Our bodies are wonderful constructs, relying on endless processes and resources to stay healthy and active. One of those is the coenzyme NAD+, found naturally in our bodies, as well as all plant and animal life around us. You may have heard it referred to as ‘the anti-aging molecule’, or you may never have heard of it at all, but Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, or NAD+, is one of the most important nutrients in the body.
Playing a part is several essential processes, NAD+ supports digestion, energy metabolism, cell development and a wide range of other processes that keep us healthy. As a result, if you are looking to stay healthier for longer, understanding NAD+ can really help.
The Two Forms of NAD+
If the description of NAD+ makes it seem like a miracle substance, being so important in so many essential processes, you are getting the right idea. But how does it achieve all this? The key is that nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide actually exists in two forms.
First discovered by William John Young and Sir Arthur Harden in 1906, the pioneers found that there are two forms that it can take within the body. The oxidized form is NAD+, and a reduced form of NADH, although essentially the same substance, it is the existence of these two types that enable so many crucial processes.
The two types of NAD form part of a redox reaction, that is a continual cycle, where one form loses an electron during oxidation to become NAD+, while the other gains an electron, known as reduction, to form NADH. That extra electron is passed to the mitochondria, where it is used in the production of ATP, which is used to carry energy. As it loses the electron, NADH becomes NAD+ and the cycle begins again.
This is the core function of the coenzyme, and why it is so important to life itself.
How do we create NAD+?
NAD+ is created inside the body’s cells using a process called biosynthesis. Research has outlined this in detail, identifying three separate pathways that together create NAD+, these are:
- Kynurenine (de novo) pathway
- Preiss-Handler pathway
- Salvage pathway
In total, NAD+ plays a role in around 500 enzymatic events, and is often referred to as a helper molecule, because of the support role it plays in so many essential functions. These include:
Promotes Genome Stability
Our genome becomes unstable if damage occurs to DNA that is not repaired. Indeed, the inability to repair DNA is often considered one of the causes of accelerated aging and is also closely connected to cancer development.
However, NAD+ supports the repair process within DNA, and also contributes to fixing errors during replication, ensuring DNA integrity is maintained between cell generations.
Energy Metabolism
Perhaps the best-known function of NAD+ is the essential role it plays in energy production in cells throughout the body. A lack of NAD+ can hinder this, leaving cells unable to function correctly.
Inflammation
Scientific research has revealed that NAD+ has a direct influence on the level and duration of response to infections, higher levels improve response, helping to fight off infection.
Boosts Cardiovascular Systems
As it never stops moving, the heart is the most active organ in the body. As such, heart health is crucial to overall health, and studies have connected the appropriate levels of NAD+ present in the system with a healthy cardiovascular system and can also promote healing after heart disease.
Gene Expression
This process translates the instructions within the DNA into the proteins and nutrients the body needs to function. It is essential for healthy bodies and relies on a substance called histone. The necessary process of modifying histone can only occur if NAD+ is present, and low levels can impair or even halt this essential function.
Supports Liver Function
Studies have shown that increasing NAD+ levels in the liver improves functionality, protects against toxicity, and allows faster recovery following hepatic damage.
Enhances Renal Function
It has long been accepted that aging brings with it a reduction in renal function, and the key to this phenomenon could well be NAD+. Research shows that increasing NAD+ levels trigger the production of prostaglandin E2, which lowers the risk of renal failure.
Helps Regulate the Circadian Rhythm
The sleep-wake cycle, also known as the circadian rhythm or biological clock, allows the body to get the rest it needs, and dysfunction here can impact all aspects of health and wellbeing. It has been shown that NAD+ levels have a direct influence on the performance of these systems, with lower levels of NAD+ leading to sleep disruption.
Boost Neurological Function
Studies have shown that NAD+ has a role to play in the regeneration of neurons in the brain after injury, and this has been extended to the effect NAD+ has in general, being essential for healthy brain function.
Lower NAD+ levels are consistently associated with neurological issues, and as such, maintaining appropriate NAD+ levels should be a priority to aid normal neurological function as we age.
How do our NAD+ Levels Fall?
While our bodies naturally produce NAD+, the levels present depend on a range of factors. Under stress, in adverse environmental conditions, and as a result of aging, production slows and the levels of NAD+ within the body fall.
In addition, there are some factors outside of bodily function that can impact NAD+ levels. If the sleep cycle is broken for any reason, the lower levels of melatonin released overnight contribute to lower levels of NAD+ in the body.
Sleep problems can happen for a multitude of reasons, but one area where our own choices impact NAD+ levels is the consumption of alcohol. Metabolizing alcohol requires acetaldehyde, and NAD+ is essential to its production. This is the substance that produces hangovers, so if you drink to excess regularly, you are constantly depleting NAD+ levels to produce the necessary tools to metabolize it.
