Nick Engerer Answers Your Questions About Ca-AKG

Hey there, it’s Nick Engerer, strategic advisor at DoNotAge and someone who’s been self-experimenting with Calcium Alpha-Ketoglutarate (Ca-AKG) for years now. If you’ve read my earlier posts, you’ll know I’m pretty obsessive about testing things properly: blood markers before and after, biological age clocks, recovery logs from trail runs, the lot. Ca-AKG is one of the very few supplements that has stayed in my daily stack without interruption since 2022, and it’s earned that spot the hard way.

 

So today I want to pull back the curtain and answer the AKG questions I get asked most often. These frequent my inbox, DMs and even when I’m chatting with friends about my protocol. Think of this as everything I wish someone had told me when I first ordered my bottle of DoNotAge Pure Ca-AKG.

 

Why Ca-AKG became non-negotiable for me

When I first started taking Ca-AKG, I followed the standard research dose: 1 gram per day (1,000 mg). That’s three DoNotAge capsules with breakfast. Within a couple of weeks I noticed two things: my legs felt fresher the day after long trail runs, and my morning energy was noticeably more stable with no 3 p.m. slump. Nice, but I wanted more definitive data.

 

So I dug into the pharmacokinetics (how long AKG actually stays in the bloodstream) and the athlete literature on Arginine-AKG. The half-life is surprisingly short, which means splitting the dose or going slightly higher can keep levels more consistent. I bumped to 2 grams per day (five capsules, split morning and post-workout). Nine months later my TruAge epigenetic clock had dropped 3.1 years and, more importantly, I was recovering from 26 km hilly races like I was still in my twenties. That sealed it for me! Ca-AKG moved from “interesting experiment” to “core longevity stack.”

 

The questions I get asked every single week

“What actually is Ca-AKG and how does it work?”

In simple terms, alpha-ketoglutarate is one of the most important molecules in your Krebs cycle, which is like the engine room where every cell turns food into energy. From your 20s onward, your natural AKG levels start sliding, and by 80 they can be 90% lower. That drop is linked to fatigue, slower recovery, inflammation, loss of muscle and bone, and even stiffer arteries. Supplementing with the calcium-bound form (Ca-AKG) restores those levels, giving your cells the raw material they’ve been missing. It’s not a stimulant. It’s more like putting the right grade of fuel back in a high-performance engine.

 

“When will I notice anything?”

It depends on what you’re looking for.

  • Energy and workout recovery: most people (including me) feel this within 3–14 days.

  • Skin, hair pigmentation changes (yes, some of my grey hairs have darkened again, this is anecdotal but consistent across many users): 3–6 months.

  • Measurable drop in biological age (epigenetic clocks): give it 6–12 months of consistent use.

I track all three, and the recovery benefit was the first to show up.

 

“What’s the sweet-spot dose?”

DoNotAge’s Pure Ca-AKG is 400 mg per capsule, no fillers, vegan cellulose capsule.

  • Maintenance / first-time users: 800 mg–1.2 g (2–3 capsules)

  • My personal “athletic/longevity dose: 2 g split across the day
    I take three capsules first thing and two more after training. If you’re very active or over 50, leaning toward the higher end seems to give clearer results.

 

“Morning or evening?”

Morning wins for me, taken on an empty stomach. It supports daytime energy and exercise performance without interfering with sleep. A few people take one dose later if they train in the evening, but I’d avoid it within 3 hours of bed—AKG can be mildly energising.

 

“Do I need to stack it with anything?”

Ca-AKG plays beautifully with others. My current favourites:

  • NMN or NR (NAD+ precursors) for more cellular energy currency

  • Creatine. A nice pairing with muscle power and hydration

  • Collagen peptides. Think skin and joint support (AKG helps collagen synthesis too)

I’ve tried it solo and stacked; stacked wins in my opinion, particularly with creatine. 

 

“Is it really safe long-term?”

Yes. Ca-AKG has been studied in animals at very high doses for years, and human trials (including the 2021 Rejuvant study) have used it daily for 7–24 months with no adverse effects. It’s GRAS status in the U.S. That said, if you’re on prescription meds or have kidney issues, check with your doctor (this is standard advice for any supplement).

 

“Why DoNotAge’s version over others?”

Because it’s just Ca-AKG in a capsule. No rice flour, no magnesium stearate, no mysterious “natural flavours.” Every batch is third-party tested for purity and heavy metals, and it’s made in GMP/ISO9001 facilities. I’ve tried cheaper brands; the difference in how I feel is night and day.

 

The bottom line from someone who tests everything

After four years of daily use, multiple biological age tests, and hundreds of training sessions logged, Ca-AKG remains one of the highest-ROI supplements I’ve ever added. It doesn’t give you a caffeine-style buzz. Instead, it quietly turns the dial back on multiple aging processes at once. If you want to keep hiking, running, lifting, or just chasing your kids/grandkids with the same energy you had ten years ago, this is one of the smartest investments you can make.

 

Start simple: 2–3 capsules in the morning with water. Track how you feel for 30 days. If you’re like me, you’ll be ordering the bigger bottle before it runs out.

 

Here’s to staying strong and energised for decades,

 

Nick Engerer

Strategic Advisor, DoNotAge

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