What supplements does keto diet expert Dom D'Agostino take?

What supplements does Dom D'Agostino take and what is his keto diet advice

Quick Link:	Dom D'Agostino Supplement Stack »
Country of Origin:	United States of America
Occupation:	Associate Professor, Research Scientist, Entrepreneur, Athlete
Best Known For:	World record holder for most weight squatted in a 24 hour period + Keto Diet Research
Online:	KetoNutrition.org, FB, Instagram, @DominicDAgosti2

Who is Dom D’Agostino and what is he known for?

Dominic D’Agostino, Ph.D., is involved in various professional, research, and personal endeavors. He is a tenured Associate Professor at the University of South Florida, where he teaches at the Morsani College of Medicine, and the Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology. His focus is on a wide array of topics including medical biochemistry, physiology, neuroscience, and neuropharmacology. He also works with the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC), where he does research to help with their efforts to maximize the health and well-being of soldiers and astronauts.

He is best known for his research to develop nutritional therapies. He is a proponent of the ketogenic diet, which recommends low carbohydrate, high fat, and moderate protein intake. Dom’s research has involved exploring the therapeutic role of a ketogenic diet in a variety of conditions like seizures, epilepsy, metabolic disorders, Alzheimer’s, and more.

Dom follows the keto diet himself. On a recent episode of the Joe Rogan podcast, he said that he enjoys many benefits from the keto diet, including cognitive clarity and, at times, being able to function at a high level with minimal sleep. He also holds the world record for the most weight squatted in 24 hours.

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What supplements does Dom D’Agostino regularly take, and why?

Dom is a big believer in getting as much of his nutrition as possible from whole natural foods. On both the Joe Rogan and Tim Ferris podcasts, he mentioned that sardines and eggs are his go-to keto friendly foods.

Note: we recently compiled a list of all the keto products mentioned & recommended on the Joe Rogan podcast, and Dom D’agostino features heavily as the resident Keto Diet expert. You can check out the list here.

Sardines are a nutritional powerhouse with high amounts of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Sardines promote heart health, boost energy with vitamin B-12, and it has various other minerals and nutrients ^[1]. Sardines are one of the safest fish to eat to avoid heavy metal contamination since they mainly feed on planktons. Wild Planet Sardines are Dom’s go-to brand. Similarly, eggs are another one of the healthiest foods on the planet. They also contain a plethora of vitamins and minerals, regulate healthy cholesterol levels, and they are high in antioxidants. Dom gets some of his fats from other healthy and nutrient-rich sources like macadamia nuts, olive oil, grass-fed butter, and fatty cuts of grass-fed meat.

That being said, there are a few supplements that Dom takes, especially when he has to travel for work and work long hours on minimal sleep. Here are the supplements that Dom relies on for maximizing cognitive performance and keeping his energy levels up.

Dom D’Agostino Recommended Supplement Stack:

Wild Planet Sardines
Quest Nutrition MCT Powder Oil
Kettle & Fire Keto Bone Broth
Natural Calm Magnesium
Scivation Xtend Branched Chain Amino Acids
Kegenix Exogenous Ketones
Vitamin D3
Vitamin K2

Keep reading to find out how all of Dom D’Agostinos recommended supplements work and why he uses them…

A Dom D’Agostino Favorite: Sardines

Dom DAgostino Sardines - Dom loves wild planet sardines and talks about how he eats them for his first meal of the day and they lower glucose levels and increase blood ketones

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There’s a super interesting article on Dom’s website titled “Dom’s First Meal of the Day with Blood Results” where he shares one of his favorite mid-day meals; a can of Wild Planet Sardines, a table spoon of Avocado-based Mayo, BHB salts and MCT oil.

Although this is Dom’s first meal of the day, he eats it at 2PM so you can think of it as a ‘late breakfast’. He eats this meal so late in the day as part of the intermittent fasting (IF) protocol Dom follows.

What’s most interesting is that he claims (and backs up with a blood panel) that this meal actually decreases glucose and increases blood ketones (lowering GKI or ‘Glucose Ketone Index‘).

As stated above, Dom D’Agostino stated on a Tim Ferriss podcast episode that his favorite brand is Wild Planet Sardines, lightly smoked in Extra virgin olive oil as they are certified organic, Non-GMO, packaged in BPA-free cans, sustainably caught and have absolutely no artificial ingredients.

Quest Nutrition MCT Powder Oil

MCT stands for “medium chain triglycerides” which is another name medium chain fatty acids. Coconut oil is the primary source of MCTs. Consuming MCT oil helps with getting into ketosis faster because, unlike most other fats that are digested by the stomach, MCTs go straight to the liver. Consequently, they are broken down to ketone bodies and available for energy quicker ^[2].

On a podcast episode with longevity physician Dr. Peter Attia, Dom mentioned that he takes MCTs in a powder form because it boosts his blood ketone levels to a greater degree than the oil form. Powdered MCTs are also a lot easier on the gut compared to MCT oil.

Kettle & Fire Keto Bone Broth

Bone broth is made by boiling and simmering animal bones and connective tissue for 8 to 24 hours, depending on the animal. Drinking bone broth is a great way to replenish some of the minerals like sodium and potassium ^[3], which are often flushed out in excess by the body on a ketogenic diet.

Dom uses Kettle & Fire Bone Broth, according to a Twitter conversation he had with one of his followers. Kettle & Fire is a well-known brand of bone broth. As an added bonus, they use apple cider vinegar in their broths, which facilitates even greater mineral uptake.

