Researchers from the University of Oslo (UiO), Akershus University Hospital (Ahus), and international collaborators have published a new expert review. natural aging. This paper focuses on nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) and brings together more than 25 scientists, including clinicians and leading experts in aging biology and metabolism. Their collective insights highlight a growing global effort to understand how this small molecule can support healthy aging and help protect against conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
NAD+ is sometimes referred to as the cell’s “fuel regulator” because of its central role in energy generation, DNA repair, and maintaining normal cell function. However, NAD+ levels naturally decrease with age. This decline is associated with memory problems, muscle weakness, and an increased risk of age-related diseases.
“Fine-tuning NAD+ metabolism has the potential to slow age-related health decline and diseases such as progeria,” says one of the first authors, Dr. Jiangying Jiang. “However, to truly unlock its potential, we need a deeper understanding of appropriate dosing, long-term safety, and interindividual variability in response to NAD+ augmentation strategies.”
NAD+ Supplement shows early promise in clinical trials
This review examines years of laboratory and clinical research exploring ways to increase NAD+ levels. Many of these approaches involve vitamin-like compounds such as nicotinamide riboside (NR) and nicotinamide riboside (NMN). Early findings are promising, with some trials reporting improvements in memory, physical activity, and metabolic health.
Still, the researchers stress that large-scale, long-term studies in patients are needed to see how effective these approaches are against a variety of diseases.
Growing interest and discussion NAD+ treatment method
This publication comes at a time of increasing interest from both scientists and the public. Clinical trials testing NAD+ precursors such as NR and NMN are underway around the world, including in Norway. At the same time, these compounds are entering the rapidly expanding global supplement market, sparking debate about which options are most effective and whether the results seen in animal studies also apply to humans.
“We therefore think this is the right time to share our expert opinion,” said senior author Dr. Evandro Fay Fanstavem, director of the Fang Institute at UiO and Ahus. “NAD+ is the basis of life, but there is still confusion and noise in the field about which supplements are most effective and how they should be used. Our paper synthesizes the evidence and provides a scientific roadmap to guide both ongoing research and future clinical use.”
“There are gaps in knowledge about NAD+ and its clinical effects among basic researchers and clinicians, and this review paper highlights the importance of “This review provides up-to-date expert opinion for those interested in and working in the field. This review will also provide relevant information for many NAD+-based clinical trials across a wide range of clinical conditions, including neurological diseases.” and cardiovascular disease. ”
The need for further research and global cooperation
The authors emphasize that while NAD+-based supplements and treatments have been widely studied, stronger collaboration and more rigorous clinical trials are essential. These steps are critical to converting early discoveries into safe and effective treatments for aging and age-related diseases.
Other Norwegian contributors include Sofie Lautrup (UiO and Ahus), Hilde Loge Nilsen (OUS), Leiv Otto Watne (Ahus and UiO), Geir Selbæk (UiO and Norwegian National Center for Aging and Health), Mathias Ziegler (UiB), Ole-Bjørn Tysnes (UiB), and Charalampos. Tsouris (UiB). Additional authors are affiliated with the University of Copenhagen (Denmark), Chiba University (Japan), Harvard Medical School (USA), and the Buck Institute on Aging (USA).
