I Started Using AI Every Day After 50. Here's What Surprised Me.

Welcome to AI After 50. I’m Dominic — 30 years in IT, and I’ve started using AI as my personal research team. I’m going to share what I find each week. No hype, no selling, just what’s real.

I want to start with something personal because it’s what got me into this.

I have an eye condition called NAION — basically a stroke in my optic nerve. It happened in 2020. My other eye has a different condition that causes congestion and distortion. On top of that, severe dry eye. Every day I deal with glare, strain, and aching that never really goes away.

My ophthalmologist is excellent. But he has 15 minutes per visit and hundreds of patients. There’s only so much ground you can cover.

So I asked AI a simple question: What’s been studied specifically for my condition that I might not know about?

Here’s what it came back with in about 90 seconds.

AI found a randomized clinical trial that tested Citicoline (brand name Cognizin) specifically in NAION patients — my exact diagnosis. The result: it prevented further nerve fiber thinning in treated eyes while untreated eyes continued to deteriorate.

My doctor never mentioned it. Not because he’s bad — because there are thousands of studies published every year and no human can track them all.

I ordered it. $25/month on Amazon. I don’t know yet if it’ll help me. But the fact that a clinical trial exists for my specific condition and I didn’t know about it until AI told me — that stopped me in my tracks.

AI also surfaced that the American Glaucoma Society and the American Academy of Ophthalmology issued a formal 2025 position statement supporting Niacinamide (vitamin B3) for optic nerve protection. Clinical trials at 3 grams per day showed visual field improvement in 9-12 weeks.

My eye doctor had actually asked me about this at my last visit. Now I understand why. I just ordered it — haven’t started it yet.

Important detail AI caught: it’s Niacinamide, not Niacin. The AGS was explicit that they’re not interchangeable.

This one I’m doing right now. AI pointed me to research out of Baylor College of Medicine on something called the GlyNAC protocol — Glycine plus N-Acetyl Cysteine. In a randomized trial with adults aged 60-85, it improved:

• Glutathione levels (your body’s master antioxidant)

• Mitochondrial function

• Inflammation markers

• Cognitive function

• Muscle strength

All within 16-24 weeks. I started glycine a few days ago and I’m adding NAC this week. Total cost: about $30/month for both.

Will it work? I don’t know yet. But the study was a real randomized controlled trial at a major medical school with people my age. That’s enough for me to try it.

I’ve been in IT for 30 years. I’ve watched technology change everything — from mainframes to cloud to mobile. AI is the biggest shift I’ve seen in my career, and most people my age are either ignoring it or afraid of it.

I’m neither. I’m using it every day, and it keeps finding things I didn’t know existed — health protocols, financial concepts, life improvements. Some will pan out. Some won’t. I’m going to share all of it honestly.

AI is not a doctor. It’s not a financial advisor. It doesn’t replace professional judgment. But it’s the best research assistant I’ve ever had. It reads studies I’d never find and connects dots across fields that no single professional can span.

I make the decisions. AI brings me the options I didn’t know were there.

• Prediction markets: I’m looking into a new kind of investment where AI can spot opportunities most people miss. I’ll share what I learn as I learn it.

• Red light therapy for eyes: AI found clinical evidence I want to dig into. Is it real or is it hype?

• Zone 2 cardio on an e-bike: The specific heart rate zone that longevity researchers say matters most — and I ride an e-bike, so this is right up my alley.

I’m Dominic. 30 years in IT. Using AI to find what I’ve been missing. If you’re curious about what AI can actually do for your life — not in theory, but in practice — subscribe. I’ll share what I find every week.

Have a question you want me to ask AI? Reply to this email. I read everything.