In addition, certain diseases can lead to a drop in NAD+ levels too. Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes lead to lower NAD+ levels, scientists believe this is caused by a continual need to repair DNA. Obesity is also an issue, with overeating leading to a rise in insulin, glucose and cortisol in the body. This necessitates anti-inflammation processes, which use up NAD+ in the body.
What happens with lower NAD+ Levels?
So, we know what NAD+ does, and how NAD+ levels can fall, but what happens if we do nothing, and NAD+ levels continue to fall?
Low levels of NAD+ are associated with a number of conditions and diseases, including:
- Accelerated signs of Aging
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Decreased brain function
- Dementia
- Dermatitis
- Diarrhea
- Fatigue
- Hypoxia
- Multiple sclerosis
- Oxidative stress
- Sunburn and skin damage
- Weight gain
What Can Be Done About NAD+ Levels?
With potential health problems like that, the next question is likely to be how do we stop NAD+ levels from falling, right? The good news is that there are things we can do to help restore NAD+ levels, and the best is to take a convenient supplement to boost NAD+ levels in your body. Biogency Synext is easy to take, fits into your daily life and replenishes this vital coenzyme, restoring the levels of NAD+ in your body.
Who Should Use NAD+ Therapy?
NAD+ Therapy is designed to help anyone who may be suffering from lowered levels of NAD+, if you are seeing signs of aging or feeling less energetic. However, increasing NAD+ levels can be useful in many situations, so this therapy is ideal for anyone with any of the following issues.
- Aging
- Anxiety and Depression
- Dementia
- Dermatitis
- Fatigue
- Low cognitive functioning
- Sunburn and skin damage
- Weight loss problems
What Benefits will You See from SNAD+ Therapy?
As previously discussed, NAD+ impacts so many different processes and functions of the body, insufficient levels can cause wide-ranging problems. As a result, restoring NAD+ levels can have an equally wide-ranging impact on a variety of body processes.
This includes:
Relief from Chronic Fatigue
NAD+ is crucial to the production and distribution of energy, higher NAD+ levels mean more efficient energy production to meet the body’s needs.
Supplements Addiction Treatments
NAD+ is proven to lower the intensity of withdrawal symptoms, and can be a worthwhile supplement for those undergoing addiction therapy.
Helps with Weight Control
Restoring NAD+ levels increases the rate at which the body converts food into energy, which then burns calories, a cycle that is proven to aid weight loss. In addition, NAD+ boosts overall metabolism, reducing fast stores and leading to weight loss.
Improved Brain Function
It has been shown that NAD+ helps boost cognitive function, improving focus, memory recall and learning, and also plays a part in the regeneration of brain cells.
Lessens the Effects of Aging
Many of the traditional symptoms of aging, from lack of energy to skin elasticity and more, are a result of falling levels of NAD+. Restoring those levels can reduce the signs of aging and deliver improved wellness, mobility and energy levels.
Boosts Mood
NAD+ is used in the brain to produce the neurotransmitters that regulate mood, such as serotonin. Boosting NAD+ levels can help normalise the levels of these neurotransmitters to help combat depression and other mental health issues.
Alleviates Pain
As a crucial component in the anti-inflammatory processes in the body, NAD+ is a significant factor in pain control within the body. Restoring NAD+ levels can help address pain faster and more effectively.
How Does NAD+ Treatment Work?
There are a number of ways that you can elevate your NAD+ levels, with NAD+ infusions, patches, nasal spray and other supplements. NAD+ Infusion is a proven and popular option that is perfect for most patients.
Initial Treatment
The journey starts with an initial consultation with our expert. We usually recommend 4 sessions to begin with for optimal results (which can vary from person to person); each session will take approximately 1.5-2 hours. Ideally, all 4 sessions will be completed within 4 weeks. Generally, 250mg will be administered during each IV session.
Follow Up Treatments
Your follow-up treatments will be tailored according to your lifestyle and the goals you would like to achieve from the treatment. A customised and personalised treatment plan will be curated for you, usually on a monthly schedule for maintenance.
Tips and Tricks to boost NAD+ Levels
NAD+ Therapy can cause issues with sleep, these can be overcome with some planning and small changes to your daily routine.
- Create a sleep routine and stick with it
- Avoid using screens before bed to help with the quality of your rest
- Consume fresh, natural food whenever it is possible
How Soon will I see the benefits?
Some people can feel a difference after the first treatment, for others it can take a little longer, but after the 4th treatment you will likely be able to see the effect.
Are there any side effects?
In general, no, although a minority of people do find they have minor issues such as nasal congestion, nausea or headache during the treatment.
Conclusion
NAD+ is a crucial coenzyme that is essential for close to 500 different processes within the body. As levels fall through illness or aging, those functions are directly impacted, leading to lower energy levels, DNA degradation, lowered immunity and disruption to brain functions, among others.
By taking NAD+ supplements regularly, you can maintain improved health over time and reduce the signs of aging, letting you enjoy a fuller life for longer, getting the most out of every day.