Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, often shortened to NAD, is a coenzyme present in every living cell. It functions as a helper molecule involved in numerous fundamental biological processes. NAD plays a part in over 300 enzymatic reactions. This molecule helps to ensure cells have sufficient energy to perform at optimal levels.
The Role of NAD in the Body
NAD plays a role in metabolism and the production of cellular energy. It acts as an electron carrier, shifting between two forms: NAD+ (oxidized) and NADH (reduced). During metabolic reactions, NAD+ accepts electrons from nutrients like glucose or fatty acids, becoming NADH. This NADH then carries these electrons to the mitochondria, where they are released to generate adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the cell’s main energy currency.
Beyond energy production, NAD is involved in cellular maintenance and repair. It is a substrate for a group of proteins called sirtuins, which are associated with longevity and help regulate processes like DNA repair, mitochondrial health, and cellular stress responses. When sirtuins remove chemical tags from proteins, they use up one NAD molecule.
Factors That Influence NAD Levels
NAD levels are influenced by several factors. A primary factor is the natural decline that occurs with the aging process. Research indicates that NAD levels can decrease by as much as 50% by age 40 and up to 80% by age 60. This decline results from increased consumption by enzymes and potentially reduced synthesis.
Other lifestyle elements also contribute to changes in NAD levels. Chronic inflammation and oxidative stress, often stemming from factors like a poor diet or excessive sun exposure, can lead to NAD depletion. Overeating, especially foods high in sugar and fat, can also lower NAD levels. Additionally, a sedentary lifestyle and excessive alcohol consumption are linked to decreased NAD, as the body utilizes NAD for detoxification and repair processes.
Methods for Increasing NAD
Increasing NAD levels can involve both lifestyle adjustments and specific supplementation strategies. Regular physical activity, encompassing both endurance and high-intensity training, supports NAD levels. Exercise may raise NAD by elevating the enzyme NAMPT, which synthesizes NAD. Physical activity can increase NAMPT levels in middle-aged adults, potentially leading to NAD levels similar to younger individuals.
Dietary approaches, such as caloric restriction or intermittent fasting, can also help maintain NAD levels. These methods activate sirtuins, which depend on NAD, and can enhance mitochondrial function. Consuming foods rich in NAD precursors, like niacin (Vitamin B3), tryptophan, and polyphenols, provides the building blocks the body uses to create NAD. Foods such as poultry, meat, eggs, fatty fish, green vegetables, and dairy products contain these precursors.
Supplementation with NAD precursors like Nicotinamide Riboside (NR) and Nicotinamide Mononucleotide (NMN) offers another approach to increase NAD levels. These compounds are forms of vitamin B3 that the body converts into NAD. Clinical studies have shown that oral supplementation with NR or NMN can safely elevate NAD levels in humans, with research ongoing to further understand their effects on human health.