In this episode, Rhonda explains what NAD+, why it is so important for aging and why it declines with age. She discusses some of the popular NAD+ boosters like nicotinamide riboside and nicotinamide mononucleotide, what animal and human data says and some concluding thoughts.
NAD+ is crucial for our survival. Small amounts of it can be obtained in the diet, but the body recycles it to get most of what it needs. Unfortunately, day to day living plus normal aging can cause NAD+ levels to drop. This causes metabolic and mitochondrial dysfunction, as well as many of the other problems and conditions associated with aging like elevated DNA damage. NAD+ levels can go up when we exercise or fast, but NAD+ precursors like nicotinamide riboside and nicotinamide mononucleotide can also increase NAD+ levels in a dose-dependent manner. However, most of the data on NAD+ boosters comes from animal studies. Whether these boosters are effective – and safe – long-term in humans is still a big question.
