Wishing to be young again seems like an impossible, fairytale-like desire, but with the growing concerns of unhealthy aging, there have been continuous rises on research, products, and services that promote healthy anti-aging and longevity benefits. While aging is a reality that we have to face no matter what, there is a realistic way to somehow slow the aging process and in a healthy manner. In particular, scientists have been looking into cellular health and discovered both natural and artificial ways on how to increase NAD+ levels - an important element in the science of aging and overall wellness.

The Science of Cellular Aging

What is cellular aging?

This is defined as the continuous decline in the resistance to stress and other cellular damages which leads to a gradual loss of cellular functions and death of cells. The cells lose their originally powerful ability to function as it used to during the younger years of age, thus leading to potential risks of disease.

NAD+: A Key to Cellular Health Boosting

What is NAD+?

NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is a coenzyme found in every cell of the body involved in hundreds of metabolic processes. In the natural process of aging, the NAD+ begins to lose half of what it used to have, and the processes involved become less functional, which may lead to various illnesses. NAD is the key that enables the mitochondria – the “power station” within the cell, to undergo cellular energy production. It is a compound that transfers energy from the foods we eat for significant cell functions, which is called oxidation.

NAD+’s Precursors

Here are the molecules that turn into NAD+ after a series of chemical transformations:

• Nicotinamide Riboside (NR) - a highly efficient precursor and form of Vitamin B3 that uses up the least amount of energy to become NAD+
• Nicotinic Acid (NA) - also known as Niacin and makes its way to NAD+ via the Preiss-Handler pathway, a type of biosynthetic pathway to maintain NAD levels. 
• Nicotinamide (Nam) - also called niacinamide in other terms, Nam goes into the same salvage pathway as NR but has to stop at the rate-limiting step that NR can bypass before it turns into NAD+. 
• Nicotinamide Mononucleotide (NMN) - is derived and a compound of NR and NAD+, an anti-aging and effective therapeutic agent to the body.
• Tryptophan (Trp) - Trp passes into the de novo biosynthesis pathway to become NAD+. It is then converted with other molecules and then merges with the Preiss-Handler pathway.

Dr. Brenner’s Breakthrough Discovery

Dr. Charles Brenner, PhD, Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Iowa and co-workers discovered in 2004 a new NAD precursor and the pathway through which Nicotinamide Riboside (NR) is converted into NAD. This discovery further supports the research findings made by scientists like Dr. David Sinclair of Harvard Medical School, on boosting NAD levels which can help reverse many aspects of aging.

Dr. Brenner explains in this short video how NAD boosters may help provide mental clarity, more energy, and improved metabolism.

 

While all forms of Vitamin B3 have the ability to boost NAD in the body, a pre-clinical study on testing NA, Nam, and NR found out that NR is most effective in increasing NAD levels and activating proteins called sirtuins that promote longevity.

How do I increase my NAD+ levels?

While the body already makes and maintains NAD+ in various ways, there are some natural and artificial recommendations for you to be able to increase NAD+ levels.

Exercise

This is already a decade-long recommendation of health experts. The health benefit of regular exercise at this point is already common sense to us, yet some fail to execute this as part of their lifestyle priorities. Our bodies get energy from NAD+. Exercise forces our body muscles to produce more mitochondria. The increased production of mitochondria gives a natural boost in the body’s NAD+ levels. 

 

Fasting

Excessive intake of calories and too little energy lower the ratio of the NAD+, and this is why fasting is a good method to exert more effort into building NAD+ levels. Fasting increases the levels of NAD+ and sirtuins; the proteins which have been found to slow the aging process.

NAD-boosting Foods

Foods that particularly help boost NAD levels in the body are dairy milk, fish, mushroom, yeast, green vegetables, beer, chicken, and whole grains. They are good sources of NR AND Vitamin B3, which help boost NAD levels.

Health Supplements

Various researches recommend supplements to boost the body’s NAD+ levels. Upon appearances of studies such as Dr. Brenner’s on the significance of Nicotinamide Riboside (NR), many people started to pay more attention to this molecule that showed NR can be used to metabolize NAD+! Soon after this discovery, several NR supplements became available in the markets. NR is one of the revolutionary ingredients of our joint pain and anti-aging supplement and we also have the NAD booster supplement aimed at boosting cellular NAD energy levels to support joint health and healthy aging.

 

You are unable to stop the reality of aging, but if this is spent in a healthy manner, we can enjoy an extended healthspan and be able to do some things we hope to continue doing, especially with certain physical activities. Increase your NAD+ levels and face your age with confidence today!