A question that often arises to mind when we encounter such a headline is: “What is NAD+ Therapy?” The answer is that the abbreviation NAD+ stands for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. Now let’s head to our article and explain everything about this therapy.
What is NAD+ Therapy?
To be able to understand “what is NAD+ therapy?”, first we should explain that NAD+ is a form of vitamin D3 coenzyme that the body naturally produces to help in biological functions that include:
● Producing cellular energy from the food we eat
● Repairing DNA cells that have been damaged by oxidative stress
● Managing circadian rhythm
Low levels of this coenzyme increase the risk of various health concerns, including the following, most of which are associated with aging:
1. Rapid aging
2. Alzheimer’s disease
3. Heart disease
4. Diabetes
NAD+ therapy refers to helping the body restore the levels of this coenzyme as it naturally decreases with aging. It also decreases when suffering from some health concerns, such as depression and neurodegenerative diseases.
When taking NAD+ supplements, the body is not only more able to fight the aforementioned age-related health concerns, but also able to enjoy a healthier life as it’s been shown to reverse aging signs, promote weight loss, lower the risk of developing many diseases, such as cancer, and improve sleep and general health.
Is NAD+ Therapy the Elixir of Youth?
To answer this question, we must first learn the fact that aging is a process of losing cells’ ability to repair themselves and regenerate, which makes the person susceptible to many health concerns as well as the appearance of visible signs of aging, such as fine lines, wrinkles, and age spots.
Science has proven in recent years that the aging process can be slowed or reversed. It has also been proven that the decline of NAD+ levels is directly related to the aging of cells, so restoring these levels can slow or reverse the process of cell aging.
That’s why NAD+ supplements and IV therapy are called the elixir of youth, as they not only help you look younger by restoring the levels of the coenzyme but also significantly decrease the risk of aging-related health concerns.
As mentioned earlier, low levels of this coenzyme increase the risk of many health concerns, most of which are aging-related. Now, it has been suggested that restoring its levels can reverse these effects.
What are the Uses of NAD therapy?
This therapy targets the process of aging that affects body cells to slow it down or even reverse it, but it’s also used to treat many mental and physical health issues, including the following:
1. Addiction and substance abuse. NAD+ therapy plays an important role in the recovery phase as it helps decrease craving and reduce the risk of relapse
2. Age-related molecular degeneration. The rule of NAD+ in the treatment of this eye condition includes decreasing oxidative stress and protecting the retina
3. Cognitive decline. Which is a symptom of many neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease; therapy with NAD+ helps slow the progression of these diseases and protects nerve cells
How is NAD+ Therapy Administered?
This therapy is available in many administration routes and scientists are innovating more routes. Here is the short list of available and soon-to-be-available administration routes:
● Intravenous route. This route of administration provides the most bioavailability of NAD+ as it reaches the bloodstream directly without first being absorbed in the digestive tract
● Oral route. The precursors of NAD+ coenzyme are swallowed in a pill form to be converted to this coenzyme inside the body
● Nasal route. When administered intranasally, NAD+ gets absorbed quickly and more efficiently as it bypasses the digestive tract and goes directly to the bloodstream
● Topical route. This route is very convenient when a small area of the skin needs higher levels of NAD+ to treat wrinkles and other aging signs, as shown by preliminary research results; many topical NAD+ forms could be available soon, such as creams and patches
● Other routes. Other, more innovative, routes of administration are being produced in order to make NAD+ more convenient for patients and users and increase its uptake in the body; here is a short list of some of them:
○ Controlled-release transdermal patches
○ Sublingual-dissolvable oral tablets
○ Intranasal drops
What are the side effects of NAD+ Therapy?
As with all other forms and types of therapies, NAD+ therapy may cause some side effects, although it’s generally safe and tolerable; some of these side effects are as follows:
● NAD IV therapy side effects:
○ Sudden redness and warmth of the skin resulting from blood-vessel dilation that’s caused by the rapid release of prostaglandins when administering NAD+, this is one of the most common NAD IV therapy side effects
○ Nausea and stomach pain, which are often treated by adjusting the infusion rate and hydrating the patient
○ Dizziness and lightheadedness are rare side effects of this therapy, and they often subside quickly if the infusion is injected while the patient is well-dehydrated and sits or lays down in a comfortable position
○ Mild headache, which is temporary and often resolves on its own after stopping the infusion
● NAD+ supplements side effects:
○ Headache
○ Fatigue
○ Nervousness
These side effects are reported after taking regular doses, but if given in higher doses, more side effects may occur. Also, studies have focused on short-term NAD IV therapy side effects, and no research has studied the long-term effects so far, so there is no information regarding this point.
NAD+ therapy is the elixir of youth as it slows down and even reverses the process of cell aging.
References:
1. https://www.flmindhealth.com/nad-therapy/
2. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9512238/
3. https://www.azivmedics.com/side-effects-of-nad-therapy
4. https://www.addictioncenter.com/treatment/nad-therapy/
