NAD+ (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide) is an essential coenzyme found in every living cell, playing a central role in cellular energy metabolism, redox reactions, DNA repair, and sirtuin-mediated gene regulation. NAD+ levels decline significantly with age — by as much as 10–80% — and this decline is associated with metabolic dysfunction, neurodegeneration, and accelerated aging. Below is a curated selection of peer-reviewed studies investigating its properties.
2025
The Role of NAD+ Metabolism and Its Modulation of Mitochondria in Aging and Disease
PMC / Comprehensive Review
This comprehensive review examines how declining NAD+ levels are associated with aging, cognitive decline, sarcopenia, and metabolic disease — all conditions typified by mitochondrial dysfunction. It covers NAD+ precursor strategies including NR and NMN and summarises compound-based interventions for restoring mitochondrial and cellular homeostasis.
View Paper →2023
Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide in Aging Biology: Potential Applications and Many Unknowns
PMC / Endocrine Reviews (Harvard Medical School)
This major Harvard-led review covers NAD+’s role in cellular energy generation, redox reactions, and signalling pathways governing healthspan and aging. It documents preclinical evidence showing NAD+ precursors improve glucose metabolism, reduce endothelial dysfunction, protect cardiac tissue, and attenuate neurodegenerative disorders, alongside early human clinical data.
View Paper →2023
NAD Metabolism: Role in Senescence Regulation and Aging
PMC / Aging Cell (Open Access)
This study examines the intersection of NAD+ metabolism and cellular senescence — a key hallmark of biological aging. Declining NAD+ is shown to promote the accumulation of senescent cells and the associated secretory phenotype (SASP), while restoring NAD+ levels reduces senescent cell burden and supports healthier aging trajectories.
View Paper →2023
Dietary Supplementation With NAD+-Boosting Compounds in Humans: Current Knowledge and Future Directions
PMC / Journal of Nutrition
This review summarises a decade of human clinical studies on oral NAD+ precursor supplementation. It finds that NR and NMN reliably raise circulating NAD+ levels, with emerging evidence for improvements in muscle function, metabolic markers, and cardiovascular health in older adults, while noting that larger and longer trials are still needed.
View Paper →2022
The Role of NAD+ in Regenerative Medicine
PMC / Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (Open Access)
This review examines the evidence for NAD+ as a key mediator of tissue repair and regeneration. It details NAD+’s role as a co-substrate for sirtuins and PARPs — enzymes governing DNA repair, inflammation, and cell survival — and discusses its potential in regenerative research contexts including wound healing and stem cell function.
View Paper →2020
NAD+ Metabolism and Its Roles in Cellular Processes During Ageing
PMC / Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology
This landmark review from Nature Reviews covers NAD+’s biosynthesis, consumption, and recycling pathways, and their relevance to the hallmarks of aging. It documents how NAD+ depletion impairs mitochondrial function, promotes inflammation, and disrupts circadian rhythms — and how precursor supplementation reverses these effects in preclinical models.
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