NAD+ is a trendy topic, but what does it do, and does supplementing with it really work?
Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, better known as NAD+, is a vitamin B-like compound that acts like the battery in your laptop to provide energy, so naturally we feel an energy boost from it. NAD+ helps the mitochondria (known as the energy powerhouse) of our cells make ATP, the energy that keeps us moving. Beyond making energy, mitochondria also help control inflammation among other things. Mitochondrial function slows down naturally as we age, which explains why fatigue is common in older folks. A major goal in pursuing healthy longevity is to preserve active, healthy mitochondria by having enough NAD+ available.
Another important role for NAD+ is as a cofactor for the family of proteins known as sirtuins (also called “SIRTs”). SIRTs have a positive effect on healthy aging and NAD supports their activity.
There are many types of SIRTs with many different functions that have beneficial effects on longevity and delaying age-related diseases. For example, sirtuin activity is key for repairing cellular DNA that has been damaged by environmental toxins, medications, and other daily factors. DNA damage is one of the many hallmarks of the aging process that needs to be addressed. Sirtuins use up NAD+ as they work their magic, and without enough NAD+ around, sirtuin activity will eventually decline. Research shows that a decline in sirtuin activity is correlated with faster cellular aging.
In a nutshell, SIRTs support healthy aging and need a plentiful supply of NAD+ to activate.
How to Boost NAD+ in the Body
NAD+ is critical for energy production, sirtuin activity, and much more. It’s not plentiful in food, so how do we make sure we have enough? NAD+ cannot be absorbed as a supplement, but its precursors can be used by the body and converted into NAD+. There are a variety of NAD+ precursors, including tryptophan, niacin, nicotinic acid, nicotinamide riboside, nicotinamide mononucleotide, and nicotinamide/niacinamide. They all are beneficial to some degree, but not all convert efficiently in the body or absorb well. The one I vote for is nicotinamide riboside, which we’ll just call NR going forward to reduce confusion.
Why Choose Nicotinamide Riboside (NR)?
NR is a compound made up of nicotinamide and riboside, a sugar which is present in RNA. NR is converted in the body to NAD+. NR has been studied in animals where it’s been shown to help slow down neurodegeneration (diseases such as Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinson’s disease), and improve learning, memory, and mitochondrial function. It has also been shown in animal studies to improve metabolic function and increase lifespan. In humans, research shows that taking NR will increase blood levels of NAD+ and can improve cognition in patients with neurodegenerative disease. Although it doesn’t have much human research to date, most people report feeling a steady lift in energy without feeling overstimulated.
Bumping up your NAD+ levels with precursor compounds can cause a noticeable difference in energy and brain function. It boosts mitochondrial energy production and SIRT activity. Supplementing with nicotinamide riboside can help increase NAD+ production in the body, making it one of the most crucial compounds for healthy aging.
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Citation:
Y. Aman, Y. Qiu, J. Tao, E.F. Fang, Therapeutic potential of boosting NAD+ in aging and age-related diseases, Translational Medicine of Aging (2018), doi: 10.1016/j.tma.2018.08.003
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