Educating the public about NAD is a monumental challenge. And it’s obviously key to those companies selling NAD boosters. But thanks to Dr. Rhonda Patrick of FoundMyFitness the concept of NAD is much more accessible. Here she is on the Joe Rogan Podcast:

Dr. Rhonda Patrick (Starts at the 96 minute mark)

“NAD…stands for Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide.

It’s kind of in a way similar to ATP where it’s used as an energetic currency throughout the body for various things.

But it’s actually required for your metabolism. You need it to metabolize fatty acids, glucose, amino acids.

But you also need it to repair damage.

You need it for a variety of other things that are happening.

And the thing is that these NAD levels — in tissues that are very energetically demanding — they deplete.

So, for example if you have chronic inflammation and your immune system is chronically being activated — the NAD levels are going to that. It’s kind of like triaging.

And so what happens is your metabolism suffers.

And it’s been shown now that your NAD levels in multiple tissues that with age they deplete. Lots of preclinical studies have shown that it plays a role in the aging process.

For example, if you take a mouse that has progeria pro aging phenotype and then you give them the NAD it can basically rescue that in a way and they live a more normal healthspan and more normal lifespan.

So, there’s lots of studies showing that in various ways.

There’s recently been a lot of interest in NAD because NAD there’s a way to replenish it through supplemental form called Nicotinamide Riboside “NR” (FAQs) (Reviews).

So, NAD is actually formed from Vitamin B3 like Nicotinic Acid or Nicotinamide (Niacin) or from Tryptophan.

But Nicotinamide Riboside “NR” (FAQs) (Reviews) is another precursor that you can take in supplement form.

There’s been studies over the past few years looking at how in animals it’s been able to increase NAD levels. It’s able to basically improve physical performance, cognitive performance. It’s able to make your tissues age better, organs age better — in animals.

So, now there’ve been clinical trials undergoing — one showing that you actually can take the supplement form of NAD, Nicotinamide Riboside, and you can increase your NAD levels at dose dependent manner — a study that came out just recently.

And there are now like 10 clinical trials undergoing right now looking at the role of supplementing Nicotinamide Riboside in dementia, in obesity, traumatic brain injuries, and some other type of metabolic dysfunction. So these are currently being investigated in humans.

So, the NAD thing is another real big interest of mine. I did buy the supplement (in a later interview Rogan said she’s referring to Elysium’s Basis) but I’m not taking it right now because I’m breastfeeding and I’m not sure how that goes.

You asked about the IV (NAD) stuff — I think that’s now something that’s popular everywhere. But the thing is there’s really no clinical evidence of it — if you intravenously take NAD, is that going to have the same effect that Nicotinamide Riboside does? Does it get into your cells?

So, it’s an open question. But it seems like people are getting results. Now obviously it’s all anecdotal….

…Before I would do something like that (NAD IV) I’d probably try the Nicotinamide Riboside which we know for a fact does increase NAD levels in multiple tissues.”

NOTE:

  • Should you consider an NAD IV drip? (Link)
  • NAD boosting supplement Nicotinamide Riboside “NR” (FAQs) (Reviews)

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