Unlock the Secret: Is NAD the Miracle Anti-Aging Drug or Just Another Craze
Aging is inevitable—or is it? NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide), often called a “miracle drug,” has been causing a stir in the anti-aging world, being hailed as the new fountain of youth. During an episode of The Kardashians, Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenner revealed their NAD+ supplementation routine, with Hailey joking, “I’m going to NAD+ for the rest of my life, and I’m never going to age.” Doctors and health specialists are starting to chime in on social media to share their opinions on why NAD+ supplementation can support longevity. But is NAD+ really a breakthrough, or just another fleeting trend?
What is NAD+?
NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is a crucial molecule found in every cell of our body, often described as a “cellular fuel” or “coenzyme.” It plays a vital role in numerous biological processes, primarily by helping convert the food we eat into energy our cells can use. NAD+ is essential for maintaining healthy DNA, regulating cellular metabolism, and supporting the function of important enzymes called sirtuins, which are involved in cellular health and longevity. As we age, our natural levels of NAD+ decline, which is thought to contribute to various aspects of aging and age-related diseases. This decline affects our cells’ ability to produce energy efficiently, repair DNA damage, and maintain overall cellular health. Due to its wide-ranging importance in cellular function, NAD+ has become a focus of research in the fields of aging and metabolic health, with scientists exploring ways to boost NAD+ levels to potentially slow down aspects of the aging process and improve overall health.
NAD+ decline plays a significant role in the aging process through several key mechanisms:
- Decreased cellular energy production: NAD+ is essential for cellular energy metabolism, particularly in mitochondrial function. As NAD+ levels decline with age, there is reduced efficiency in energy production, leading to cellular dysfunction.
- Impaired DNA repair: NAD+ is a crucial cofactor for enzymes involved in DNA repair, such as PARPs (poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases). Lower NAD+ levels compromise the cell’s ability to repair DNA damage, which accumulates with age.
- Reduced sirtuin activity: Sirtuins are NAD+-dependent enzymes that regulate various cellular processes, including stress resistance, metabolism, and gene expression. Declining NAD+ levels reduce sirtuin activity, impacting cellular health and longevity.
- Mitochondrial dysfunction: NAD+ is vital for maintaining mitochondrial function. As levels decrease, mitochondrial efficiency declines, leading to increased oxidative stress and cellular damage.
- Altered gene expression: NAD+ influences epigenetic modifications and gene expression patterns. Its decline can lead to dysregulation of genes involved in aging and cellular maintenance.
- Compromised cellular senescence: NAD+ plays a role in regulating cellular senescence. Its decline may contribute to the accumulation of senescent cells, which are associated with various age-related diseases.
- Impaired immune function: NAD+ is important for proper immune cell function. Its decline can contribute to immunosenescence, the age-related decline in immune system effectiveness.
- Metabolic dysregulation: NAD+ is crucial for maintaining metabolic homeostasis. Its decline can lead to metabolic disorders and insulin resistance, common features of aging.
- Neurodegeneration: In the brain, NAD+ decline is associated with cognitive decline and increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
- Vascular dysfunction: NAD+ is important for maintaining vascular health. Its decline can contribute to age-related vascular dysfunction and cardiovascular disease.
Science tells us that as we age, our ability to produce NAD+ declines. Perhaps if we can increase it or slow its decline, we can possibly interfere with the aging process to our benefit. While NAD+ precursor supplementation can effectively raise NAD+ levels in the body, will the downstream effects on health and longevity be realized?
Research shows some initial promise in areas of cognitive health (early cognitive decline, dementia, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s), cardiovascular health (blood pressure, aortic stiffness), and metabolic health (insulin sensitivity and weight loss). Many researchers, however, find these initial studies less than impressive.
As you can imagine, more research is needed; however, the safety profile of these oral precursors is excellent. Like anything else, individual responses will vary. You will never get your health from a supplement bottle, but with the right lifestyle choices, supplements can make a difference. Is that difference something you can measure or notice? That is the question you always have to ask yourself.
