Peter Attia Protocol 2026: What a Longevity Doctor Does and Doesn't Take

Peter Attia is a Stanford-trained physician who focuses his practice entirely on longevity. Becoming his patient costs around $150,000 per year. His book "Outlive" sold almost three million copies, and his podcast "The Drive" has been downloaded over 100 million times. He is cited as one of the most authoritative voices in longevity medicine.

What makes his protocol unique is what he doesn't take. No NMN. No multivitamin. No resveratrol ("absolute nonsense," he called it on his podcast). As of 2025, no more rapamycin either. For a doctor who keeps up with longevity research, his stack is remarkably conservative.

In this blog, we discuss the key elements of the Attia protocol in 2026. Not only what he takes, but also what he categorically rejects and why. We focus on what works universally, is EFSA-approved, and readily available in the Netherlands.

Who is Peter Attia?

Peter Attia is a physician who started his career as a surgeon at Johns Hopkins, then moved on to McKinsey. Today, he runs Early Medical, a longevity practice in Austin with fewer than 75 patients. He specializes in metabolic health and cardiovascular risks.

His approach is called Medicine 3.0: medicine that intervenes decades before symptoms arise. Central to this is the concept of the "Centenarian Decathlon," a set of physical skills needed to maintain a good quality of life at age 90. Lifting a suitcase into an overhead bin, an hour of gardening, playing on the floor with grandchildren.

His 2023 book "Outlive" is the best-selling longevity title of the past decade. In October 2025, he appeared on CBS 60 Minutes for a major public profile. What distinguishes him from someone like Bryan Johnson is that he is a physician, not an experimenting entrepreneur. His stack is built on clinical evidence, not self-experimentation.

The Peter Attia Protocol at a Glance

The protocol consists of four pillars: exercise (the most important), sleep, nutrition, and supplements. Underlying these is continuous monitoring via blood tests, glucose monitoring, and wearables.

The big update in 2025: Attia has stopped Rapamycin. Reason, according to his 60 Minutes interview: recurring mouth sores (aphthous ulcers, a known side effect). Just like Bryan Johnson, who stopped Rapamycin in 2024 for similar reasons. Two very different approaches to longevity, a longevity doctor and a self-experimenting entrepreneur, similar outcome.

Below you will find the verdict table with the most important protocol elements he does take. For each element, our judgment: SOLID (strong evidence, often EFSA-covered), DEPENDS (works for some, not for everyone), or NOT HERE (not available in Europe or outside consumer scope).

Morning: 5:30 AM to 7:00 AM

What Attia does

Attia wakes up between 5:30 AM and 6:00 AM, without an alarm if his schedule permits. The day begins without an elaborate ritual. His children are early risers, and the dog needs to go out. He does immediately check his sleep data and HRV (heart rate variability, the variation between heartbeats, a measure of recovery) from the previous night.

He also checks his fasting glucose every morning using a Levels CGM (continuous glucose monitor, a sensor that measures your glucose 24/7). These numbers determine how hard he trains that day. Breakfast is usually coffee with his wife, no pills.

The principle

Measure before you train. Sleep is the foundation; everything starts there. "Sleep is the single most important thing for performance," Attia says. "Before I talk about any supplement or intervention, I talk about sleep. Everything else is downstream of sleep."

Research perspective

HRV as a recovery marker is broadly supported in sports science literature. A stable or rising trend over seven days suggests good recovery; a declining trend indicates overtraining or stress. Glucose monitoring in healthy people has a growing evidence base, particularly for identifying foods that cause individual glucose spikes.

Translation gap for you

Attia has 75 patients and a schedule that protects his morning. Most of us don't. The principle remains: measure before deciding how hard you're going to push. A wearable does 80 percent of the work his lab does.

Workable for you: first, check your readiness score on your Oura or Whoop app before deciding how hard you'll go today. High score? Plan your hard workout today. Low score? Shift to zone 2 or a rest day. For glucose monitoring: wearing a CGM for a few weeks to learn your dietary response is sufficient; you don't need to do it permanently.

