Is Nicotinamide Riboside anti-aging?

Many older people experience fatigue and lack of motivation, which could be related to age-related decline in NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) levels.

NAD+ acts as fuel for many key biological processes, such as converting food into energy, repairing damaged DNA, supporting the immune system and even setting your circadian rhythm. But the amount of NAD+ in your body naturally falls with age.

Researchers at the University of New South Wales uncovered age-associated changes in NAD+ metabolism in humans, showing that NAD+ levels decline by up to 50% between the ages of 40-60. Low NAD+ levels have been linked to a range of health concerns, and research in recent years has found that raising NAD+ levels may help reverse signs of aging and lower the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and Alzheimer’s.

NAD+ also plays a key role in helping your brain cells age well. Within brain cells, NAD+ helps control the production of PGC-1-alpha, a protein that appears to help protect cells against oxidative stress and impaired mitochondrial function. Research suggests that both oxidative stress and impaired mitochondrial function are linked to age-related brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

NAD+ activates enzymes that may promote healthy aging, such as Sirtuins and Poly (ADP-Ribose) polymerases (PARPs) - which protect and repair damaged DNA, boost stress resistance and reduce inflammation, regulating cells’ response to damage from things like overeating, drinking, sleep disruption and sedentary lifestyles. One way to raise NAD+ levels is to consume NAD+ precursors - the building blocks of NAD+ which your body uses to make NAD+ - such as nicotinamide riboside.

Nicotinamide riboside, niagen or simply NR, is an organic compound that our bodies need to complete biological functions but that we must get through diet. There are eight kinds of Vitamin Bs, and NR is a Vitamin B3 found in small amounts in foods like dairy products. NR is one of a few variations of B3; others include nicotinamide and nicotinic acid (also called niacin). Like other forms of B3, nicotinamide riboside is converted by your body into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), a coenzyme or helper molecule (just like CoEnzyme Q10).

In mice with Alzheimer’s disease, for example, nicotinamide riboside raised brain NAD+ levels and PGC-1-alpha production by up to 70 percent and 50 percent, respectively. By the end of the study, the mice performed significantly better in memory-based tasks. In a test-tube study, nicotinamide riboside raised NAD+ levels and significantly improved mitochondrial function in stem cells taken from a Parkinson’s disease patient.

In addition, nicotinamide riboside may provide several other benefits including as a weight-loss aid because it helps speed up the metabolism and in promoting healthy muscle aging, function, strength and endurance.

By protecting against DNA damage and oxidative stress, higher NAD+ levels may also lower cancer risk. NAD+ may also help lower heart disease risk, by reversing the affects of heart disease.

Aging is a major risk factor for heart disease, which is the world’s leading cause of death. With age,  blood vessels like the aorta can become thicker, stiffer and less flexible, which can raise blood pressure levels and make the heart work harder. Research has suggested that nicotinamide riboside (NR) is well tolerated and effectively stimulates NAD+ metabolism in healthy middle-aged and older adults, helping to reduce stiffness in the aorta and lower systolic blood pressure in adults at risk of high blood pressure.