Let’s talk about how you can increase your serum NAD+ levels.
- Oral supplementation or IV infusion:
Oral solutions for increasing NAD+ are where most of the research has been done. These are NAD+ precursors with names like NR (nicotinamide riboside) and NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide). Most oral supplement research focuses on NAD+ precursors rather than NAD+ itself, as NAD+ is not orally bioavailable. Oral supplements face challenges with bioavailability, as they must be absorbed through the digestive system and converted to NAD+ in the body. - IV NAD+ is widely used for many chronic health issues with a fair amount of anecdotal evidence for efficacy, particularly in chronic immune-related conditions such as autoimmunity, neurodegeneration, persistent post-concussion syndrome, long COVID, addiction, and Lyme disease. There is relatively little literature on intravenous administration of NAD+ compared to oral precursors. IV studies focus on direct NAD+ administration rather than precursors, bypassing the need for conversion in the body.
Key Differences Between Oral and IV:
- Bioavailability: IV administration provides 100% bioavailability, while oral supplements have variable absorption rates.
- Speed of Effect: IV NAD+ can produce more immediate effects, while oral supplements may take longer to impact NAD+ levels.
- Duration of Studies: Oral supplement studies tend to be longer-term, while IV studies are often shorter in duration.
- Safety Profile: IV administration carries different risks and side effects compared to oral supplements, such as infusion-related reactions.
- Research Volume: There is currently more research available on oral NAD+ precursors than on IV NAD+ administration.
NMN and NR as Oral Supplement Precursors to NAD+
Based on current research, both NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide) and NR (nicotinamide riboside) show promise as NAD+ precursors, but NMN appears to have some advantages over NR. Here are some of the most promising areas of efficacy for these oral supplements:
- Aging and Longevity:
Both NMN and NR have shown potential in combating age-related decline. NMN has demonstrated the ability to mitigate various aging-related disorders in preclinical studies. Some research suggests NMN may be more effective than NR in this regard, as it is one step closer to NAD+ in the metabolic pathway. - Muscle Function and Performance:
NMN supplementation has shown promise in improving muscle performance in older adults. A study found that 250 mg/day of NMN for 12 weeks increased gait speed and grip strength in healthy older men. - Cardiovascular Health:
Both NMN and NR have shown potential cardiovascular benefits. NMN has demonstrated cardio- and vasoprotective actions, while NR has been associated with decreased systolic blood pressure and arterial stiffness in some studies. - Metabolic Health:
NMN and NR have shown potential in improving metabolic health, including effects on diabetes and diabetic neuropathy. However, results have been mixed, with some studies showing no significant changes in metabolic parameters. - Neuroprotection:
Both compounds have shown promise in neurodegenerative conditions. NR has been studied in Parkinson’s disease patients, showing potential for improving brain NAD+ levels and cerebral metabolism. NMN has demonstrated protective effects in Alzheimer’s disease models. - Gut Health:
Both NMN and NR have shown potential to positively influence gut microbiota, stimulating the growth of beneficial bacteria like Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus.
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NMN or NR: Which is Better?
- Stability: NMN appears to be more stable in the bloodstream compared to NR, which is quickly degraded.
- Efficacy: Some studies suggest NMN may be more effective in raising NAD+ levels in various tissues, while NR’s effects may be more limited to whole blood.
- Conversion Pathway: NMN is one step closer to NAD+ in the metabolic pathway, potentially making it more efficient.
- Research: NR has been more extensively studied in human trials, while more human studies on NMN are ongoing or emerging.
While both compounds show promise, current evidence suggests NMN may have some advantages over NR in terms of stability, tissue penetration, and overall efficacy.
References
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10692436/
- https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-03421-7
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7442590/
- https://www.nature.com/articles/s41514-022-00084-z
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10240123/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8444956/
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