NAD+ has recently become a buzz word among people who seek anti-aging solutions. Ask a Naturopath: NAD+ stands for Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide and is an essential molecule that is present in all the cells of our body.  It is a bioactive coenzyme form of vitamin B3. NAD+ is involved in many important biological processes including energy production, gene repair and expression, and immune regulation 1.  Let’s just say NAD+ is like a fuel for our body and helps us live better for longer.

You may have heard about Dr. David Sinclair, PhD.  NAD+ has become famous because of Sinclair’s New York Times bestselling book on aging, “Lifespan: Why We Age and Why We Don’t Have to.”  

NAD+ is an important molecule in anti-aging.  Because NAD+ levels in our body are known to decrease as we age, we all benefit from boosting NAD+.  By the time we reach 50, our NAD+ levels are about 50% of what they were when we were 20.2

 

Ask a Naturopath: How do we boost NAD+ Levels?

Now that we understand the importance of NAD+ in anti-aging, the next question arises:  How do we boost NAD+ levels in our body? According to Dr. Sinclair, caloric restriction, fasting, and exercise can naturally increase the NAD+ levels.  There is a pilot human clinical trial that suggests administration of intravenous NAD+ may be an effective way to boost NAD+.3 Several studies suggest that oral supplementation of nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) and nicotinamide riboside (NR) are also promising.4,5 Furthermore, other studies noted that oral vitamin B3 supplementation was able to replenish the NAD+ in individuals with mitochondrial myopathy and NAD+ deprived individuals.6,7

Lastly, let’s not forget there are activities that can deprive us of NAD+ levels: lack of sleep, sedentary lifestyles, over consumption of inflammatory foods and drinks (e.g processed foods). So watch out for those chips and sodas!  

 

NAD+ intravenous (IV) therapy is one of the many Naturopathic treatments offered at Empower Health Wellness Centre. 

Do you want to prioritise your health and wellbeing as we head into spring and summer? Get insights and supportive strategies to help you make realistic changes with an Integrative Health Assessment. Book online today!

 

References:

  1.     Braidy N, Liu Y. NAD+ therapy in age-related degenerative disorders: A benefit/risk analysis. Exp Gerontol. Apr 2020;132:110831. doi:10.1016/j.exger.2020.110831
  2.     Imai S, Guarente L. NAD+ and sirtuins in aging and disease. Trends Cell Biol. Aug 2014;24(8):464-71. doi:10.1016/j.tcb.2014.04.002
  3.     Grant R, Berg J, Mestayer R, et al. A Pilot Study Investigating Changes in the Human Plasma and Urine NAD+ Metabolome During a 6 Hour Intravenous Infusion of NAD. Front Aging Neurosci. 2019;11:257. doi:10.3389/fnagi.2019.00257
  4.     Lautrup S, Sinclair DA, Mattson MP, Fang EF. NAD(+) in Brain Aging and Neurodegenerative Disorders. Cell Metab. Oct 1 2019;30(4):630-655. doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2019.09.001
  5.     Yoshino J, Baur JA, Imai SI. NAD(+) Intermediates: The Biology and Therapeutic Potential of NMN and NR. Cell Metab. Mar 6 2018;27(3):513-528. doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2017.11.002
  6.     Pirinen E, Auranen M, Khan NA, et al. Niacin Cures Systemic NAD(+) Deficiency and Improves Muscle Performance in Adult-Onset Mitochondrial Myopathy. Cell Metab. Jul 7 2020;32(1):144. doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2020.05.020
  7.     Chini EN. Of Mice and Men: NAD(+) Boosting with Niacin Provides Hope for Mitochondrial Myopathy Patients. Cell Metab. Jun 2 2020;31(6):1041-1043. doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2020.05.013