Clinical Evidence for Targeting NAD Therapy

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is one of the most essential metabolites for cellular activities. NAD+ plays a crucial role in metabolism and energy production within cells, contributing to the improvement of certain medical conditions and slowing down the aging process. Let’s explore whether NAD can cure diseases and what conditions NAD therapy can treat through the following article.

1. What is NAD?

Before exploring whether NAD can treat diseases and what conditions it can address, let’s first understand what NAD+ is.

NAD+ stands for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. From single-celled organisms like bacteria to complex multicellular organisms such as primates, NAD+ is one of the most abundant and essential molecules. Essentially, without NAD+, we would quickly die. This molecule is crucial for the function of the cell’s power generators — mitochondria. NAD+ not only helps convert food into energy but also plays a critical role in maintaining DNA integrity and ensuring proper cellular function to protect our bodies from aging and disease.

NAD+ is vital for human health and longevity because it plays a key role in numerous biological processes, including metabolism, DNA repair, gene expression, and many others. It also supports healthy aging.

NAD+ is involved in repairing DNA damage caused by daily processes and exposures. Research has shown that it can protect cells from stress as well. Sirtuins protect cells from oxidative stress, and NAD+ helps activate sirtuins. These powerful regulatory proteins also play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy circadian rhythm. Your circadian rhythm, also known as the sleep-wake cycle, determines when you feel alert and well-rested, when you feel tired, and even regulates your appetite by controlling the release of hunger hormones. Sirtuins rely on NAD+ to function properly, so healthy circadian rhythms, sirtuins, and NAD+ are all interconnected.

2. Its Role and Applications in Modern Medicine

Many people today are curious about what diseases nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) can treat or whether NAD can actually cure illnesses. Numerous studies have investigated the role and benefits of NAD for the body. Below are some key benefits of NAD+ for human health:

2.1 Slowing Down Aging

Known as the “guardian of the genome,” sirtuins are genes that protect organisms—from plants to mammals—against degeneration and disease. When these genes sense physical stress on the body, such as exercise or hunger, they mobilize defenses to protect the body. Sirtuins help maintain the integrity of the genome, promote DNA repair, and have shown anti-aging properties in model organisms, such as increased lifespan.

NAD+ serves as the fuel that powers these genes. Just as a car cannot run without fuel, sirtuins need NAD+ to function. Research has demonstrated that increasing NAD+ levels in the body activates sirtuins and extends lifespan in yeast, worms, and mice. While supplementing NAD+ has shown promising results in animal models, scientists are still investigating how these findings might apply to humans.

2.2 Enhancing Muscle Function

As the body’s energy source, mitochondrial function is crucial for our exercise performance. NAD+ is one of the keys to maintaining healthy mitochondria and ensuring steady energy production.

Increasing NAD+ levels in muscle tissue can improve mitochondrial function and physical fitness in mice. Other studies have shown that mice given NAD+ boosting drugs were leaner and able to run longer on a treadmill, indicating enhanced exercise capacity. Older animals with higher NAD+ levels outperformed those of the same age with lower levels.

2.3 Improving Metabolic Disorders

Declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO), obesity is one of the most prevalent diseases in modern society. Obesity can lead to other metabolic disorders such as diabetes, which claimed 1.6 million lives globally in 2016.

Aging and high-fat diets reduce NAD+ levels in the body. Studies have shown that using NAD+ boosting drugs can reduce age- and diet-related weight gain in mice and improve their exercise capacity, even in older animals. Other studies have even reversed the effects of diabetes in female mice, suggesting new strategies for combating metabolic disorders.

2.4 Improving Cardiovascular Health

Arterial elasticity acts as a buffer against the pressure waves generated by heartbeats. However, as we age, arteries stiffen, contributing to high blood pressure, which is the most significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease. According to the CDC, one person dies from cardiovascular disease every 37 seconds in the U.S.

High blood pressure can lead to an enlarged heart and blocked arteries, increasing the risk of stroke. Boosting NAD+ levels helps protect the heart and improves cardiac function. In mice, NAD+ boosters restored NAD+ levels in the heart to normal and prevented heart damage due to restricted blood flow. Other studies have shown that NAD+ boosters can protect mice from abnormal heart enlargement.

2.5 Preventing Neurodegeneration

According to the WHO, by 2050, the global population aged 60 and older is projected to reach 2 billion, nearly double the number in 2015. People worldwide are living longer, but aging remains a major risk factor for many neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, which cause cognitive decline.

Increasing NAD+ levels may reduce the buildup of proteins that disrupt communication between brain cells and enhance cognitive function. Higher NAD+ levels also protect brain cells from death caused by insufficient blood flow. Numerous studies in animal models show promising results for promoting healthy brain aging and combating neurodegenerative diseases.

3. Is NAD Considered an Adjunctive Therapy? Why?

After exploring what diseases NAD can treat and whether it can cure diseases, it is evident that NAD+ plays a crucial role in improving health, slowing down aging, and enhancing human longevity. Therefore, NAD can be considered an adjunctive therapy that helps promote better health and longevity.

Currently, the use of NAD+ in treating diseases is being extensively researched in both humans and animals. These studies have shown promising results in the treatment and improvement of various conditions, such as:

• Recent clinical trials, with many still ongoing, have rigorously evaluated NAD pharmacology in the context of aging and metabolic and age-related diseases. These trials have highlighted the benefits of NAD and its relationship with critical processes in cellular aging. As a result, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) has been discussed as a therapeutic intervention for age-related conditions, including immunosenescence (immune decline) and chronic sterile inflammation.
• More recently, increasing NAD levels has been proposed as a preventive or therapeutic measure for viral diseases and as a vaccine booster. These strategies are particularly useful in treating COVID-19, a disease caused by the novel SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. Older adults, who are at higher risk of death and severe illness from COVID-19, may benefit from pharmacologically boosting NAD levels, as this can positively affect biological processes related to aging, making it especially helpful in this context.
• Boosting NAD+ levels has been shown to reduce the buildup of proteins that disrupt communication between cells and improve cognitive function. Higher NAD+ levels also protect brain cells from death due to insufficient blood flow. Many animal model studies indicate promising prospects for promoting healthy brain aging and combating neurodegeneration.
• Some studies have reported improvements in cardiovascular function, including lower systolic blood pressure and reduced aortic stiffness, as well as significantly reduced levels of circulating inflammatory cytokines in older men after just three weeks of NAD+ restoration. These improvements were associated with increased mitochondrial function and reduced inflammation in heart failure patients. NAD+’s protective and regenerative capacity is believed to stem from its role in preventing several hallmarks of cellular aging.
• Other studies have demonstrated that NAD+ restoration enhances DNA repair, inhibits neuroinflammation, and promotes the recovery of neurogenesis (the formation of new neurons). This leads to improvements in cognitive decline and certain neurological disorders.

In summary, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) is a crucial molecule for all living cells, and supplementing NAD+ offers benefits for improving and treating various conditions, enhancing health, and slowing down the aging process. If you face health issues, consider exploring NAD+ supplementation as a potential therapeutic option. Taking proactive steps to care for your health early on can lead to a longer, healthier, and more vibrant life.

References: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, researchgate.net, academic.oup.com, sciencedirect.com, nmn.com