MogsMost
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$2 per day is equivalent, in a developed nation, to about half a cup of coffee. A bottle of Coke. A chocolate bar.
Here's how you can reallocate that $2 per day to turn you into a healthier, more resilient, more attractive, almost fully optimised version of yourself.
The best route for teens and young adults that is affordable, and optimises all lifestyle markers by 80% or more of their potential.
I see a lot of threads asking for the budget supplement stack, this is the guide to go by in my opinion.
I am back again with another essay as a result of a research binge.
Introduction: Is this guide for you?
First, we will touch on supplementation.
These are only evidence-based supplements, with their associated doses, costs, and effects.
This entire stack is based on the Pareto Principle, or the 80/20 rule.
We are going to optimise your health by 80% or more of what is naturally possible using high ROI compounds.
Achieving the full 100% is possible, but it would cost over 5x as much.
This will still have you leagues above your current state, for an affordable price.
Additionally, there will be lifestyle changes recommended as well.
This is a frugal, practical, science-based stack that optimises:
------------------------------------------------------------
Supplements
Here's a simple table with all the relevant information for the daily supplement intake.
As you can see, if you shop smartly (sales or in bulk from places like iHerb) you can have this entire stack for basically $2 per day, or even cheaper if you cut some out (below).
I have researched EVERYWHERE that is good to buy supps from. I have looked into sourcing from places like IndiaMart and private exporters.
I have come to the conclusion that basically, supps are cheap enough to not risk it, and quality matters a lot especially in specific supplements like D3/K2 and multivitamins, so it's best to bite the bullet and buy from reputable sites.
Too much?
If cost or volume is still a major factor here, I would suggest dropping L-Theanine, Collagen Peptides and Astaxanthin first.
Despite their benefits, a lot of what can be had here is already covered elsewhere, these just supercharge the stack.
Just "nice to have" and add extra benefit instead of being foundational.
The rest are 100% mandatory and should not be cut.
Tell me more.
Further information, including PubMed studies and more in-depth research on dosing and effects, can be found here courtesy of @til<3D if you're interested.
My guide is mostly intended to be a broader overview.
looksmax.org
------------------------------------------------------------
Lifestyle
The one other major thing that will play into your body's health is obviously your lifestyle.
This section is basically water, but extremely important. Don't even bother with the supplements if you don't have most of this in check.
Not everything can be fixed by adding more pills.
Therefore, you should
When coupled with everything above, you will see massive improvements in body composition provided your caloric intake is reasonable.
Take an electrolyte daily, or put a high-quality salt in a glass of water with some lemon. Either works.
------------------------------------------------------------
Ending Notes
Numerous supplements were excluded from this list.
This doesn't mean they're bad, it just means I don't think they provide enough value for money, OR I think they provide only a small increase in addition to what is already offered by this stack. As I am abiding by the pareto principle, and the law of diminishing returns, these aren't part of a budget stack.
Some supplements, such as Beta Carotene are great for looksmaxxing but also come with risks, such as a studied correlation between Beta Carotene intake and smoking or vaping, leading to a 20% increase in cancer. For reasons like this, I am not confident in recommending numerous supplements broadly. Other supplements like Beetroot and Berberine have wildly polarised anecdotes and mixed scientific literature. Hence why they're also not included. There are a bunch of other supps you can take, and I take, but I won't recommend them to everyone for these reasons. Do your own research, after starting with this stack, and see what works for you.
This stack aims to optimise all of the markers stated at the start, by at least 80% but at the end of the day, 90% rests on your lifestyle.
The multivitamin should provide a good baseline for things like Zinc, B-Complex, Iron and other micros, with even more random shit tossed in if you buy an expensive, high-quality one. Personally, I buy a cheap one and take 2 pills. You miss out on some of the random additions, but it is less than half the price, even double-dosed, and you end up having the same or higher intake of the main micros you need.
There are numerous other things you can do, and take. Minoxidil for hair health, Finasteride or Dutasteride for hair loss (DYOR), topicals for skin, et cetera.
