Daily Vitals: The 10 Ingredients (Shortened)

The essential guide — what, why, and what the science says

Shortened version: 8 min read

Daily Vitals contains ten actives, each selected to support one or more of AEVUM's five longevity systems: inflammation balance, cellular resilience, metabolic health, energy production, and nervous system regulation. Here's what each ingredient is, where it comes from, and what the evidence shows.

HydroCurc® (Curcumin)

Inflammation Balance | Nervous System Regulation

The world's most studied anti-inflammatory compound — made 3× more effective.

Curcumin is the primary bioactive in turmeric root, used in Ayurveda and TCM for over 4,000 years as a 'universal healer.' Modern science has confirmed what traditional practitioners observed: curcumin suppresses NF-κB — the master regulator of inflammatory gene expression — and reduces inflammatory cytokines including TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6.

The challenge with standard curcumin is poor bioavailability — most of it passes through the gut unused. HydroCurc® uses LipiSperse® technology to produce a water-dispersible form with up to 3× greater absorption. For longevity, this matters: curcumin's role in reducing 'inflammaging' (the chronic low-level inflammation that drives age-related decline) is among the best-evidenced dietary interventions in this space. Clinical studies using HydroCurc® also show increases in BDNF — the neurotrophic protein linked to cognitive resilience and protection against neurodegeneration.

Key studies:

• Gal et al. (2020) — reduced exercise-induced muscle damage and inflammatory markers with HydroCurc®
• Nutrients meta-analysis (2019) — 15 RCTs showing consistent CRP, IL-6 and TNF-α reductions
• BDNF study (2021) — HydroCurc® increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels in human subjects

Levagen®+ (Palmitoylethanolamide / PEA)

Inflammation Balance | Nervous System Regulation    

Your body already makes this — Levagen®+ ensures it works at the level it should.

PEA (palmitoylethanolamide) is a fatty acid compound your body produces naturally in response to pain and inflammation. It works via the endocannabinoid system (ECS) and PPAR-α receptors to modulate inflammatory signalling, mast cell activity, and nerve sensitivity — mechanisms that are both complementary to and distinct from curcumin, making the two together more comprehensive than either alone.

Like curcumin, standard PEA has a bioavailability problem. Levagen®+ uses the same LipiSperse® technology, achieving 1.75× greater absorption. With 16 human clinical studies behind it, Levagen®+ is one of the most extensively researched forms of PEA available. Clinical evidence covers joint comfort, exercise recovery, sleep latency, morning alertness, cognitive performance, immune function, and BDNF elevation. The ECS — which PEA directly supports — declines with age, making PEA a physiologically coherent target for healthy ageing.

Key studies:

• 2019 RCT — improved joint comfort, stiffness and function at 300–600mg daily
• 2021 study — improved sleep latency, morning alertness and cognitive performance on waking
• 2024 study — increased BDNF with improvements in memory and task performance

Astaxanthin

Cellular Resilience    

The most potent antioxidant found in nature — and one of the few that spans the entire cell membrane.

Astaxanthin is a carotenoid pigment produced by microalgae (Haematococcus pluvialis) as a stress response. It gives salmon, krill, and shrimp their red-pink colour. What makes it extraordinary is its molecular structure: it spans the full width of the cell membrane, protecting both inner and outer surfaces simultaneously — a property no other common antioxidant shares.

Its potency is exceptional: studies estimate astaxanthin to be approximately 6,000× more potent than vitamin C and 800× more potent than CoQ10 in certain antioxidant assays. Within the cellular resilience system, its role is to provide high-potency, broad-spectrum protection against oxidative damage — one of the central mechanisms of cellular ageing. Crucially, it crosses the blood-brain barrier, making neuroprotection a direct rather than secondary benefit. Multiple RCTs have demonstrated reduced oxidative stress markers, improved cognitive performance in older adults, and significant reductions in key inflammatory markers.

Key studies:

• British Journal of Nutrition (2011) — reduced oxidative stress biomarkers and improved immune function
• Nutrients (2021) — significant reductions in TNF-α, IL-6 and CRP
• Cognitive study (2020) — improved memory and cognitive performance in adults aged 60–80

Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA)

Cellular Resilience | Metabolic Health    

The antioxidant that makes every other antioxidant in the formula work harder.

Alpha lipoic acid (ALA) is unique among antioxidants for two reasons. First, it operates in both aqueous and lipid cellular environments, unlike most antioxidants which function in only one. Second — and more importantly — it actively regenerates other antioxidants including vitamin C, vitamin E, glutathione, and CoQ10 once they have been oxidised. In Daily Vitals, this makes ALA a force multiplier for the cellular resilience system.

