Bio-Efficacy Stack Builder

The Bio-Efficacy Audit: Supplements vs. Food Alternatives

The supplement industry sells $56 billion/year in products, many of which can be replaced by whole foods at a fraction of the cost. Our Bio-Efficacy Audit examines every popular biohacking supplement and asks one question: How much food would you need to eat to match the supplemental dose? The answers range from practical (2 tablespoons of wheat germ = $40 spermidine supplement) to physically impossible (57 lbs of edamame for NMN).

The Calculation of Futility

For each supplement, we calculate the Dosage-Matrix Gap — the difference between the therapeutic dose used in clinical trials and what food can realistically provide. This reveals three categories:

• Supplement Essential: No practical food replacement exists (NMN, Creatine, Berberine, Mag L-Threonate)
• Food Superior: Whole food is cheaper AND better (Spermidine via wheat germ, Alpha-GPC via eggs)
• Food Partial: Food works for maintenance but not therapeutic doses (Fisetin via strawberries, Sulforaphane via broccoli sprouts)

5 Supplements You Can Replace with Food Today

1. Spermidine ($40/mo) → Wheat Germ ($2/mo)

Wheat germ contains ~35mg spermidine per 100g. Just 2 tablespoons (15g) provides the full 5mg therapeutic dose. You also get Vitamin E and synergistic polyamines. This is the clearest case of supplement industry overcharging — save $38/month.

2. Alpha-GPC ($22/mo) → Eggs ($12/mo)

Each egg yolk contains ~147mg choline. 2-4 eggs daily provides 300-600mg of phospholipid-bound choline with superior bioavailability, plus DHA, Vitamins A/D/K. Unless you are vegan, the supplement is unnecessary.

3. Glycine ($8/mo) → Bone Broth ($5/mo)

A cup of quality bone broth provides 1.5-3g glycine. 1-2 cups in the evening is both a sleep aid and a collagen source. An ancient remedy validated by modern science.

4. Sulforaphane ($15/mo) → Broccoli Sprouts ($3/mo)

Growing your own sprouts provides 100x more sulforaphane than mature broccoli. One handful (100g) daily, chewed raw, activates the myrosinase enzyme for maximum conversion.

5. L-Theanine ($10/mo) → Matcha ($20/mo)

Matcha delivers L-Theanine plus caffeine in near-ideal 2:1 ratios. 3-4 cups daily is a food-first nootropic approach (though slightly more expensive than the isolated supplement).

5 Supplements Food Cannot Replace

1. NMN — You Would Need 57 lbs of Edamame

Edamame, the richest food source, contains only 0.47-1.88mg per 100g. For a 500mg therapeutic dose, you would need to eat 26 kg (57 lbs) daily. NAD+ restoration is a pharmacological necessity.

2. Creatine — 2.5 lbs of Raw Beef Daily

Beef contains ~4.5g creatine per kg, but cooking degrades it to creatinine. You would need 1.1 kg of RAW beef daily — 2,000+ kcal just from meat. At $10/month, creatine monohydrate is the most cost-effective supplement in existence.

3. Berberine — 61g of Inedible Barberry Root

Berberine exists in concentrated form only in woody, bitter plant roots. The therapeutic 1,500mg dose requires 61.5g of dry barberry root — a material that is not a food. Meta-analyses confirm berberine matches Metformin for glucose control.

4. Magnesium L-Threonate — No Food Equivalent

L-Threonate is a patented chelated form (Magtein) specifically engineered to cross the blood-brain barrier. No food provides magnesium in this form. Regular dietary magnesium from nuts and greens does not achieve the same brain penetration.

5. Lion's Mane Dual Extract — The Chitin Extraction Problem

The NGF-stimulating compounds (hericenones, erinacines) are locked inside chitin cell walls and are alcohol-soluble, not water-soluble. Cooking the mushroom extracts immune-boosting beta-glucans but not the neuro compounds. Dual extraction (hot water + ethanol) is required.

Free Behavioral Biohacks That Replace Expensive Products

• Vinegar before meals: Up to 30% glucose spike reduction — partial Berberine replacement for non-diabetics
• Food sequencing (Fiber → Protein → Carbs): Provides ~80% of CGM-guided glucose control, free
• Sunrise exposure: Natural red/NIR light replaces $200-600 red light panels for circadian and maintenance benefits
• Hot baths (39-41C, 20-30 min): Water has 24x the thermal conductivity of air — more effective than $5K infrared saunas

The Evidence Tiers

• Tier 1: Multiple RCTs or meta-analyses (Creatine, Magnesium, D3, Omega-3, Berberine)
• Tier 2: Smaller RCTs or strong mechanistic data (NMN, Lion's Mane, Ashwagandha, CoQ10, Urolithin A)
• Tier 3: Emerging preclinical signals (Fisetin senolytics, Spermidine autophagy)

The Urolithin A Producer Paradox

Urolithin A is a postbiotic that stimulates mitophagy — but it is not found directly in food. The body must convert pomegranate ellagitannins via specific gut bacteria (Gordonibacter urolithinfaciens). Only 40% of humans possess these bacteria. For the other 60% (Non-Producers), no amount of pomegranate will produce Urolithin A — supplementation (Mitopure) is the only option. Testing your producer status is a key monetization opportunity.

References

• NMN food content analysis: Mills et al. (2016), Cell Metabolism — NMN concentrations in natural foods
• Spermidine dietary intake: Madeo et al. (2018), Science — Epidemiological mortality data
• Berberine vs. Metformin meta-analysis: Dong et al. (2012), Evidence-Based CAM — 14 RCTs
• Creatine monohydrate: Kreider et al. (2017), JISSN position stand — most studied ergogenic aid
• Urolithin A ATLAS study: Liu et al. (2022), Cell Reports Medicine — muscle strength +12%, VO2 +10%
• Sulforaphane from broccoli sprouts: Fahey et al. (2017) — myrosinase activation superiority
• Vinegar + glucose: Johnston et al. (2004), Diabetes Care — acetic acid alpha-amylase inhibition
• Food sequencing CGM data: Shukla et al. (2015), Diabetes Care — vegetable-first meal order
• Hot water immersion vs. sauna: Brunt et al. (2016), J Physiol — thermal conductivity comparison
• Lion's Mane extraction: Mori et al. (2009) — chitin barrier and dual-extract requirements
• Alpha-GPC vs. dietary choline: Zeisel (2006), Am J Clin Nutr — egg yolk bioavailability
• FDA DSHEA Framework & FTC Advertising Guidelines for Dietary Supplements