NAD+ / NMN

Specialist

also nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, whole-blood nad

What it isNAD+ is a coenzyme used in hundreds of redox reactions and as a substrate for sirtuins, PARPs, and CD38. Levels decline with age, chronic inflammation, and metabolic stress. Whole-blood NAD+ is the most accessible clinical measure.

DoesPowers mitochondrial energy production and substrates a wide range of repair, signaling, and DNA damage-response enzymes.

GoodHigher NAD+ supports mitochondrial, DNA repair, and resilience to metabolic stress.

BadLow NAD+ has been linked to fatigue, metabolic dysfunction, neurodegeneration, and accelerated aging in preclinical work. Clinical evidence in humans is earlier-stage and less definitive than enthusiasts often claim.

Standard

20–50 µM whole blood (assay-dependent).

Optimal

35–50 µM whole blood (higher is good)

Modifiers

Declines with age, chronic alcohol use, obesity, and chronic inflammation; circadian variation; assay variability is substantial.

How to optimize

Lifestyle: Exercise (especially Zone 2 and HIIT), sleep, time-restricted eating, sauna — all raise NAD+ through tractable physiology.
Diet: Niacin-rich foods (meat, fish, peanuts, mushrooms), avoiding excess alcohol; consider periodic caloric restriction or fasting windows.
Supplements: NMN 250–1000 mg/day or NR 300–600 mg/day, niacin 100–500 mg/day; apigenin (CD38 inhibitor) 50 mg/day; trimethylglycine for methylation support.
Peptides: NAD+ injectable/IV, MOTS-c, SS-31 (mitochondrial-targeted), Epitalon.
Drugs: — --

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