Natural Calm Magnesium

Magnesium is one of the most abundant minerals in the human body, and it is involved in over 600 cellular reactions. It plays a role in everything from making DNA to muscle contraction ^[4]. Interestingly enough, magnesium is one of the minerals that a majority of American adults are deficient in.

In an interview with Tim Ferris, Dom said he takes magnesium citrate, magnesium chloride, and magnesium glycinate. The magnesium supplements played a vital role in getting rid of the cramps he was experiencing when he started the keto diet.

A podcast interview with Tim Feriss where Dom states that he takes magnesium citrate, magnesium chloride, and magnesium glycinate supplements to help get rid of the cramps experienced when he started the keto diet.

Scivation Xtend Branched Chain Amino Acids

Branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) are a type of protein found in the human body, and in high-protein foods like eggs, meat, and dairy. There are 3 kinds of BCAAs – leucine, isoleucine, and valine. They are a common dietary supplement taken in the powder form. They help in muscle growth and recovery, and they prevent muscle wasting ^[5].

When talking to Tim Ferris, Dom mentions that Scivation Xtend BCAAs are one of his go-to products, due to its higher concentration of leucine. Leucine activates mTOR, which is an intracellular signaling pathway that is crucial during a short workout ^[6]. Dome takes the BCAA pre-workout and during the exercise session.

Kegenix Exogenous Ketones

In a state of ketosis, the body produces something called ketones from dietary fats and uses them for energy, instead of glucose from carbs. Ketones can also come from synthetic sources outside the body, hence the name exogenous ketones. Ketone supplements are available in powdered or liquid forms, and they both increase blood ketone levels ^[7].

In his interviews with Tim Ferris and Joe Rogan, Dom explained that exogenous ketones help him get through a busy work schedule with very little sleep. By increasing blood ketone levels, exogenous ketones help him sustain optimal energy levels for longer without needing additional calories.

Update 17th November 2021: uVitals received an email from Dom D’Agostino regarding this article, he asked that we update his preferred exogenous ketones recommendation as Kegenix Prime, his previous exogenous ketone of choice, is no longer available for sale (it seems to be end of life and stock reserves on Amazon have all run out). Dr D’Agostino’s preferred exogenous ketone, verified from the source himself, is now:

Audacious Nutrition KetoStart Exogenous Ketones

As Dom has explained in multiple interviews, exogenous ketones have helped him get through an extremely busy work schedule, that’s usually mentally taxing, with very little sleep and high consistent energy levels. This is possible as exogenous ketones increase blood ketone levels, helping Dom to maintain peak energy levels for long periods of time without needing additional calories or experiencing any cravings.

KETOSTART is a ketone salt mix. Out of the 2 types of exogenous ketones available today, ketone salts and ketone esters, ketone salts contain BHB bound to a mineral ion, usually a balanced electrolyte formulation of sodium, calcium, potassium, and magnesium. Ketone esters are said to be able to elevate blood ketone to higher levels and for more extended periods, but they are not yet widely available, taste quite bad, and are relatively expensive. KETOSTART’s optimized ketone salt formulation provides a combination of the superior energy molecules (BHB) with essential electrolytes in an effective amount and at a very competitive price.

KETOSTART actually contains around 10g of BHB per serving, substantially higher than other exogenous ketone products, and it’s easy to see why this is now Dom D’Agostinos preferred product!

Vitamin D3

Another staple supplement for Dom is vitamin D3. On the days that he gets a minimal amount of sunlight, he takes 5000 IU. On other days when he gets ample sunlight, he sticks to 1000 IU.

It is always a good idea to take vitamin D3 in conjunction with vitamin K2, because of how they regulate calcium levels in the body. Calcium is essential for various functions like maintaining bone health, helping the brain deliver messages to different parts of the body, and more. Vitamin D helps absorb calcium from the diet, and vitamin K2 plays a central role in its metabolism ^[8].

What supplements should Dom D’Agostino take?

Dom D’Agostino is a scientist, a leading nutrition researcher, and one of the most knowledgeable people on the planet regarding the ketogenic diet. It is safe to assume that he regularly checks the different nutrient levels in his body. So, while Dom is probably not be missing out on any necessary supplementation, that might not be the case for other people on the ketogenic diet.

For most people on the keto diet, it is recommended that they take an electrolyte supplement, along with the supplements mentioned above. One side effect of the keto diet is the loss of minerals and electrolytes which happens because of the kidneys flushing out excessive amounts of water. This is one of the leading causes of the keto flu, a condition that mimics the actual flu and causes symptoms like nausea, fatigue, irritability, etc. Taking an electrolyte supplement will replenish the lost minerals, and help the body function normally.

Dom’s Advice to someone considering adapting the ketogenic diet

As mentioned above, uVitals was contacted by Dom to update the exogenous ketone recommendation from Kegenix, which is now end of life, to Audacious Nutrition KETOSTART. We decided to seize the opportunity to ask Dom a single question and share the answer here. We asked “what one piece of advice would you give to someone considering adapting the keto diet?”

Dom’s answer was direct and to the point, a quality we respect:

My answer would be: The fastest way to enhance “metabolic switching” for adapting to a keto diet would be to combine the diet with some form of time restricted feeding (aka, intermittent fasting) and the use of ketone supplementation to avoid the keto flu.

We are currently working on an intermittent fasting resource for our readers, and if you’re interested in learning about keto meal replacement recommendations and how to avoid keto flu when starting the keto diet, check out our linked resources. We also recommend visiting Dom’s webiste, KetoNutrition.org for lots more keto information and resources.

Who is Dom D’Agostino and what is he known for?