Use your wearable as a signal

Whoop recovery score or Oura readiness score determine whether you push or recover today. Below 70 percent or in the red is not a reason to skip your day, but it is a reason to move the heavy workout to tomorrow. For zone 2: heart rate should stay below approximately 70 to 75 percent of your max.

Supplements and tools upon waking

Attia starts his day without supplements or pills, just coffee. His actual stack comes later in the day, after his workout. What he does do is measure with wearables and blood test analyses.

Pre-workout and workout: 6:30 AM to 8:30 AM

What Attia does

Attia trains six days a week, approximately 13.5 hours in total. His schedule: four zone 2 cardio sessions per week (45 minutes cycling), one VO2 max session (30 minutes on the stairmaster or rower), three strength training sessions (45 to 60 minutes), three rucking sessions (walking with a weighted backpack), and one hour of stability per week (divided into 5 to 10-minute blocks before other workouts).

Pre-workout, he takes water with electrolytes for his long zone 2 sessions, mixing 5 grams of creatine into it. He measures his lactate with a lactate meter to stay in zone 2. Lactate is a waste product your muscles produce during exertion, and the amount in your blood shows how hard you're working. Between 1.7 and 1.9 mmol/L is zone 2 for him. After his strength training, he does BFR training (blood flow restriction) with SmartCuff bands. BFR is a technique where you apply a band around your arm or leg during light strength exercises, mimicking the effect of heavier training.

The principle

The four pillars of longevity training: stability as the foundation, strength for muscle mass and bone density, zone 2 for mitochondrial health, VO2 max for pure cardiorespiratory capacity. Miss one, and you fail the Centenarian Decathlon.

Research perspective

VO2 max (the maximum amount of oxygen your body can utilize during exercise) is one of the strongest predictors of all-cause mortality. Research from JAMA shows that the difference between low and high VO2 max is comparable to the difference between smoking and not smoking. Strength training three times a week is broadly supported for muscle mass, bone density, and insulin sensitivity. Zone 2 cardio builds mitochondrial density and metabolic flexibility.

Translation gap for you

Attia trains 13.5 hours a week because he can control his schedule. He has a lactate meter, a SmartCuff, and a private gym. Most of us have three or four hours a week. The principle remains: four pillars, not one.

Workable for you: three strength training sessions of 45 minutes and two zone 2 cardio sessions of 30 to 45 minutes per week, plus a short VO2 max session. You can recognize zone 2 by: you can still talk, but long sentences are difficult. No lactate meter needed.

Use your wearable as a signal

Whoop strain between 14 and 18 on a training day is usually the sweet spot for growth without overtraining. If you see your HRV significantly below your seven-day baseline the morning after a workout, the workout was too intense for your recovery capacity. For zone 2: heart rate should stay below approximately 70 to 75 percent of your max.

Supplements and tools around workout

Attia mixes his daily 5 grams of creatine into his pre-workout drink. He calls the evidence for creatine "overwhelming, both for muscle and for the brain." Creapure Creatine from Protella is the cleanest monohydrate variant on the market, used in most clinical studies. It increases physical performance during successive short, intensive efforts at 3g per day.

Attia drinks water with electrolytes during his long zone 2 sessions. Performance Electrolytes Unflavoured from NoordCode is a clean unflavored option, so it can be mixed with your creatine or pre-workout shake.

Breakfast and supplement stack: 8:30 AM to 10:00 AM

What Attia does

After his workout, Attia takes his regular supplement stack. His "core 4": creatine (already taken pre-workout), omega-3 (2.5 g EPA and 1 g DHA), vitamin D (dosed to a blood level of 40 to 60 ng/mL), and magnesium (in multiple forms spread throughout the day). Additionally, methylfolate and methyl B-12 for homocysteine management, and periodically Theracurmin (90 to 180 mg curcumin extract).

Protein is a central point: he eats 1.6 to 2 grams per kg of body weight per day. Whey protein post-workout is a staple. He does not take NMN, NR, resveratrol, or multivitamins.