ALA also carries significant evidence for the metabolic health system. It activates GLUT4 translocation — increasing glucose uptake by skeletal muscle cells independently of insulin — and supports mitochondrial function and energy efficiency. A 2018 meta-analysis (Obesity Reviews, 12 RCTs) found significant improvements in fasting blood glucose and insulin resistance with ALA supplementation. For longevity, ALA's ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and regenerate the brain's primary antioxidant (glutathione) positions it as a meaningful neuroprotective agent.

Key studies:

• Obesity Reviews meta-analysis (2018) — 12 RCTs showing reduced fasting glucose and insulin resistance
• Hagen et al., FASEB (2010) — ALA improved mitochondrial function and reduced oxidative stress in aged models
• Multiple studies confirming ALA's antioxidant-regenerating ('network antioxidant') properties

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)

Energy Production | Cellular Resilience    

Your mitochondria need this to produce energy — and your body makes less of it every year.

CoQ10 is essential to cellular energy production. It functions as a mobile electron carrier within the mitochondrial electron transport chain — the mechanism by which cells produce ATP. Without adequate CoQ10, this process becomes inefficient. The problem is that endogenous CoQ10 production declines significantly with age, with some research suggesting a reduction of 40–65% between ages 20 and 80. This decline is a biochemical contributor to the fatigue and reduced physical capacity associated with ageing — and a primary reason energy production is one of AEVUM's five systems.

The effects of CoQ10 supplementation are typically experienced as improved sustained energy and reduced mid-day fatigue — a ceiling lift rather than a stimulant spike. CoQ10 also connects directly to cellular resilience: mitochondria are acutely sensitive to oxidative damage, making the antioxidant and energy production systems reinforcing. 

Key studies:

• Q-SYMBIO trial (2014, JACC Heart Failure) — reduced cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality
• Nutrients meta-analysis (2018) — reduced CRP and markers of oxidative stress
• Pharmacokinetic studies confirming 40–65% decline in plasma CoQ10 between ages 20–80

Resveratrol 98%

Cellular Resilience | Metabolic Health    

The compound that made longevity science mainstream — for good reason.

Resveratrol's most significant mechanism is the activation of SIRT1 — a sirtuin enzyme now considered central to the biology of ageing. Sirtuins regulate DNA repair, gene expression, inflammatory signalling, mitochondrial biogenesis, and stress response. Japanese knotweed, the primary commercial source, has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for over 2,000 years for inflammatory and liver-protective properties.

Within Daily Vitals, resveratrol contributes to both cellular resilience (via Nrf2 antioxidant pathway upregulation and direct antioxidant activity) and metabolic health (via glucose regulation and lipid metabolism effects). A 2018 meta-analysis across 21 RCTs found significant reductions in fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, and insulin resistance. A 2021 systematic review across 11 trials found significant reductions in CRP, IL-6 and TNF-α.

Key studies:

• Sinclair et al., Nature (2003) — foundational sirtuin/SIRT1 activation mechanism
• Pharmacological Research meta-analysis (2018) — 21 RCTs: reduced glucose, HbA1c and insulin resistance
• Nutrients (2020) — increased SIRT1 gene expression in human subjects with resveratrol supplementation

Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)

Cellular Resilience | Metabolic Health    

Essential, irreplaceable, and surprisingly relevant to how long your cells last.

Vitamin C is one of the few nutrients humans cannot synthesise — we entirely lack the enzyme required and must obtain it daily. In Ayurveda, amalaki (Indian gooseberry — one of the world's richest natural vitamin C sources) is the single most important plant for longevity; Charaka Samhita describes it as a tonic for all three doshas and a rejuvenator of tissues. The traditional association between amalaki and vitality is now understood to relate substantially to its extraordinary vitamin C content.

Within Daily Vitals, vitamin C contributes to cellular resilience as a direct antioxidant in aqueous environments and as a regenerator of vitamin E — extending the network antioxidant effect initiated by ALA. It is also a cofactor for carnitine biosynthesis and collagen synthesis, relevant to metabolic and vascular health. A 2020 meta-analysis across 29 cohort studies found higher vitamin C significantly associated with reduced all-cause mortality. A 2020 population study found higher serum vitamin C correlated with longer telomere length — a direct cellular ageing marker.

Key studies:

• European Journal of Epidemiology (2020) — 29 cohort studies: higher vitamin C linked to reduced all-cause mortality
• Telomere study (2020) — higher serum vitamin C associated with longer telomere length
• Oxidative stress meta-analysis (2019) — consistent reductions in isoprostane (lipid oxidation marker)

Chromium Picolinate

Metabolic Health    

The trace mineral that keeps your blood glucose — and metabolic age — in check.