But this is not what this guide is about.
In the end though, if you neglect your health in your routine or lifestyle choices, supplements can't save you.
Thank you for reading. Hope I helped.
Here's how you can reallocate that $2 per day to turn you into a healthier, more resilient, more attractive, almost fully optimised version of yourself.
The best route for teens and young adults that is affordable, and optimises all lifestyle markers by 80% or more of their potential.
I see a lot of threads asking for the budget supplement stack, this is the guide to go by in my opinion.
I am back again with another essay as a result of a research binge.
Introduction: Is this guide for you?
First, we will touch on supplementation.
These are only evidence-based supplements, with their associated doses, costs, and effects.
This entire stack is based on the Pareto Principle, or the 80/20 rule.
We are going to optimise your health by 80% or more of what is naturally possible using high ROI compounds.
Achieving the full 100% is possible, but it would cost over 5x as much.
This will still have you leagues above your current state, for an affordable price.
Additionally, there will be lifestyle changes recommended as well.
This is a frugal, practical, science-based stack that optimises:
- Sleep
- Skin
- Fat mobilisation
- Hormones
- Brain function
- Longevity
- Deficiency prevention
------------------------------------------------------------
Supplements
Here's a simple table with all the relevant information for the daily supplement intake.
| Compound | Daily Dose | Helps With | Mechanism | Benefit | Daily Cost |
| Multivitamin | 2 tablets of cheap multivitamin, 1 tablet of premium | Deficiency prevention, energy, skin, hormone baseline | Covers common gaps in B vitamins, zinc, selenium, iodine, vitamin A/E | Mostly insurance and baseline gap filling | $0.20 |
| Vitamin D3 + K2 | 5000 IU D3 + 100 micrograms K2 | Hormones, mood, immunity, bone health | Vitamin D acts like a hormone; K2 helps calcium handling | Mandatory vitamin D supplementation, 99% of people are extremely deficient | $0.10 |
| Omega 3 / Fish Oil | 600-1000 milligrams active EPA/DHA (2-3 capsules) | Inflammation, heart, brain, skin | EPA/DHA affect cell membranes and inflammatory signalling | Modest, broad benefits. Another baseline helper. | $0.10-0.20 |
| Creatine Monohydrate | 10 grams | Strength, recovery, cognition | Increases phosphocreatine and ATP availability | Best value supplement and super impactful. Everyone knows about muscular benefits but new science and anecdotes vouch for mental benefit in higher doses (10g+) | $0.30-0.40 |
| Magnesium Glycinate | 400 milligrams nightly | Sleep, stress, recovery, muscle relaxation | Supports GABAergic tone, neuromuscular relaxation, nervous system regulation | Very useful generally for sleep and recovery. Another no brainer. | $0.30 |
| L-Theanine | 200 milligrams nightly | Calmness, smooth focus, sleep | Increases alpha-wave activity; mild GABA/dopamine effects | Mild, extremely useful if regularly consuming caffeine or if naturally stressed person. | $0.20 |
| Collagen Peptides | 10 grams | Skin quality, elasticity, joint and connective tissue support | Provides building blocks for collagen and glycine | Moderate skin benefit. Science is iffy but mostly positive, anecdotes are extraordinarily good. | $0.50 |
| Astaxanthin | 10 milligrams | Skin, UV resilience, ultra powerful antioxidant | Reduces oxidative stress in skin tissue. Can provide some pigmentation (this is what makes salmon orange) | Subtle cosmetic benefit. Can help with inflammation of skin etc. | $0.30 |
As you can see, if you shop smartly (sales or in bulk from places like iHerb) you can have this entire stack for basically $2 per day, or even cheaper if you cut some out (below).
I have researched EVERYWHERE that is good to buy supps from. I have looked into sourcing from places like IndiaMart and private exporters.
I have come to the conclusion that basically, supps are cheap enough to not risk it, and quality matters a lot especially in specific supplements like D3/K2 and multivitamins, so it's best to bite the bullet and buy from reputable sites.
