Rick Rosner
Rick Rosner is obsessive about his health.
Rick Rosner, the world's second-smartest man, starts his day by swallowing around 50 pills.
Omega 3 fish oil capsules (to control the bad fat), a baby aspirin (for longevity), Metformin (for the metabolism).
Pop, pop, pop.
Then breakfast.
The regimen, he says, "makes my brain work better." If you prevent age-related cognitive decline, then "that's sort of like being smarter."
Rosner has an IQ of 192, compared with the average IQ of 100, as ranked by intelligence tests on this list kept by the World Genius Directory.
Rosner swears by his supplements even though research supporting his use is scant to nonexistent. Supplements are almost completely unregulated and may contain substances beyond or instead of what's advertised on the bottle. In some cases, they can be harmful.
The health nut (on a typical day he also visits five different gyms) provided us with a full list of his mostly self-prescribed meds, along with with his own commentary about their benefits.
But first, a disclaimer. Rosner has been many things - a comedy writer, a bouncer, a stripper - but he does not claim to be a doctor.
"In college, the only chemistry class I passed was Chem 099 for football players and idiots," he tells Business Insider
Better yet, talk to your doctor.
Here is his list:
Omega 3 fish oil capsules. This is supposed to be the good fat, more liquid at normal temperatures, to take the place of not-so-good, more solid fats.
Half an aspirin daily. Along with flossing your teeth, taking half an aspirin or a baby aspirin each day might be the cheapest, easiest way to extend your life. Aspirin knocks down inflammation and keeps your blood thin. You can get a year's worth of aspirin for a buck at the 99-Cent Store.
Metformin. A drug for Type 2 diabetics that decreases glucose production in the liver and helps your body use insulin more efficiently, reducing spikes in blood sugar (and possibly reducing the likelihood of cancer). Metformin is one of two drugs that may fool your body into reacting as if you're ingesting fewer calories, possibly flipping your metabolism into extended-life mode.
Metoprolol. A blood pressure drug that I take that knocks down adrenalin and the fight-or-flight response. It lets me drive in LA without my blood pressure going up.
Glisodin. One of the many things I take which is supposed to clean up cellular gunk, stuff that builds up over a lifetime. This may help slow down graying of hair, might cause slight euphoria. Hard to tell.
Avodart (generic name dutasteride). It knocks out DHT (dihydrotestosterone), a form of testosterone that makes your prostate blow up and your hair fall out. Whenever you see a TV ad where old men are always rushing off to pee, you're seeing an ad for a DHT blocker. An added benefit of DHT blockers is they cause your body to pump out some extra testosterone to compensate, so it's a little like being on steroids. Don't let women come in contact with this drug - it could lead to the birth of a hermaphrodite.
Rick Rosner
Rosner as a kid.
Glucosamine and chondroitin. For less-creaky joints. Our dog gets this, too.
Fancy multivitamins from Life Extension and Vitacost. The kind with about 45 obscure ingredients.
SAM-e (S-Adenosyl methionine). This is supposed to keep your liver all nice. Also, milk thistle, which is also supposed to help your liver.
Astragalus. May help fight the shortening of telomeres.
Fiber gummies. I like food and don't have perfect food habits, so I use fiber gummies and carb blockers to compensate for my lack of eating discipline. Fiber gummies are fiber in the form of gumdrops - candy that makes you poop. The faster food moves through you, the less you absorb. Carb blockers suppress a digestive enzyme so you only absorb 75% of the carbs you eat when you take them with a meal. You poop a little more, but it's worth it.
Fat blockers. These are pure punishment and should be avoided for all but the fattiest meals. It's better just to eat less fat. For instance, peel most of the cheese off of a piece of pizza - it will still taste just like pizza.
Prescription and non-prescription drugs to lower cholesterol.
Curcumin. Reduces inflammation and is a very pretty orange colour.
ToCoQ10
L-carnosine
ALA and acetyl L-carnitine
Vitamin D3
Vitamin C
Vitamin E with selenium and also Gamma E
Lycopene
TMG (trimethylglycene)
Calcium
Rick Rosner
Rosner with his wife, Carole.
Benfotamine
N-acetyl cysteine
Mangosteen pomegranate noni complex
Vitamin K
Horse chestnut (for varicose veins)
Quercetin & bromelain
Coffee. This is the only brain drug I know for sure works. It doesn't make me smarter, but it keeps me alert. Started drinking it about two and a half years ago. Used to nod off every afternoon at work. No more, thanks to coffee.
Phosphatidylserine
DMAE
Aminoguanidine
Centrophenoxine
Piracetam
Cognitex from Life Extension
Vinpocetine (occasionally)
Methylene blue. A dye that is in Phase III clinical trials to see whether it clears out junk amyloid protein in the brain. MB may act as a detergent, helping to break up amyloid, which can clog the brain, killing neurons. Might be good if you've taken some shots to the head. I worked in bars and got punched in the face a few times - but not anything like the shots taken by football players. (Plus, methylene blue makes your urine a rich emerald green.)