The principle

Conservative and evidence-based. Attia categorizes longevity claims into five buckets: proven, promising, fuzzy, noise, or nonsense. He only takes what is in "proven" or at the top of "promising." He avoids anything with a nice mechanism but without human research. Blood test values determine dosages.

Research perspective

Magnesium, vitamin D, omega-3 EPA/DHA, and creatine all have EFSA-approved claims for the nervous system, immune system, heart and brain function, and physical performance. Curcumin has positive but inconsistent data from clinical studies for inflammatory markers. Methyl B-12 and methylfolate are relevant for people with MTHFR variations (a genetic factor that affects folate processing).

Translation gap for you

Attia undergoes extensive blood tests to check his values four times a year. You can do this too, and it doesn't have to be expensive. The principle remains: focus on what human research supports, avoid anything with only mouse data.

Workable for you: his core 4 are also your core 4. Magnesium, vitamin D plus K2, omega-3, creatine. Plus adequate protein (1.6 g per kg body weight is achievable). The rest is optional as you progress further in your longevity journey. For blood test analyses, we work with an external partner. During a wellness check, we can refer you.

Use your wearable as a signal

Blood tests are the real feedback loop. ApoB (a marker for cardiovascular risk), omega-3 index, vitamin D blood level, HbA1c (average blood sugar over three months). The Wellness Check is a good starting point to see which tests are relevant for you.

Supplements around breakfast

Attia's omega-3 dosage is 2.5 g EPA and 1 g DHA per day, significantly higher than standard supplements. Super Omega-3 Plus EPA/DHA from Life Extension is a clean and high-dose variant. It contributes to the normal function of the heart and normal brain function at 250 mg per day.

Attia doses vitamin D based on blood test, target 40 to 60 ng/mL. Vitamin D3 + K2 Oral Spray from Kiki Health is a good starting point. For those who dose higher based on blood test: Ultimate Vitamin D3 + K2 from NoordCode or Vitamins D and K from Life Extension.

For his methyl B vitamins for homocysteine management: BioActive Complete B-Complex from Life Extension provides the complete B-vitamin spectrum in active, methylated forms.

Curcumin (Theracurmin) Attia takes periodically for inflammatory markers and joints. We will soon offer a curcumin variant; as soon as it is available, we will add the link here. [LINK NEEDED: curcumin product]

For post-workout protein, Attia uses whey protein. Organic Pure Whey from NoordCode is an organic and clean variant with approximately 22 g of protein per shake.

Afternoon, focus, and stress management: 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM

What Attia does

Attia primarily works on his Early Medical practice, recordings for The Drive podcast, and blood test analyses for his patients. He eats his largest meal around 12:00 PM, focusing on protein and vegetables. No afternoon nap (it disrupts his sleep, he says). No second coffee after 2:00 PM.

Stress management for him is largely through exercise and sleep, not through supplements during the day. No adaptogens during working hours. He does save ashwagandha and glycine for the evening.

The principle

Cognitive performance vs. fatigue management. Attia strongly prefers sufficient sleep over stacking caffeine. A second coffee masks fatigue instead of resolving it. A short walk or five minutes of daylight works better for energy than an extra espresso.

Research perspective

Caffeine remains active in your system for hours. Half of what you drink at 2:00 PM is still in your body at 8:00 PM. For people who sleep poorly, eliminating afternoon coffee can make a measurable difference. Time-restricted eating (an eating window of 8 to 10 hours) has a growing evidence base for metabolic markers, but Attia himself is more focused on total calories and protein than on the eating window.

Translation gap for you

Attia can protect his schedule. Most of us have meetings at 2:00 PM and children at 5:30 PM. The principle remains: stop caffeine after noon, make sure your largest meal isn't the heaviest before your workout.

Actionable for you: drink your last coffee before 1:00 PM. A 10-minute afternoon walk is more effective for focus than a second espresso.

