The human body is truly miraculous, with millions of biological processes taking place at any given moment, driven by hormones, enzymes and nutrients. To maintain optimal health, your body constantly strives for chemical balance, to keep your systems humming along in harmony. However, when deprived of certain nutrients, your body is forced to down-regulate certain functions in favor of preserving life.
One essential nutrient needed by every cell in your body is nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). Learn about the biological functions of NAD, how it influences immunity and systemic inflammation, and how you can strengthen your Immune system with NAD IV therapy.
NAD and Human Health
NAD is one of the most abundant molecules in the body, essential for over 500 enzymatic reactions, and is a key element of all known biological processes. Your body manufactures NAD from the foods you eat, but a nutrient-deficient diet can inhibit NAD production. In addition, NAD levels naturally decline as you age, causing cellular dysfunction and accelerating the aging process.
Some of the most important ways NAD influences human health include:
- Supports multiple metabolic pathways
- Repairs and regenerates DNA
- Assists in chromatin remodeling — a process that regulates gene expression
- Slows or reverses cellular senescence (cell death)
- Supports immune system function
- Promotes healthy aging
In addition, NAD plays a key role in mitochondrial function. Mitochondria are microscopic organelles within cell bodies. You can think of them as little energy factories, where glucose and fatty acids are metabolized with the help of oxygen to create ATP, the energy molecule. NAD plays a key role in the chemical cascade that generates ATP within mitochondria.
Cellular mitochondria vary in number and size, depending on the type of cell and its function. For example, Type 1 muscle fibers tend to have more and larger mitochondria, especially in athletes and physically active people, because they are designed for endurance and repetitive contraction, and require a steady supply of ATP.
As you age, your body loses lean muscle tissue and its mitochondria – a condition called sarcopenia. NAD helps to slow lean muscle loss and plays a key role in mitochondrial support. Without NAD, cellular metabolism cannot take place, and cells deprived of sufficient NAD will begin to age and die.
Immune System Inflammatory Response and NAD
Inflammation is an immune system response triggered by a variety of factors, including pathogens, damaged cells and toxic compounds. Acute inflammation occurs when tissues are damaged, such as soft tissue injuries or bone fractures. In such cases, the inflammatory response plays a protective role in the initial post-injury phase, to prevent further damage
Chronic low-grade inflammation is also an immune response, triggered by a persistent perceived threat that keeps the immune system on high alert.
Chronic systemic inflammation is brought on by a number of factors, including:
- stress
- poor diet
- obesity
- lack of exercise
- environmental toxins
Chronic inflammation can affect the heart, pancreas, liver, kidney, lung, brain, intestinal tract and reproductive system, with the potential to cause long-term tissue damage. Chronic inflammation has been associated with metabolic syndrome, a precursor to heart disease. Elderly patients often exhibit chronic systemic inflammation.
Chronic systemic inflammation can exist for years before it is detected. Consequently, it can become a silent killer that contributes to cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and other deadly conditions.
Symptoms of chronic inflammation include:
- Muscle and joint aches and pains
- Chronic fatigue and insomnia.
- Depression, anxiety and mood swings
- Digestive disorders like constipation, diarrhea, and acid reflux
- Weight gain or weight loss
- Frequent infections
Chronic inflammation can occur at any age, in any population. Lifestyle changes, including dietary changes, can help to reverse the condition and restore optimal health.
New Research on NAD and Immune Function
Recent research suggests that dietary supplementation of nicotinamide riboside (NR), a precursor to NAD, can help to reduce systemic inflammation in people with compromised NAD levels, including older adults and those with metabolic disorders.
At the same time, another study has uncovered a link between chronic inflammation associated with aging and the decline in NAD levels in older adults.
The recent COVID-19 pandemic triggered a number of studies of patients to determine whether NAD could play a role in viral infections. One study uncovered a close link between low NAD+ levels and risk factors for poor COVID-19 outcomes, including older age and common comorbidities. The authors noted that viral infections can further deplete NAD, and suggested that boosting NAD through supplementation could potentially increase antiviral responses, while reducing severe inflammation.
These studies, and many others, emphasize the role of NAD in helping to regulate the immune response, combat viral infections, and offset systemic inflammation that speeds aging and causes metabolic disease.
Strengthen your immune system with NAD
NAD has multiple dietary precursors, the most common being niacin and nicotinamide riboside (NR), both forms of Vitamin B3. A nutrient-dense diet of foods high in B3 can help to boost your NAD levels.
Foods that provide the highest amounts of NAD precursors include:
- Turkey
- Beef
- Coldwater fish like tuna, salmon and anchovies
- Milk
- Green vegetables, especially asparagus
- Mushrooms, especially cremini
For many, getting enough B3 from your diet alone can be challenging, especially if you are vegan or vegetarian. People with B3 deficient diets, along with older adults and people with chronic inflammation, may need a supplement to boost depleted NAD levels.
The best way to optimize NAD is via IV infusion. Oral supplements tend to lose potency during the digestive process, and they are often not completely absorbed by your liver. When delivered via IV, NAD goes directly to your bloodstream, where it is quickly dispersed to cells throughout your body.
Get IV NAD to Boost Your Immune System in NYC
Supplementing with NAD is an evidence-based solution to combat the effects of aging, fight inflammation and boost your immune system. And because NAD is a nutrient and not a drug, you don’t need a doctor’s prescription to enjoy its benefits.
To get the most benefit from NAD supplementation, schedule an NAD IV therapy session today. Our professional staff is ready to serve you with high-quality NAD treatment in our relaxing spa-like clinic. During your visit, be sure to ask about our other therapies and treatments designed to keep you healthy, vibrant and beautiful at any age.
Sources:
Covarrubias, Anthony J., et al. “Aging-related inflammation driven by cellular senescence enhances NAD consumption via activation of CD38+ pro-inflammatory macrophages.” Biorxiv (2019): 609438.
Kwon, Jun, et al. “The Clinical Effects of Nicotinamide Riboside on Inflammatory Parameters.” Current Developments in Nutrition 6.Supplement_1 (2022): 987-987.
Zheng, Minyan, Michael B. Schultz, and David A. Sinclair. “NAD+ in COVID-19 and viral infections.” Trends in Immunology (2022).