Chromium is a trace mineral required in microgram quantities but plays a specific and well-characterised role: it potentiates insulin action via a chromium-binding oligopeptide called chromodulin, which amplifies insulin receptor signalling at a cellular level. The result is improved insulin sensitivity — directly relevant to one of the most reliable early markers of metabolic ageing. Chromium picolinate (chromium bound to picolinic acid) is used in Daily Vitals for its superior bioavailability compared to other chromium salts.

Chromium contributes to normal macronutrient metabolism and maintenance of normal blood glucose levels. A Cochrane-level meta-analysis (Obesity Reviews, 2014, 20 RCTs) found significant reductions in fasting blood glucose and insulin in overweight individuals. Even in healthy populations, maintaining glucose homeostasis under metabolic challenge has longevity relevance: subclinical glucose dysregulation — glucose technically in normal range but trending towards impairment — is associated with accelerated cognitive and cardiovascular ageing in population studies.

Key studies:

• Obesity Reviews meta-analysis (2014) — 20 RCTs: reduced fasting glucose and insulin levels
• HbA1c meta-analysis (2010) — significant improvements in average blood glucose in at-risk populations
• EU NHC authorised claims: normal macronutrient metabolism, normal blood glucose levels

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)

Metabolic Health | Energy Production   

The gatekeeper of carbohydrate metabolism — and the reason whole grains matter.

Thiamine (vitamin B1) was the first vitamin ever discovered — it is a coenzyme in three critical enzyme complexes: pyruvate dehydrogenase (converting glucose products into acetyl-CoA for the energy cycle), alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase (within the citric acid cycle), and transketolase (the pentose phosphate pathway). Without adequate thiamine, carbohydrates cannot be efficiently converted into cellular energy.

In AEVUM's Daily Vitals Longevity Complex, thiamine sits at the interface of the metabolic health and energy production systems — it is the gatekeeper enzyme cofactor ensuring carbohydrate-derived energy reaches the mitochondria in the first place. Its role in neurological function also connects to the nervous system regulation system: the brain is almost entirely dependent on glucose for energy, making thiamine deficiency neurologically acute before other systems are affected.

Key studies:

• EU NHC authorised claims: normal energy-yielding metabolism, normal macronutrient metabolism, nervous system function
• Foundational beriberi research (Eijkman/Hopkins, 1890s–1926) — established role in carbohydrate metabolism
• Population studies: consistent whole-grain thiamine intake characteristic of multiple Blue Zone longevity populations

Zinc Bisglycinate (Core Chelate®)

Cellular Resilience | Nervous System Regulation    

Zinc does more than you think — and most people get less than they need.

Zinc is involved in over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body and is critical to immune function, cellular protection from oxidative stress, cognitive function, DNA repair, and normal tissue maintenance. Despite this, zinc deficiency is common — particularly in older adults, where reduced dietary intake and impaired absorption combine with increased physiological demand. Core Chelate® zinc bisglycinate uses a chelated form (zinc bound to two glycine molecules) that is more bioavailable and gentler on digestion than zinc oxide or sulfate.

Within AEVUM's systems, zinc contributes to cellular resilience (protection from oxidative stress) and nervous system regulation (normal cognitive function). It is a cofactor for superoxide dismutase (SOD) — one of the body's primary endogenous antioxidant enzymes — making it a structural component of cellular defence. For longevity, zinc's role in DNA repair and immune senescence (the age-related decline of immune function) is increasingly recognised: zinc status is a significant predictor of immune competence in older adults, and adequate zinc is associated with reduced all-cause mortality in population studies.

Key studies:

• EU NHC authorised claims: cognitive function, immune system function, protection from oxidative stress, normal skin/hair/nails
• Zinc and immune ageing (multiple studies): zinc status predicts immune competence in older adults
• SOD cofactor research: zinc as structural component of the body's primary antioxidant enzyme system

Summary: Why these 10 ingredients

Most supplements address a single symptom. Daily Vitals is designed around the five biological systems research most consistently links to how well we age — and the ten ingredients are selected because each one contributes meaningfully to at least one of those systems, with deliberate complementarity across the formula.

HydroCurc® and Levagen®+ address inflammation from two distinct angles. Astaxanthin, ALA, vitamin C, and zinc protect cells through different mechanisms in different environments. CoQ10 supports mitochondrial energy production. Resveratrol, chromium, and vitamin B1 support metabolic efficiency from multiple directions. And across all of it, curcumin, PEA, and zinc extend into nervous system regulation.

For the full deep-dive into each ingredient — traditional history, mechanism detail, and full study citations — read the extended version.

Food supplements are not medicines and cannot diagnose, treat, or cure diseases. Always consult your doctor before starting a new dietary supplement programme. Not intended for those under 18, those who are pregnant or lactating, or those on medication without medical advice.