Increased service life are one of the greatest achievements of modern society. Yet while most of us can expect to live longer, we spend more years in poor health. Reducing this period of poor health at the end of life is the main goal of a group of scientists called biogerontologists.
By studying aging in animals, including fruit flies, worms and rodents, biogerontologists have identified biological phenomena involved in aging that all of these organisms share. And some of these biological processes can also regulate aging in humans.
Scientists trying to understand and improve the aging process have identified many molecules that seem to improve aging in these animals (although evidence in humans remains sparse). These molecules include compounds found in Grapes, apples and even bacteria.
Recently, a new molecule has been added to the list of possible anti-aging drugs: nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide or NAD+ for short. As we age, NAD+ levels decrease in many body tissues. As NAD+ is involved in many important biological processes, it is thought that this decline could contribute to aging.
Research in mice has shown that replenishing NAD+ can improve many elements of aging, including age-related weight gain, increased physical activity, better body’s ability to process carbohydrates and fats, and improved eye function. This has led some scientists to believe that boosting NAD+ levels is an exciting potential anti-aging therapy. Indeed, a new anti-aging supplement called Nuchido TIME+, which is said to boost NAD+ levels, was recently launched in Las Vegas. Nichola Conlon, the founder of the company that makes the supplements, described the pills as a “revolutionary product in the world of anti-aging”.
Their research suggested that Nuchido Time+ increases NAD+ in middle-aged people to levels of someone 15 years younger. So should we all start taking NAD+ supplements?
To guide this decision, we must first understand the underlying research that led to the release of this product. Almost all of the research on NAD+ and aging has taken place using cells or animals – not people. Although there are common biological pathways that link aging in animals and humans, human aging is significantly more complex due to significantly longer lifespans and the complexity of our lifestyles.
It is very difficult to design a study that truly tests anti-aging therapies because of the ethical implications, human lifespans, and our complex lifestyles. Instead, studies of human aging tend to focus on specific age-related conditions or biological changes that seem to occur naturally with age.
Evidence of NAD+ Supplements
The results reported by Nuchido simply tell us that they were able to increase NAD+ levels more than anyone else, not that this increase resulted in any measurable improvement in aging people under strict scientific conditions. That proof may yet come but, for now, what we can say is that if you take Nuchido Time+, you are likely to replenish your NAD+ levels. There is evidence that NAD+ levels can be improved without the need for supplements, with dietary changes and practice both being reported to alter NAD+ levels in certain tissues.
Although there is some evidence that taking supplements to increase NAD+ levels is secure, there is still very little evidence that NAD+ supplementation works as an anti-aging agent in humans. A study reported that NAD+ supplementation in the elderly affected muscle cellsbut beyond that, there is little evidence that NAD+ replenishment has a marked impact on aging.
Much more robust controlled studies are needed before the effects of NAD+ supplementation on human aging are better understood. For now, as Nuchido Time+ costs £55 for a 30-day supply, it may be best to focus on well-established factors for improving ageing, such as have a healthy diet and exercise regularly.
