As humans age beyond our reproductive prime, changes take place at the cellular level that speed up the aging process. One common theme in older adult health is a reduced capacity for wounds and injuries to heal. Healing often progresses slowly in older people, and often leaves dark spots and scars that are slow to fade.
Scientists are finding good evidence that diminishing levels of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), and increasing numbers of senescent cells play a key role in delayed wound healing. New research holds promise for NAD therapy to reduce cell senescence and accelerate healing.
Senescent Cells and Aging
The cells throughout your body replicate themselves continually, and cells damaged by disease, stress or injury are constantly cleared by your immune system via a process called apoptosis. But as you age, your body becomes less efficient at clearing damaged cells, and many are left behind, emitting chemicals that cause damage to normal cells and interfering with the healing process.
Cells that stop replicating but refuse to die are called senescent cells. Instead of being cleared, they remain in place and release chemicals that cause inflammation, posing a threat to surrounding healthy cells. As you age and apoptosis becomes less efficient, an increasing number of senescent cells accumulate, reducing your ability to heal.
Senescent cells have been linked to a number of diseases associated with aging, including:
- Dementia
- Cancer
- Stroke
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Osteoporosis
- Osteoarthritis
Excess senescent cells are thought to cause declining levels of NAD in older adults, which in turn contributes to reduced apoptosis, a vicious cycle that accelerates the aging process and interferes with healing.
NAD and Cellular Health
NAD is an essential coenzyme that the body relies on for a broad range of metabolic processes. NAD directly and indirectly affects multiple key cellular functions.
Among the most critical are:
- Energy metabolism
- Mitochondrial function
- DNA repair
- Regulation of metabolic pathways
- Immune cell function
- Cellular senescence
NAD is found in every cell of the human body, and its full range of metabolic processes has yet to be discovered. But one thing is certain — without sufficient NAD levels, good health and longevity cannot be attained.
NAD Treatment for Aging Adults
As humans age, NAD levels gradually decline. Over the past decade, extensive research has been conducted to explore the potential of NAD therapy to extend the healthy years of the human lifespan.
Low NAD levels have been attributed to multiple conditions of old age, including:
- Cognitive impairment
- Cancer
- Metabolic disease
- Sarcopenia (muscle loss)
- Frailty
- Delayed wound healing
In multiple studies, NAD IV therapy has been shown to slow and even reverse the aging process.
One recent study on mice with Alzheimer’s disease, characterized by low brain NAD levels and inflammation, found that supplementing with nicotinamide riboside (NR), an NAD precursor, caused a reduction in neuroinflammation, halted DNA damage, and prevented cellular senescence.
Another study zeroed in on senescent cells and their effect on wound healing. They used NAD precursor nicotinamide (NAM), a form of vitamin B3, to treat in vitro senescent cells, as well as ex vivo skin biopsies from healthy donors. The treatment effectively reduced senescence and accelerated wound healing by 75 percent.
NAD precursors are nutrients that can be obtained from a nutrient-dense diet. Once absorbed, your body is able to use them to manufacture ample amounts of NAD. However, reduced nutrient absorption, digestive and dental issues, and loss of appetite that are characteristics of aging can keep older adults from getting the nutrients they need from diet alone.
NAD IV Therapy in NYC
NAD supplementation shows immense promise for fighting the negative effects of aging, but it is nearly impossible to get ample amounts of NAD from oral supplements because much of their potency is lost in the digestive process. NAD IV therapy is a safe and effective way to boost NAD levels without the negative side effects of drugs, and does not require a prescription.
Vitamin IV therapy offers a fast and easy way to get all the nutrients your body needs without hard-to-swallow pills that upset your stomach. NAD IV therapy is a great way to fight aging, support your immune system and amp up your energy production. You can get safe and effective NAD treatment at InVita Wellness on Broadway. Contact us today, and hit the brakes on aging so you can live your best life for years to come.
Resources
Childs, Bennett G., et al. “Senescent cells: an emerging target for diseases of ageing.” Nature reviews Drug discovery 16.10 (2017): 718-735.
Covarrubias, Anthony J., et al. “NAD+ metabolism and its roles in cellular processes during ageing.” Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology 22.2 (2021): 119-141.
Covarrubias, Anthony J., et al. “Senescent cells promote tissue NAD+ decline during ageing via the activation of CD38+ macrophages.” Nature metabolism 2.11 (2020): 1265-1283.
