What is NAD+ and Why Is it Important for Aging and Health?

Discovered in 1906, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (nad) is a coenzyme found in each of our living cells,and it’s required for the fundamental biological processes that make life possible.You can’t live without the coenzyme nad+, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. but nad+ levels decline as we age.

It has two forms: NAD+ and NADH. Simply put, NADH is a coenzyme “occupied” with electrons, and NAD+ is a coenzyme “ready and willing” to be put to use.We have only scratched the surface in understanding the role of NAD+ in our bodies. We do know, however, about two of the major roles it plays in our bodies.

NAD+ is the cornerstone to maintaining healthy internal organs and a healthy neurological system.  Many people eat healthily and exercise regularly.  Others may not find the time to do either.  Regardless of where you fall between these two spectrums, flooding your body with NAD+ can “bio-hack” your body into functioning better on a molecular level, and possibly safeguard you from future maladies.

NAD+ has two general sets of reactions in the human body: helping turn nutrients into energy as a key player in metabolism and working as a helper molecule for proteins that regulate other biological activity. These processes are incredibly important because they are responsible for regulating oxidative stress and circadian rhythms while maintaining the health of DNA and keeping humans healthier for longer.

What Does NAD+ Do?

First, it turns nutrients into ATP (the energy currency of each cell).  Second, it works with proteins to carry out essential biological processes such as:

· DNA repair

· Mitochondrial function

· Maintaining chromosomal integrity

· Gene expression

· Epigenetic modifications

· Posttranslational modifications

· Calcium signaling

Some of the proteins that regulate these processes are called ‘sirtuins’ which regulate cell health, including cellular resistance to stressful conditions and aging.  Sirtuins require NAD+ to function. However, NAD+ is reduced and converted to NADH once it transports electrons. Thus, our bodies need to continually synthesize NAD+.  Herein lies the dilemma.  Our bodies produce less and less NAD+ as we age.

How NAD+ Powers Health, Life, And Aging

Recently, NAD+ has become a prized molecule in scientific research because of its central role in biological functions, with research in animals tying NAD+ to notable benefits. The scientific community has been researching how NAD+ relates to overall health and age-related diseases. For example, a 2016 study found that mice and worms with degenerative muscles had improved muscle function when supplemented with NAD+ precursors. A 2017 study showed that mice supplemented with an NAD+ precursor experienced an increase in DNA damage repair, with tissue in two-year-old mice given the NAD+ precursor looking identical to tissue in three-month-old mice. And a 2018 study found that mice with NAD+ precursor supplementation had improved cognitive function, pointing to signs of therapeutic potential for Alzheimer’s disease. These are only some of the recent findings, all of which continue to inspire researchers to translate these findings to humans, exploring the potential for NAD+ to positively affect human health through supplementation.

So how exactly does NAD+ play such an important role? In short, it’s a coenzyme or “helper” molecule, binding to other enzymes to help cause reactions on the molecular level that produce positive outcomes on the everyday health level. NAD+ has two general sets of reactions in the human body: helping turn nutrients into energy as a key player in metabolism and working as a helper molecule for proteins that regulate other biological activity.

What Are The Benefits Of NAD+?

· GENERAL WELLNESS

· DNA REPAIR

· PROTECTS BRAIN CELLS

· ANTI-AGING AND MUSCLE PROTECTION