NAD+
Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide
Also known as: NAD
A central metabolic coenzyme marketed via IV and injectable forms for anti-aging and recovery, with declining levels in aging but limited clinical proof for supplementation.
Overview
NAD+ is a coenzyme essential to energy metabolism and to enzymes such as sirtuins and PARPs involved in aging and DNA repair. NAD+ levels decline with age, which has driven interest in raising them. Intravenous and injectable NAD+ are widely marketed for anti-aging, cognition, and addiction recovery, but rigorous human evidence for these uses is limited and preliminary.
Mechanism of action
Acts as an electron carrier in metabolism and as a substrate for sirtuins and PARPs; raising NAD+ is proposed to support mitochondrial function and cellular repair.
Key studies & citations
- Review2021
NAD+ metabolism and its roles in cellular processes during ageing
NAD+ is a redox coenzyme and cofactor for sirtuins, CD38 and PARPs; tissue NAD+ declines with age in rodents and humans, but whether repletion benefits ageing humans is still unknown.
Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology - Review2018
NAD+ intermediates: the biology and therapeutic potential of NMN and NR
Supplementing NAD+ precursors ameliorates age-associated pathophysiology in preclinical models; translation to humans remained to be tested.
Cell Metabolism - Human2019
A pilot study investigating changes in the human plasma and urine NAD+ metabolome during a 6 hour intravenous infusion of NAD
First human data on IV NAD+: no rise in plasma NAD+ or metabolites for the first 2 hours of infusion, consistent with rapid tissue uptake or breakdown; no efficacy outcomes measured.
Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience
Frequently asked questions
Does IV NAD+ reverse aging?
No. NAD+ has a strong role in metabolism and its levels fall with age, but human trials have not shown that raising it reverses aging. The evidence is preliminary.