This is important because depleted levels of NAD+ in the brain are associated with certain aging-related conditions.
In animal models, therapies used to boost brain NAD+ levels have resulted in normalization of several neurodegenerative phenotypes, according to the research team.
According to the study โ
โDeclining nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) concentration in the brain during aging contributes to metabolic and cellular dysfunction and is implicated in the pathogenesis of aging-associated neurological disorders.โ
Oral Nicotinamide Riboside Raises NAD+ and Lowers Biomarkers of Neurodegenerative Pathology in Plasma Extracellular Vesicles Enriched for Neuronal Origin
This was a small human study, in which NR was administered orally at 500 mg, 2x per day, for a total of 6 weeks.
Researchers analyzed plasma samples and measured levels of NAD+ and NADH in neuronal extracellular vesicles (NEVs).
Study Results
- NAD+ levels in neuronal NEVs were significantly higher after 6 weeks of oral NR supplementation compared to placebo
- There was a marked decrease in Aฮฒ42, which is a component of amyloid plaques, associated with Alzheimerโs
This was the first time researchers had evidence that NR reaches the brain, improving neuronal NAD+ levels.
โBut until now, it was unknown whether NR reached targeted organs like the brain to have a real therapeutic effect,โ according to Christopher Martens, one of the key researchers in this study, and the director of the Delaware Center for Cognitive Aging Research.
Source: Researchers link supplement to reduced biomarkers of Alzheimerโs in the brain
