Move over Ozempic and Botox. The latest wellness craze revolves around NAD supplements, powders, and drips, promising a youthful, vibrant body. Despite the FDA’s restrictions pending clinical testing, these products are rapidly gaining popularity, especially among elite influencers.
NAD, or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, is crucial for converting proteins, fats, and carbohydrates into energy. Our bodies produce less NAD as we age, making supplementation potentially beneficial for those over 60 and 70. However, experts caution that many NAD-boosting supplements on the market may not be effective, necessitating thorough research to find the best approach.
Interest in this anti-aging coenzyme surged in the past two decades after researchers discovered that NAD-boosted mice lived longer, had less fat, more muscle, lower inflammation, and fewer age-related issues. This sparked the development of human formulas, and the trend skyrocketed, with celebrities like the Kardashians opting for IV injections of NAD. Nonetheless, scientists have found that NAD supplements might be “pretty useless” compared to NAD precursors, deemed more effective.
These precursors include nicotinamide riboside (NR), nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), nicotinic acid, and niacinamide. They can be naturally obtained through walking and consuming foods such as meat, fish, nuts, fortified breakfast cereals, broccoli, and cucumbers.
