly a plant-based diet. He credits his partner for getting him off the nightly cheese-and-wine habit. He emphasizes “stressed plants” (dark leafy greens, broccolini, deeply colored vegetables) based on the xenohormesis hypothesis he co-published. The idea: stressed plants produce more polyphenols, which signal our bodies to activate longevity defenses. So, what’s his favorite? Broccolini: very lightly steamed, with olive oil. Alcohol: Eliminated. Even one glass daily correlates with a smaller brain size. David says he may occasionally celebrate a few times a year. Fasting: Practices intermittent fasting daily: typically skipping breakfast and eating in a compressed window, aiming for at least 14 - 16 hours of fasting most days. He also does an extended 3-day fast roughly once a month to trigger chaperone-mediated autophagy: a deeper level of cellular protein recycling that doesn’t kick in during shorter fasts. His reasoning: the body begins turning over old, damaged proteins preferentially after about 2.5–3 days without food. Coffee/Tea: David drinks both throughout the day, given that the current science is strongly favorable. Environment: HEPA filtration in every room. Eliminated plastics and Teflon. Filtered water. Fresh air circulation. Mindset & Meditation: Sinclair is now a convert. After years of his partner encouraging him, a recent study showed that neural signaling from the brain directly increases immune cells in the gut. His lab is now studying this: rejuvenating sensory nerves to produce systemic health effects. Imaging, Wearables & Genomics: David believes in proper diagnostic testing. He recommends full genome sequencing for actionable insights. Wearables for continuous monitoring. Carotid ultrasound (not CT, to avoid radiation) to track arterial plaque. He echoes my thoughts, to understand what’s going on inside your body, so you can “make sure that you’re not going to die from something stupid like a stroke or a heart attack.” My mornings start at 5am. By 7am, I’ve stacked more longevity interventions than most people do in a week. Here’s the breakdown: 8 hours of sleep, non-negotiable. Cool room at 63°F. No food 2-3 hours before bed. I wear an eye-mask and mouth-tape. A great night sleep is key. Even 1 gram of sugar an hour before sleep can destroy your time-restricted eating benefits. I track everything with my Oura Ring, and my target Sleep Score is 90+. PEMF (Pulsed Electromagnetic Field) therapy runs automatically from 5:00-5:30am while I’m still in bed; and then again at 9:30pm when I’m going to sleep. Red Light Therapy (30 min): I use three devices simultaneously: a PlatinumLED BIOMAX 900 panel for my body (20 minutes), a laser cap for hair growth (10 minutes), and a red-light mouthpiece for gum and teeth health (10 minutes). David and I both swear by red light: it reduces inflammation and promotes healthy skin and tissue repair. Meditation: 15 minutes using an Ohm device. My meditation focus every morning is on GRATITUDE and Optimism. The data is clear: optimists live 15% longer than pessimists. Your mindset is the most underrated longevity lever. Workout: 40 minutes of weight training, targeting upper and lower body. Muscle mass is one of the strongest predictors of longevity. My goal: resistance training 5 days a week, 1g protein per pound of bodyweight, and 5g of creatine daily. CJC-1295: 5 days/week, a growth hormone-releasing hormone analog for tissue repair and recovery. SS-31 (Elamipretide): Sunday & Wednesday. Targets and repairs mitochondria directly. MOTC: Sunday, Wednesday, Friday. a mitochondria-derived peptide that enhances metabolic function. Tirzepatide (microdose): Sunday only. It’s a next-gen GLP-1 receptor agonist. David and I discussed this at the Abundance Summit. Beyond weight loss, GLP-1s are showing remarkable benefits for the heart and brain. We’re both watching this space closely. Sermorelin: 5 days/week. A peptide used to stimulate the pituitary gland to produce and release more growth hormone. BPC-157: Sunday thru Thursday. A peptide used to accelerate healing of tendons, li…