FAQs About Nicotinamide Riboside Chloride Powder: Answers to Your Burning Questions

The term “anti-aging” gets a bad rap. It sounds like we are trying to stop something that is already in progress, or we are unable to embrace the parts of ourselves that we should love. But the reality is that metabolic changes occur beneath the skin before we see the effects of aging. Choosing to approach our health from the inside out may be just what we need to improve the way we age.

In fact, one of the hallmarks of aging is a process known as "mitochondrial dysfunction," a term that refers to the general loss of energy and efficiency of our cells over time. This may be one of the reasons why we age. If mitochondria are at the heart of our aging, it's worth investigating every possible way to keep them functioning for as long as possible.

Learn about mitochondria.

Inside almost every cell are these tiny, oddly shaped organelles called mitochondria—the “powerhouse of the cell.” These tiny organs are responsible for producing 90% of the energy our bodies require. Mitochondria are the reason we exist today as complex animals rather than bacteria.

We don't always know how important mitochondria are to our health. A key way to keep your mitochondria healthy is a molecule called NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide). Our cells naturally produce NAD+ and we use it continuously throughout the day.

We also know that our supply of NAD+ declines as we age. Once researchers realized that NAD+ might hold the key to keeping our cells healthy, they scrambled to find a way to make the most of it.

Researchers already know that two vitamins begin the chemical process of increasing NAD+: niacin and niacinamide. These were discovered in the 1930s to treat pellagra, a potentially fatal vitamin B3 deficiency.

Niacin would also go on to become a treatment for high cholesterol in the 1950s. However, it has been found that consuming high doses of niacin can sometimes cause annoying skin flushing that is both irritating and unsightly.

Niacinamide does not cause skin flushing and could theoretically provide many of the same benefits, but it inhibits the activation of important cell repair-promoting proteins called sirtuins. Neither niacinamide nor niacin was as effective as researchers had hoped.

Although these two vitamins are NAD+ precursors, they are not an ideal solution. Due to the negative side effects of niacin and the relative effectiveness of nicotinamide, researchers still don't have a good enough vitamin supplement to increase NAD+ levels.

Discovery of nicotinamide riboside.

Another form of vitamin B3 called nicotinamide riboside was discovered in yeast in the 1940s. But it wasn't until the early 2000s that scientists began to see the potential of this third vitamin, B3, to not only increase NAD+ but also improve human health. In 2004, a Dartmouth College research team discovered that nicotinamide riboside, like its vitamin B3 brother, is a precursor to NAD+.

A research team led by Dr. Charles Brenner found that nicotinamide riboside increased NAD+ in mice, and the mice experienced a plethora of health benefits as a result.

The mice showed everything from improved blood sugar and cholesterol levels to reduced nerve damage and resistance to weight gain. Dr. Charles Brenner found these results so encouraging that he took the next step to understand the implications of nicotinamide riboside for human health.

In 2014, Dr. Brenner became the first person to take nicotinamide riboside as a supplement. The results are equally encouraging. This relatively unknown form of vitamin B3 significantly increased his NAD+ levels safely, quickly, and without any negative side effects.

Nicotinamide riboside uses a unique pathway to produce NAD+ that no other vitamin B3 uses.

Nicotinamide riboside can also activate cell repair-promoting proteins sirtuins. As we age, these sirtuins work overtime to help cells stay strong.

Staying healthy as you age is never going to be as simple as one vitamin, even with one as promising as nicotinamide riboside. There are over 100 studies investigating nicotinamide riboside, many of which show that increased NAD+ levels are associated with metabolic and muscle health in mice. Additional research is ongoing to understand the role of NAD+ in supporting other age-related health challenges, including decreased liver function, weight gain, insulin levels and brain function in mice.

What is NAD?

NAD+ is coenzyme I, which is a coenzyme that transfers protons (more accurately, hydrogen ions) and participates in many physiological activities such as cellular material metabolism, energy synthesis, and DNA repair. NAD+ is a nutrient necessary for the function of Sirtuin protein, which is called the "longevity factor" by scientists. In particular, it can maintain the length of key telomeres, slow down the aging process and extend lifespan.

NAD+ can also promote gene repair and delay cell aging. NAD+ promotes cell regeneration and resists immune system diseases. NAD+ improves chromosome stability and reduces the risk of cancer.

They are enzymes' best friends, helping to fuel the "cellular machinery" that creates the energy needed for every major function in your body at the cellular level.

Why is NAD+ important?

Due to its critical role in cellular energy production, a lack of NAD+ in your body renders most body functions useless. Without NAD, your lungs won't be able to take in oxygen, your heart won't be able to pump blood, and your brain synapses won't fire.

NAD+ also helps promote DNA repair and regulate cell activity by working with sirtuins and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARPs), which are key in regulating cellular responses to insults such as overeating, alcohol consumption, disrupted sleep, and sedentary patterns. Enzymes.

NAD+ and aging

Research conducted in 2012 by a team from the Department of Pharmacology at the University of New South Wales showed that NAD metabolism is associated with age. The study shows that NAD+ levels in human skin tissue decline by up to 50% between the ages of 40 and 60, and that NAD+ depletion may play an important role in the aging process.

"Strong negative correlations were observed between NAD+ levels and age in both men and women," the researchers said in the paper.

Additionally, NAD is involved in cellular respiration, especially in mitochondria, and contributes to overall mitochondrial health. There is strong scientific interest in the involvement of NAD in mitochondrial dysfunction, one of the hallmarks of aging.

In recent years, research has focused on understanding the role of NAD in addressing these age-related functional declines.

Nicotinamide Ribose Chloride increases NAD+ levels.

NR is a precursor to NAD, which means it is the "building block" from which NAD+ molecules are made. It was discovered in 2004 as a vitamin precursor to NAD+, making it one of the latest breakthroughs in NAD+ research.

NR is a naturally occurring vitamin and a novel form of vitamin B3, but its use as a supplement has been adversely affected by "healthy aging" vitamins. It is highly effective at increasing NAD, making it one of the most exciting interventions in healthy aging solutions.

NR can effectively increase NAD+ levels. A clinical trial published in Scientific Reports showed that it increased NAD+ by up to 50% after two weeks of taking it.

Although NR supplementation has been clinically proven to increase NAD+ levels, NAD+ supplementation as a standalone ingredient is not that effective.

NAD+ is a very large molecule and cannot enter cells directly. Instead, your body has to break it down into smaller pieces before it can cross the cell membrane. These parts are reassembled inside the battery.