Energy & anti-ageing
NAD+: published research
Also known as Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide
A molecule every living cell uses to turn food into energy and to run DNA-repair and sirtuin enzymes. Levels fall with age in several tissues. Human research mostly tests how to raise NAD+ levels — directly or through its building blocks — and measures blood levels, muscle and metabolic markers.
Evidence at a glance
5 studies 2016–2023
- 5 Human trial
What researchers look at
- Cell energy
- Ageing biology
- DNA repair
- Sirtuins
What is still unknown
Most human trials give NAD+ building blocks (NR or NMN) rather than NAD+ itself. They show levels can be raised; whether that changes long-term health is still open.
Studies in people
5- Human trial
In a 60-day randomised, placebo-controlled trial of 80 healthy middle-aged adults, oral NMN, an NAD+ precursor, raised blood NAD concentrations and increased six-minute walking distance versus placebo, and was well tolerated.
Yi L, et al. The efficacy and safety of β-nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) supplementation in healthy middle-aged adults: a randomized, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, dose-dependent clinical trial. GeroScience. 2023. PMID 36482258
- Human trial
In a placebo-controlled crossover trial of 22 healthy older adults, 6 weeks of oral nicotinamide riboside, an NAD+ precursor, raised NAD+ in plasma vesicles enriched for neuronal origin and lowered their levels of Aβ42, pJNK and pERK1/2.
Vreones M, et al. Oral nicotinamide riboside raises NAD+ and lowers biomarkers of neurodegenerative pathology in plasma extracellular vesicles enriched for neuronal origin. Aging Cell. 2023. PMID 36515353
- Human trial
In a randomised, placebo-controlled trial in healthy older men, 6–12 weeks of oral NMN, an NAD+ precursor, raised whole-blood NAD+ and its metabolites; gait speed and left grip strength improved only nominally, and body composition did not change.
Igarashi M, et al. Chronic nicotinamide mononucleotide supplementation elevates blood nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide levels and alters muscle function in healthy older men. npj Aging. 2022. PMID 35927255
- Human trial
In a randomised, placebo-controlled crossover trial in healthy middle-aged and older adults, the NAD+ precursor nicotinamide riboside was well tolerated and increased NAD+ metabolism.
Martens CR, et al. Chronic nicotinamide riboside supplementation is well-tolerated and elevates NAD(+) in healthy middle-aged and older adults. Nature Communications. 2018. PMID 29599478
- Human trial
In a one-person pilot and a first human pharmacokinetic trial, single oral doses of nicotinamide riboside, an NAD+ precursor, raised blood NAD+ metabolites dose-dependently; in mice, oral nicotinamide riboside raised liver NAD+.
Trammell SA, et al. Nicotinamide riboside is uniquely and orally bioavailable in mice and humans. Nature Communications. 2016. PMID 27721479
Short summaries of published studies, with links to the original papers. Results in animals or cells may not apply to people. This is not medical advice and not a guide to use.