Use your wearable as a signal

If your Oura stress curve peaks after lunch, it's often a sign of coffee or a heavy meal. For the afternoon slump, opt for a walk rather than a second cup of coffee. That will lower the curve instead of pushing it further up.

Afternoon supplements

Attia doesn't take specific supplements for stress or focus during the day. His ashwagandha is reserved for the evening as sleep support. No coffee alternatives, no nootropics during the day.

Evening and wind-down: 6:00 PM to 9:30 PM

What Attia does

Dinner around 6:00 PM, three hours before bedtime. He stops intense screen work around 8:00 PM. Between 8:00 PM and 9:30 PM is wind-down: reading, spending time with his wife and children, no work. No alcohol on weekdays.

The most important evening ritual is his sauna. Attia goes into his dry sauna 4 to 6 times a week in the evening before sleeping. He himself calls the impact on his sleep "insane" and has become much more positive about sauna in public in 2024 than before. He sometimes wears blue light blocking glasses during movie nights, but is not as extreme as Bryan Johnson in this regard.

The principle

Eating too close to bedtime disrupts glucose stabilization and deep sleep. Evening blue light suppresses melatonin production. Sauna in the evening acts as a wind-down trigger: your body temperature first rises and then drops sharply, which aids sleep induction.

Research perspective

Late evening meals are associated with reduced sleep quality and higher glucose peaks at night. Evening blue light, even at low intensity, suppresses melatonin production. Warm hues (red, amber, below 2700K) disrupt the melatonin cycle significantly less. Sauna use in a large 20-year Finnish study showed a 40 percent reduction in general mortality with four or more sessions per week.

Translation gap for you

Attia eats at 6:00 PM because he can control his schedule. With children, a partner, or evening obligations, that's not always possible. The principle remains: stop eating 2 to 3 hours before bed, dim the lights in the last hour, and if you have access to a sauna, use it in the evening.

Actionable for you: blue light filter on phone and laptop after 8:00 PM. A blue light blocking lamp in the living room for the evening. Phone on do not disturb after 9:00 PM.

Use your wearable as a signal

Your sleep latency on your Oura or Whoop is direct feedback on your evening routine. Falling asleep in under 15 minutes is healthy. Over 30 minutes is a sign that your body is not yet in rest mode, often due to light, food, or stress too close to bedtime.

Tools for the evening

Attia wears blue light blocking glasses during movie nights to filter artificial light. Brooklyn Blue Light Blocking Glasses filter the vast majority of the blue spectrum, including from TV and LED lighting in your home.

For the living room: the Bon Charge Blue Light Blocking Lamp provides warm evening light without blue peaks. For the hallway or bathroom: the Bon Charge Plugin Night Light is an amber plug-in night light that won't wake you up if you need to go to the toilet at night.

Sleep: 9:30 PM to 5:30 AM

What Attia does

Attia goes to bed between 9:30 PM and 10:00 PM. Bedroom around 18°C. 8 hours of sleep is non-negotiable for him. In his medical residency, he survived 80-hour shifts, and has said that he sees that as a mistake of his younger years.

His sleep stack is iconic in the longevity world: 600 mg ashwagandha, 2 grams glycine, and 144 mg magnesium L-threonate, 30 minutes before bed. Sometimes 0.5 to 2 mg melatonin for jet lag. For travel, an additional 400 mg phosphatidylserine.

The principle

The four basic principles for good sleep: dark, cool, quiet, and consistent. Plus a sleep cocktail that calms the nervous system (glycine, ashwagandha) and supports brain-magnesium status (L-threonate form crosses the blood-brain barrier).

Research perspective

Magnesium contributes to the normal functioning of the nervous system and to the reduction of fatigue (EFSA-approved claims). Glycine is an amino acid that acts as a calming neurotransmitter. Studies in which participants took 3 grams of glycine before bed showed shorter time to fall asleep and better sleep quality (Attia himself takes 2 grams). Ashwagandha in studies with 300 to 600 mg over 8 to 10 weeks is associated with cortisol modulation and better sleep. A cool bedroom between 16 and 19°C supports the natural drop in your body temperature necessary for deep sleep.