Too much?
If cost or volume is still a major factor here, I would suggest dropping L-Theanine, Collagen Peptides and Astaxanthin first.
Despite their benefits, a lot of what can be had here is already covered elsewhere, these just supercharge the stack.
Just "nice to have" and add extra benefit instead of being foundational.
The rest are 100% mandatory and should not be cut.
Tell me more.
Further information, including PubMed studies and more in-depth research on dosing and effects, can be found here courtesy of @til<3D if you're interested.
My guide is mostly intended to be a broader overview.
SUPPLEMENT MEGATHREAD
SUPPLEMENT MEGATHREAD 27 Supplements — Evidence, Dosing & Rankings by til
looksmax.org
------------------------------------------------------------
Lifestyle
The one other major thing that will play into your body's health is obviously your lifestyle.
This section is basically water, but extremely important. Don't even bother with the supplements if you don't have most of this in check.
Not everything can be fixed by adding more pills.
High ROI Lifestyle Changes (FREE)
1. Sleep
Sleep affects:- Testosterone
- Fat loss
- Skin
- Brain performance
- Longevity
- Muscle gain
- Testosterone down 10–20%
- Insulin sensitivity down
- Increase in hunger
- Reduction in fat mobilisation and loss
Therefore, you should
- Sleep at roughly the same time every night.
- Sleep in a cold room (18-20 degrees celcius).
- Try to avoid a lot of blue light before sleeping
- Get sunlight within an hour of waking up (helps with circadian rhythm)
2. Caffeine Optimisation
Caffeine is extremely powerful. When used properly, it can:- Increase fat mobilisation
- Increase focus
- Increase performance
- Destroy your sleep
- Fuck your cortisol
- Make you anxious
- Wait an hour after waking up to have caffeine (cortisol spikes when waking, increases energy stability)
- Use caffeine before the gym or cardio to increase fat mobilisation and performance (preferably fasted for cardio)
- Don't drink caffeine 8 hours before sleeping
3. Exercise
- Daily walking or cardio (preferably fasted)
- Resistance training at least twice a week
4. Protein Intake
Target 2g + per kg of body weight.When coupled with everything above, you will see massive improvements in body composition provided your caloric intake is reasonable.
5. Hydration
Drink at least 2-3L of water per day.Take an electrolyte daily, or put a high-quality salt in a glass of water with some lemon. Either works.
------------------------------------------------------------
Ending Notes
Numerous supplements were excluded from this list.
This doesn't mean they're bad, it just means I don't think they provide enough value for money, OR I think they provide only a small increase in addition to what is already offered by this stack. As I am abiding by the pareto principle, and the law of diminishing returns, these aren't part of a budget stack.
Some supplements, such as Beta Carotene are great for looksmaxxing but also come with risks, such as a studied correlation between Beta Carotene intake and smoking or vaping, leading to a 20% increase in cancer. For reasons like this, I am not confident in recommending numerous supplements broadly. Other supplements like Beetroot and Berberine have wildly polarised anecdotes and mixed scientific literature. Hence why they're also not included. There are a bunch of other supps you can take, and I take, but I won't recommend them to everyone for these reasons. Do your own research, after starting with this stack, and see what works for you.
This stack aims to optimise all of the markers stated at the start, by at least 80% but at the end of the day, 90% rests on your lifestyle.
The multivitamin should provide a good baseline for things like Zinc, B-Complex, Iron and other micros, with even more random shit tossed in if you buy an expensive, high-quality one. Personally, I buy a cheap one and take 2 pills. You miss out on some of the random additions, but it is less than half the price, even double-dosed, and you end up having the same or higher intake of the main micros you need.
There are numerous other things you can do, and take. Minoxidil for hair health, Finasteride or Dutasteride for hair loss (DYOR), topicals for skin, et cetera.
But this is not what this guide is about.
In the end though, if you neglect your health in your routine or lifestyle choices, supplements can't save you.
Thank you for reading. Hope I helped.
Last edited:
