NMN Benefits: Can It Make You Younger? | The Truth Unfolds

NMN, short for nicotinamide mononucleotide, is often proclaimed as a supplement that holds the key to turning back the clock on aging. This article reveals facts about the several proclaimed NMN benefits. Most of you will be surprised by what you find at the end of this blog, so be with us till the end to see how the truth unfolds.

What is NMN?

NMN is nicotinamide mononucleotide, and it is one of the most recently discovered precursors of an already-known essential vitamin B3 or niacin. All the hype about NMN started with a research study that involved administering NMN supplements to mice for 12 months during their normal aging. What they found is incredible, as NMN enhanced metabolism and suppressed all age-related disease processes, that too without any obvious side effects or toxicity (1).

The theory goes that cell have a special compound called NAD⁺, which is a key component in metabolism. However, with aging, cells see a decline in NAD⁺, and so does their metabolism, which is thought to be linked with cellular senescence (an age-related decline in function). It doesn't just stop there, as research also shows that reduced NAD⁺ is also associated with other age-related degenerative processes such as muscle loss, cognitive decline, metabolic diseases, frailty, and cancer (2).

So, the whole idea is that restoring NAD levels using NMN supplements can help reverse aging and prevent all age-associated diseases. We know this idea raises even more questions. But don't worry—this blog will answer every one of them. So, read ahead.

What’s the Twist abut Absorption of NMN Supplements?

Everything we take orally is broken down in the gut and absorbed into the blood. As NMN is also a larger molecule, it must be digested into smaller units to be absorbed, or at least the general theory compels us to think that way.

A recent study started a controversy, where a fascinating twist has been added to the story that oral supplements of NMN or NR (nicotinamide riboside) are first converted into nicotinic acid by the gut flora and are then absorbed into the blood (3).

The findings of this study are controversial. If it's true that NMN is first converted into nicotinic acid in the gut, why don't people experience gut-related side effects, such as flushing, associated with oral supplementation of nicotinic acid (3, 4)?

Therefore, it can be hypothesized that some discrete pathways must help absorb NMN into the blood without causing any gut-related side effects. There must be some bigger picture that the research studies haven't completely revealed, and more research is needed to say anything about NMN absorption with confidence. 

Link between Oral NMN supplements and Tissue NAD⁺ Levels

Coming to the next question, regardless of the absorption of NMN in the gut, is it linked to high NAD levels in the tissues? Before we say anything, let's look at the findings of a clinical trial.

In a human clinical trial published in 2022, participants received 250 mg of NMN daily for 12 months. During this time, researchers remained proactive in monitoring physiological and laboratory tests. They found that participants experienced no side effects and no abnormalities in their investigations, but the NAD levels in the blood increased significantly (4). Even though the findings are not directly related to tissue NAD levels, it can be anticipated that higher levels in the blood will ultimately increase this metabolic precursor in the tissues, too.

Research studies discussing precisely NMN benefits in increasing the tissue NAD levels are limited. When we look at the broader image, it becomes quite obvious why that is so. To investigate the change in NAD levels in tissues, we would need multiple tissue samples from the study participants. However, this not only seems uncomfortable but also seems unethical. Therefore, most clinical trials are related to blood NAD levels, which is enough to hypothesize that NMN supplements are an excellent strategy to increase NAD levels in the tissue, too.

NMN Benefits: What Science Say About it?

In this part, we will discuss human trials and research studies revealing the incredible anti-aging benefits of NMN, focusing on major organ systems of the human body.

Brain & Cognitive Function

According to a mice study, decreasing NAD⁺ levels are associated with cerebromicrovascular dysfunction, resulting in a decline in brain function and overall cognition in old age. The research indicates that 24-month administration of NMN protects against oxidative stress and boosts mitochondrial function in brain tissues. Overall, the findings suggest that NMN supplements offer therapeutic potential for treating age-related degenerative diseases and cognitive decline (5).

