There’s an essential compound found in every one of our cells that is responsible for two key actions in cellular function and anti-aging. First, it helps transfer energy from the foods we eat into the cellular energy needed to fuel critical cell functions…and second, it turns on anti-aging enzymes known as sirtuins that are responsible for switching off the genes that accelerate aging, particularly those that promote inflammation, fat storage, and mismanaged blood sugar levels.
It’s called NAD+, and it declines rapidly as we age. This explains why we are so susceptible to fatigue as we grow older—we just don’t have the NAD+ we need to fuel energy metabolism for cellular functions to run smoothly. So scientists have set to work trying to find a way to raise NAD+ levels even as we age. The solution may be in a recently discovered form of vitamin B3 called nicotinamine riboside.
The Degenerative Impact of Declining NAD+
As NAD+ levels decline, aging accelerates and degeneration courses through the body.
- Cognitive function begins to waver
- Vascular inflammation damages the heart and blood vessels
- Fat production and fat storage escalate
- Insulin resistance becomes a threat
- Muscle strength decreases
- Fatigue becomes more prominent
Scientists have discovered a potential new way to keep those NAD+ levels elevated through aging.
How Nicotinamine Riboside May Help
Preliminary studies have shown that nicotinamine riboside…
- Doubled the lifespan of yeast
- Increased the lifespan of roundworm C. elegans by 16%
- Boosted healthy weight loss, energy and energy metabolism, insulin sensitivity, NAD+ levels, and sirtuin anti-aging enzymes in mice
Other lab studies indicate the potential brain benefits of supplementing with nicotinamine riboside. It can not only raise NAD+ levels in the brain, but also delay the deterioration of axons, which are the communication lines of the nervous system. When axons degenerate, damage can manifest as tingling, weakness, numbness, and loss of motor function.
Seeing as how nicotinamine riboside holds promise as the end-all cure for aging, supplement companies are already marketing their own nicotinamine riboside capsules as a way to turn back the effects of aging by revitalizing mitochondria (the powerhouses of the cell) and activating sirtuin anti-aging enzymes. However, the effects of nicotinamine riboside on humans are still unknown, and there is much left to be tested and discovered about this potential anti-aging compound.
