NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is one of the most popular molecules in longevity research. This is no coincidence, as it has been proven many times that our NAD levels drop sharply with increasing age. At the same time, studies show that an increase in NAD levels is associated with numerous positive effects on various aspects of our health. For longevity researchers such as David Sinclair or Mark Hyman , NAD is the answer to key questions about ageing. But how can we maintain our NAD levels and what role can regeNAD from MoleQlar play in this?
Firstly, you can supplement precursor molecules and secondly, you can slow down degradation. A third possibility is to support the NAD-producing enzymes. regeNAD from MOLEQLAR combines all three possibilities. The composition of the NAD Regenerating Complex is based on the latest scientific findings and well-researched molecular pathways.
NAD - why you want to keep your level up in old age
Higher levels of NAD have shown impressive results in animal studies. The animals studied not only lived significantly longer on average (between 10 and 20% depending on the study), but were also significantly fitter. Their insulin sensitivity and memory performance were significantly better than in the control groups. The first studies on humans are also already showing good results and many more clinical trials are underway. To help you better understand the biochemical background, here is a brief overview of the most important points.
NAD metabolism - a brief overview
NAD metabolism is extremely complex and many molecules and enzymes play a role. Here is a brief summary of the most important points:
- NAD is completely built up and broken down in our body
- There are three waysin which our body can produce NAD:
- Price-handler pathway (niacin)
- Recycling pathway (NMN, NR, Nam)
- de novo pathway (tryptophan)
- The rate-determining step ("bottleneck") for the production of NAD is enabled by an enzyme called NAMPT - NMNAT is also very important
- As we age, the amount of NAD in our body decreases
- The reasons for this are as follows:
- The production decreases (fewer precursors, fewer enzymes)
- The degradation or consumption increases. This occurs through various enzymes that become active with age. One of them is called CD38.
- Higher inflammation levels increase the activity of CD38 and thereby reduce NAD
- Researchers have found in numerous animal studies as well as in human trials that high NAD levels are associated with improved health in old age
For more background knowledge, you can always read our detailed articlel on NADmetabolism.
NAD boosting - why pre-stages are not enough
High NAD levels appear to be a promising path to more vitality in old age. The first logical step would be to fall back on the finished molecule. This quickly turned out not to be particularly effective. NAD (whether intravenous or oral) is "too big" and cannot be directly absorbed by our cells.
Let's take another look at NAD metabolism. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide is known to be produced in three different ways. All three decline with age and so we are looking at how we can strengthen each pathway.
Our body can produce new NAD via the " de novo pathway" on the basis of various precursors. The only question that remains is which precursor? This question has not yet been fully answered. There are some human studies on NR (nicotinamide riboside) as a supplement. Here, however, the results are mixed, as not all people experienced an increase in NAD, but in some cases degradation products were increased. Another possibility is to provide more "material" for synthesis. Our body uses the amino acid L-tryptophanas the basis for the synthesis of new NAD. If we increase the supply of this amino acid, we can support the "de novo pathway".
Nicotinamide and nicotinic acid are two very similar molecules. They only differ in one chemical group. Nicotinic acid, also abbreviated NA, contains a carboxyl group (COOH), while nicotinamide has a nitrogen-containing amide group. Both are derivatives of vitamin B3, also known as niacin. Although very similar in structure, the two molecules are metabolized somewhat differently. Nicotinic acid is the starting material for the "Preiss-Handler Pathway". Here NA is converted into NMN via the enzyme NAPRT.
Nicotinamide can also be converted to NMN as a precursor. Interestingly, the generated molecule can be converted back to NAD not only via the "de novo pathway", but also via the "salvage pathway", which is the most active of the three pathways. Thus, we can amplify all three pathways.
regeNAD - a power bundle with more than one approach
Human studies have shown that the administration of precursors alone is not always sufficient to increase the NAD level in the organism. Not only does the synthesis of NAD and recycling decrease, but the degradation caused by the inflammation-related increase in CD38 also increases. For this reason, we need more than one approach to increase the NAD levels in your body.
According to the minimum law of the German chemist Justus von Liebig, growth is limited by the scarcest resource. Some of you are still familiar with the image of the wine barrel with wooden slats of different heights. The lowest slat determines the height of the water level. It works in a similar way in our body. We need all resources in sufficient quantities to maintain the NAD metabolism. Here regeNAD not only supports you with several precursors, it also offers you an additional trump card with vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 is needed as a coenzyme for the conversion of NMN to NAD.
How can you actually measure the NAD level? Almost certainly not (yet) at your GP. As this is not a routine measurement in a medical practice, we have developed an at-home test kit for your NAD levelin collaboration with Vilnius University.
Discover where you stand and find out which method will help you maintain and increase your NAD levels.
NAD precursors: More material for your cells
regeNAD provides you with various precursors of NAD and the important co-factor vitamin B6. The amino acid L-tryptophan is the starting point for the "de novo synthesis" of NAD. The vitamin B3 derivatives nicotinic acid and nicotinamide can also be converted to NAD in various ways. This means that you not only activate the "de novo pathway", but also the "price-handler pathway" and the "salvage pathway."
But that's not all there is to regeNAD.
Nice side effect of vitamin B3 in studies: The ApoB level decreases and HDL is increased. This gives you the chance to support your vascular health at the same time.
Inhibition of degradation: Less CD38 increases your NAD levels
A varied diet rich in vegetables and legumes is the basis for a healthy life. The importance of a plant-based diet has been scientifically confirmed time and time again. One of the main reasons for the health-promoting effects of this diet is the secondary plant substances it contains. Of interest for the NAD metabolism are apigenin and luteolin .
Apigenin
Apigenin belongs to the family of flavonoids and occurs naturally in plants such as parsley and chamomile. In animal studies, the administration of apigenin was able to increase NAD levels by around 50%. The mechanism here is the inhibition of CD38. The molecule also has strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. This effect is mediated via a reduction in inflammatory substances such as interleukin-6 (IL-6). It also supports various enzymes for glutathione metabolism and appears to have positive effects on vascular diseases and diabetes mellitus.
Luteolin
Another plant flavonoid is luteolin. It is mainly found in carrots, olive oil, thyme and rosemary. In high concentrations it has been shown that luteolin can support the recycling of NAD (salvage pathway). This is the most important source of NAD in our body in terms of quantity. Luteolin works by stimulating the key enzyme, NAMPT, which converts NAM intoNMN . Key enzyme here means that the speed of the entire reaction depends on this enzyme. Thus luteolin can boost the NAD metabolism.
In addition to its role in NAD metabolism, luteolin also has an effect on other areas of our body. Similar to apigenin, luteolin has anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. Even more exciting for research is the interaction between luteolin and the "longevity genes", also known as sirtuins. In addition to activating SIRT1, some research groups are investigating the role of luteolin on SIRT6. Luteolin binds to SIRT6 and increases the activity of the enzyme by a factor of two. This boosts DNA repair mechanisms, which leads to healthier cells.
Did you know Another molecule that can support inflammatory processes, glutathione metabolism and healthier mitochondria is GlyNAC. According to a large-scale human study by Bayor College of Medicine, the regular intake of GlyNAC could lead to a measurable strengthening of the mitochondria .