Translation gap for you

Attia sleeps 8 hours because he can protect his schedule. You probably have a partner, children, and a life that sometimes can't end in bed at 9:30 PM. The principle remains: fixed bedtime, dark room, cool temperature, sleep cocktail in the last 30 minutes.

Actionable for you: choose a bedtime you can stick to six out of seven days. Darken the room or wear a sleep mask. Open a window or turn off the heating. Phone outside the bedroom.

Use your wearable as a signal

Your deep sleep percentage and REM sleep percentage provide direct feedback. Under 15 percent deep sleep is a sign that your sleep environment or bedtime routine needs attention. Low REM is often a sign of alcohol yesterday or a meal too late.

Supplements and tools for the night

The Attia sleep cocktail is available in its entirety via BeatsWell. Start with magnesium L-threonate, which is its most unique component. Neuro-Mag L-Threonate from Life Extension is the same Magtein patent variant he uses, in 144 mg dosage.

For general magnesium support: Liposomal Magnesium Glycinate from Codeage. Glycinate is the form with the best tolerability, and the liposomal packaging ensures optimal absorption.

Glycine is an amino acid that acts as a calming neurotransmitter and helps you fall asleep faster. Glycine from Life Extension provides 1 gram per capsule, in line with Attia's 2 gram pre-bed dosage.

Ashwagandha for cortisol management: Ashwagandha Plus from Life Extension. An adaptogen (a herb traditionally used to support the body's stress response).

Finally, the sleep environment: an Aura Silk Sleep Mask for total darkness and Mouth Tape for nasal breathing during the night.

Build your own version

Peter Attia charges $150,000 per year for a spot as a patient. His protocol is built on continuous blood testing, his own lab, and a team of researchers. We have something different: a filter. BeatsWell was founded by entrepreneurs who had the same problem as you. A market full of claims, little transparency, and no place where someone checks for you what really works. Together with longevity doctors and orthomolecular therapists, we determine which products and protocols pass through the filter.

The Attia protocol is unique in one respect: he is conservative, he discards what doesn't work, and he follows clinical evidence. Just as he stopped Rapamycin in 2025, and Bryan Johnson did so in 2024, that says something about the current status of longevity science. Spectacular claims often have fragile substantiation. The foundation is broadly substantiated and affordable.

A number of products and services from his protocol are not freely available in Europe. BeatsWell has alternatives:

• His Levels CGM: not freely available in Europe. Alternative: wear a CGM from Freestyle or Dexcom for a few days.
• His extensive blood test: We work with an external partner for longevity blood tests. During a  free Wellness Consultation, we can discuss a blood test if it is meaningful for your goals, and refer you to the right place to have this done. 
• His prescription Rapamycin: He himself stopped using it in 2025 due to recurrent mouth sores. For the evidence-driven reader, that is a signal. 

Do you want to follow the protocol in Attia's way, with a focus on measurement and personalization? That suits The Men's Performance & Longevity Protocol from BeatsWell: for men who are serious about performance and longevity. We build your routine based on your blood test and wearable data.

Prefer a personal conversation first? Schedule a free Wellness Consultation and we'll see together which components work for you.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

The Peter Attia protocol is a lesson in evidence-based prioritization. No NMN. No resveratrol. No multivitamin. Instead: four pillars of training, a conservative supplement core, 8 hours of sleep as non-negotiable, and continuous measurement via blood tests and wearables. Since 2025, also no more rapamycin.

The basics cost around 80 to 150 euros per month for his core supplements. Training is free if you have access to a gym and some self-discipline. The wearable, an Oura ring or Whoop, is a one-time investment that pays for itself in insights.

Do you want to build the protocol in Attia's way, with a focus on measurement and personalization? [Tier 2 membership URL] is for men who are serious about this. Schedule a free wellness check as a first introduction, or build your routine in 2 minutes with the Routine Builder.