“Depletion of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)+ has been reported in patients with WS, suggesting a key role in the pathogenesis of WS.”
Key Points
- No serious adverse effects reported
- NR restored NAD+ levels
- Improved cardiovascular health
- Reduced WS-related skin ulcers
- Enhanced kidney function
Methods
Nine patients with Werner Syndrome participated in this crossover trial.
- NR-first group (6 patients): 1000 mg/day NR for the first 26 weeks, then placebo for 26 weeks.
- Placebo-first group (3 patients): Placebo for first 26 weeks, then 1000 mg/day NR for 26 weeks.
Three patients from the NR-first group dropped out due to complications related to WS. Six participants completed the study at 52 weeks.
NAD+ Levels Increased Significantly
NR supplementation resulted in clear increases in plasma NR and NAD+ levels.
“Plasma NR levels were low at baseline and during the placebo phase but increased significantly in the NR phase.”
“These findings confirm that NR treatment effectively increases plasma NAD+ and NR levels in patients with WS.”
By restoring NAD+, NR may help alleviate age-related complications of WS.
Kidney Function Improved
NR supplementation was found to reduce both uric acid and creatinine levels, two key markers of kidney function.
“Uric acid levels tended to decrease after NR treatment...”
“... Additionally, plasma creatinine levels measured via metabolomic analysis were significantly lower after NR administration.”
Together, these findings suggest that NR may help support kidney health and slow renal function decline in WS.
NR Supported Cardiovascular Health
Significant changes in cardiovascular health with NR supplementation, including increased artery elasticity and enhanced blood flow.
“As a clinical evaluation of endothelial function and arterial stiffness, the cardio–ankle vascular index (CAVI) was used and was significantly improved after NR treatment.”
Arterial stiffness is a key contributor to increased cardiovascular risk, and improvements in CAVI suggest NR may help reduce the likelihood of adverse events.
Skin Complications Were Reduced
Patients with WS exhibit poor connective tissue and blood flow, which causes thickened heel pads and skin sores that do not heal properly.
“In this study, a reduction in heel pad thickness tended to be observed during the NR phase…”
“…Skin ulcer size significantly decreased during the NR phase, whereas an increase was observed during the placebo phase.”
NR reduced heel pad thickness and the size of skin ulcers, suggesting the ability for supplementation to improve skin complications in patients with WS.
Conclusion
This study was the first to show that NR increases plasma NAD+ levels in patients with WS, demonstrating potential of NR as a therapeutic for WS and other accelerated aging diseases.
Health concerns specific to WS patients saw improvements and even enhanced function.
“Importantly, CAVI was significantly improved, and skin ulcer areas were reduced. These findings suggest that NR administration may help improve atherosclerosis and skin ulcers—two key features of WS...”
“...Furthermore, metabolome analysis indicated a significant decrease in plasma creatinine, suggesting potential improvement in renal function.”
The results of this study provide compelling evidence for future research into NAD+ restoration as a therapeutic approach for premature aging disorders.