Energy & Physical Performance

A 12-week human trial was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of NMN supplements in improving the sleep quality, fatigue, and physical performance of the participants. The findings revealed that regular intake of NMN in the afternoon resulted in reduced fatigue and improved physical performance, especially in older adults (6).

Another 12-week clinical trial assessed the role of NMN supplementation in increasing NAD+ levels and how this incredible supplement improves muscle power and function in older people. Gait speed and a Left grip test were used as indicators of performance. The findings revealed that at the end of the 12 weeks, participants showed significant improvements both in NAD⁺ levels and physical performance (7).

A recent study investigated the combined effects of exercise training and supplementation with nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) on cardiovascular fitness in amateur runners. The six-week trial involved 48 trained runners divided into four groups: low, medium, and high-dosage NMN groups and a control group receiving a placebo. The study concluded that NMN supplementation enhances aerobic capacity during exercise training, likely due to improved oxygen utilization in skeletal muscles. This suggests the potential benefits of NMN supplementation for improving cardiovascular fitness in humans (8).

Heart Health

Heart diseases are common among older adults and are one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality. Research has indicated that metabolic irregularities, associated with decreased NAD+ levels, are closely associated with cardiovascular diseases like heart failure and atherosclerosis. Therefore, supplementation with NAD+ precursors such as NMN promises to improve these conditions by promoting metabolic stability and potentially mitigating the risk of CVDs (9).

Lifestyle Modifications to Keep High NAD Levels

Our goal at Live Longer is not just about compelling you to use the anti-aging supplements. Even though the NMN supplement is a game changer and will change the whole idea of aging in the future, we still need to make several lifestyle modifications to see the best results. 

How is that so?

Let's look at the findings of a research study that used muscle biopsies (tissues taken as samples for research) to investigate the NAD levels. What they found is obvious that older people have lower NAD levels in their muscles compared to younger ones. But, the other half of the findings is what we are concerned about. It showed that older people who exercise regularly have NAD levels comparable to those of younger people (10).

Incredible, right? We humans often neglect how important exercise is to our bodies. And then, there's more to the story. 

Another research study indicated that healthy nutrition approaches such as fasting, caloric restriction, and low sugar intake are other ways to maintain high NAD levels even in your aging years (11). 

Building NAD levels can slow down or even reverse aging. Although using NMN supplements is the best way to do that, making correct lifestyle adjustments also provides a supportive role and can help you live at your fullest, even in your 80s and 90s.

Want a Bonus?

We know aging is inevitable, but that doesn't mean that all those debilitating age-related disorders are inevitable, too. It's the choices we make that define how we are going to live in our 70s and 80s. 

Fortunately, science is now way ahead of what it was ever before. It has developed supplements and strategies that can make your body youthful. One of those supplements is NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide). It holds incredible benefits, primarily due to its fascinating potential to replenish the NAD+ levels within the tissues associated with increased vitality and energy. 

At Live Longer, we offer expert-vetted NMN supplements with maximum efficacy to change your perspective on aging. So, it's time you say goodbye to those age-related diseases and embrace NMN to live your life to the fullest. 

References

1. Mills KF, Yoshida S, Stein LR, Grozio A, Kubota S, Sasaki Y, et al. Long-Term Administration of Nicotinamide Mononucleotide Mitigates Age-Associated Physiological Decline in Mice. Cell Metab. 2016;24(6):795-806.
2. Covarrubias AJ, Perrone R, Grozio A, Verdin E. NAD(+) metabolism and its roles in cellular processes during ageing. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2021;22(2):119-41.
3. Cercillieux A, Ciarlo E, Canto C. Balancing NAD(+) deficits with nicotinamide riboside: therapeutic possibilities and limitations. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2022;79(8):463.
4. Okabe K, Yaku K, Uchida Y, Fukamizu Y, Sato T, Sakurai T, et al. Oral Administration of Nicotinamide Mononucleotide Is Safe and Efficiently Increases Blood Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Levels in Healthy Subjects. