Today, we're getting brutally honest about supplements with someone who's spent decades reviewing research and admits when he's making educated guesses versus following hard science. Turns out, even evidence-based experts occasionally venture into "bro-science" territory when the research gaps meet real-world living.
The Expert's Honesty Problem
Here's what most nutrition experts won't admit: even when you've read every study and understand the mechanisms, supplement decisions often come down to educated guesswork combined with personal experience. Alan Aragon, one of the most research-obsessed figures in nutrition, calls his own supplement routine partly "bro-scientific."
It's refreshing honesty in an industry where everyone pretends their choices are backed by unshakeable scientific certainty. Sometimes you make your best guess based on available evidence and see how your body responds.
The Foundation Strategy
Aragon's approach starts with a reality check: who actually eats a pristine diet that nails all micronutrients in optimal amounts? Almost nobody. Even nutrition professionals traveling, working long hours, or dealing with life's curveballs struggle to eat perfectly consistently.
His solution? Two different multivitamins: one with iron, one without. The rationale is simple: cover nutritional gaps that inevitably occur in real-world eating patterns. It's insurance against imperfection, not a substitute for good food choices.
The Vitamin D Dosing Decision
While most multivitamins can't fit enough vitamin D without becoming horse pills, Aragon takes an additional 4000 IU daily. This puts him well above the conservative 1000 IU cutoff where literature shows benefits, but within ranges that substantial research suggests may be optimal for most people.
It's a calculated risk based on the mounting evidence that vitamin D deficiency is widespread and that higher doses generally show better outcomes across multiple health markers.
The Practical Confession
Here's where the "bro-science" admission gets interesting: Aragon takes extra vitamin C (1 gram daily) partly for potential immune benefits and partly for possible synergy with his collagen supplementation. The research isn't bulletproof, but the downside risk is essentially zero.
He also adds maple syrup to his Vietnamese-style coffee because it tastes amazing and provides a small amount of minerals. Sometimes food choices are about pleasure and quality of life, not just optimal nutrition.
Your Self-Assessment Framework
Audit your actual eating patterns (not your ideal eating patterns)
Identify consistent gaps (nutrients you rarely get adequate amounts of)
Start with basics, not exotic compounds (cover fundamentals first)
Coming Up
We're breaking down the "Big Four" supplements with the strongest evidence base and why these four cover most people's foundational needs without venturing into experimental territory.