THE WORLD OF NAD+
A HEALTH STORY
Every cell in the body utilises NAD+ to carry out hundreds of crucial cellular reactions required for life. For this reason, NAD+ is often described as the “central control molecule” of metabolism for our cells. However, it’s only recently that scientists have begun to truly understand the importance of NAD+ and that it declines with age and under conditions of physiological stress.(1)
The available NAD+ pool within our body is in a constant state of flux. As humans, we get our NAD+ stores through cellular recycling pathways which are thought to become less efficient as we age. We also get small quantities of NAD+ through our diet from nutrient precursors found in some of the foods we eat.
In the past decade, one of the world’s leading experts on NAD+ metabolism discovered that in times of stress, certain tissues in the body naturally prefer the NAD+ precursor called nicotinamide riboside (NR).
A nutrient precursor means that when ingested orally, it’s converted naturally into another active substance. In the case of NR, its converted into the “central metabolic command molecule” NAD+. After years of scientific research and rigorous testing at some of the top research institutes around the globe, NR has been patented NIAGEN® and is the active ingredient in the dietary supplement Tru Niagen® which has been shown to boost NAD+ levels in humans. Niagen® was released in Australia in 2020 and is the only patented form of NR available anywhere in the world
NAD+ metabolism is such a big topic that scientists have coined the term “NAD+ World”(2) to describe the hundreds of cellular processes it supports within our body(3,4) . Here are examples of just a few:
- Converting what we eat and drink into cellular energy;
- Supporting tissue repair and regeneration;
- and Maintaining the general health and wellbeing of cells.
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So it’s not surprising that as we age and our NAD+ levels become compromised, that our health and wellbeing may suffer. In fact, many scientists now believe the decrease in NAD+ levels is closely associated with age-related decline in many of the systems in the body. Until recently, this decline in NAD+ was thought to be an irreversible consequence of ageing. |
Scientists studying the world of NAD+ are taking us into a new level of understanding of cell science and what might be possible by supplementing with NAD+ precursor nutrients. Identifying the NAD+ precursor activity of NR was a big step! All our cells are dependent on NAD+ for cellular repair and regeneration. Whether it be heart, brain or lung cells, reproductive or hormone producing cells, muscle or bone cells, all are dependent on NAD+ to carry out the multitude of reactions required to maintain cellular health.(3, 4) NAD+ has a role in wellness at every stage. It supports cellular health. When NAD+ levels are low, our cells struggle to produce the energy they need to support our health as we age. Having a NAD+ precursor like Tru Niagen® in our health regime is a chance to increase our NAD+ levels to support our energy levels and wellbeing.