8 Reasons Why NAD+ Should Be On Your Radar

If you zoom in on your body’s most fundamental activity, you’d see cells and molecules hard at work. You might be surprised to learn that some of the most vital players at work are ones you’ve never heard of.

NAD+, which stands for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, is a critical coenzyme in the body that’s involved in hundreds of cellular processes. But NAD+ levels decline with age.

You get NAD+ from what what you eat, like milk and yeast and green vegetables. You can also get NAD+ from supplementation like Basis, which is made with two ingredients: a form of Vitamin B3 called nicotinamide riboside, or NR for short, and pterostilbene, a compound that also works within your cells.

Think you should know more about NAD+? We think so, too. Scientists are studying the long list of NAD+ benefits for a reason.

Here’s what you need to know about NAD+:

NAD+ Is the Key to Cellular Energy

Do you think of energy drinks or coffee when you think of energy? Well, you should actually be thinking of ATP, the human cells' chemical source of energy. ATP stands for adenosine triphosphate, and it’s what creates energy in your cells. NAD+ plays a main role in creating ATP.

NAD+ Declines with Age

The body needs NAD+ but it doesn’t have an endless supply of it. Two human studies mirrored what we’d already known happens in animals. In 2012 and 2015, researchers discovered NAD+ declines in human tissues. These findings were critical.

But You Can Get More NAD+

You can boost declining levels of NAD+ using what’s known as NAD+ precursors, which are molecules that start as one thing and change, chemically, to become NAD+ through various natural processes in the body. One of the main ingredients in Basis, nicotinamide riboside, is a very efficient NAD+ precursor. Basis can actually boost your NAD+ levels. Elysium Health’s double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trail showed that Basis can increase NAD+ levels by an average of 40 percent.

TIME Magazine Profiled NAD+ In 2018

TIME magazine wrote all about NAD+, which is estimated to be involved in over 500 different cellular reactions in humans. In short, it's essential to your cellular health. With Basis, you can boost your NAD+ levels an average of 40%.

NAD+ Has Had the Attention of Nobel Laureates

NAD+ was first recognized on a Nobel Prize level in 1929 when two scientists won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. One of the chemists identified the structure of NAD+, referencing it in his acceptance speech as “the biologically most important activators within the plant and animal world.” Other Nobel Laureates have also studied NAD+, going on to win the prize for their work.

NAD+ Unlocks the “Guardians of the Genome”

NAD+ activates sirtuins, the guardians of the genome.” Sirtuins are a family of proteins that regulate cellular health, directing your cells to make sure they’re protected and functioning properly. Sirtuins require NAD+ to do this.

People Are Raving About NAD+

Customers that take Basis and boost their NAD+ levels consider it essential to their lifestyle. Read customer reviews.

NAD+ Is Part of the Reason Your Flour Is Fortified

Both US and international governments require fortification of certain flours and rice. It’s fortified with niacin, which is an NAD+ precursor. Precursors are what can be converted into NAD+. This dates back to the early 1900s, when a fatal disease called pellagra was plaguing the American south. It was eventually mitigated by doctors who identified nutritional deficiencies, specifically diets lacking niacin, were to blame.

 

Get Elysium news, subscriber-only product offers, and a monthly digest of new research in the field of aging. Sign up for our newsletter.

Next up:

biological ages of organs and systems

System Ages: A Deeper Understanding of How You’ve Been Aging

System ages represent the biological age of individual systems–including brain, heart, metabolic, and immune–and provide a snapshot of their relative contribution to your overall long-term health and wellness. Learn how we measure them and what they mean to you.
Aging 101
alcohol and aging

Alcohol and Aging—What’s the Relationship?

While scientific research once supported the health benefits of moderate drinking, recent studies have made a case for abstinence. One study found that even one drink per day was associated with reduced global brain volume and two years of brain aging for an average 50-year-old.
Aging 101