NAD+
The essential cellular fuel molecule that powers energy, repair, and anti-aging from the inside out
Clinical Research Score: 3/5 — Human trials of NAD+ precursors (like nicotinamide riboside) show promise, but direct evidence for NAD+ therapy is still developing.
Categories: Anti-Aging / Longevity, Performance & Energy, Mental / Cognitive
What is NAD+?
NAD+ is arguably the most foundational molecule in the entire anti-aging and wellness space. It's present in every cell in your body, and it powers the machinery that keeps those cells alive, functional, and young. When NAD+ levels are high, your cells produce energy efficiently, repair damage quickly, and resist the wear and tear of aging.
People who supplement with NAD+ consistently report a noticeable shift in how they feel day-to-day. The most common benefit is a deep, sustained boost in energy — not jittery stimulation, but genuine cellular vitality. Mental clarity and focus sharpen. Recovery from workouts speeds up. Sleep quality often improves. Many describe it as "turning back the clock" — feeling 10 or even 15 years younger.
Here's the challenge that makes NAD+ supplementation so important: your natural levels drop dramatically as you age. By the time you're 50, you may have half the NAD+ you had at 20. This decline is now believed to be one of the core drivers of aging itself. Restoring NAD+ levels is one of the simplest, most broadly beneficial interventions available — it's foundational to virtually every anti-aging protocol.
**Typical injection dosing:** Most people buy a 500 mg or 1000 mg vial for subcutaneous injection. Daily doses range from 25-150 mg subQ: 25-50 mg/day is a common starting range, 50-100 mg/day is the most common steady-state range, and 100-150 mg/day is higher-end. A 500 mg vial reconstituted at a standard concentration lasts most people 1-3 weeks. Oral, sublingual, and IV routes exist but are less common for at-home use — use our dosing calculator to convert your chosen mg dose into syringe units based on your vial size and reconstitution volume.
How NAD+ works
NAD+ works by recharging your cells from the inside. It fuels the mitochondria — the tiny power plants in every cell — so they can produce energy efficiently. It also activates sirtuins, a family of "longevity proteins" that protect your DNA, reduce inflammation, and help cells resist stress. On top of that, NAD+ powers the enzymes that repair damaged DNA throughout your body. When NAD+ levels are high, your cells run cleaner, repair faster, and age more slowly. When levels drop (as they naturally do with age), everything starts to slow down — energy, cognition, recovery, and resilience.
Scientific overview
NAD+ (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide) is a critical coenzyme present in every cell in the body, functioning as a central mediator of cellular energy metabolism, DNA repair, and gene expression regulation. It serves as an essential electron carrier in mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and is a required substrate for sirtuins (SIRT1-7), PARPs (poly-ADP-ribose polymerases), and CD38. Intracellular NAD+ levels decline significantly with age — studies suggest a ~50% reduction by age 50 — contributing to mitochondrial dysfunction, impaired DNA repair, and metabolic dysregulation associated with aging.
Dosing
- Starting dose: 25-50 mg subQ per day
- Common dosage range: 25-150 mg subQ per day (500 mg or 1000 mg vial)
- Administration: Subcutaneous, Intravenous
- Half-life: ~45 minutes (IV)
- Frequency: Daily subQ (or weekly IV)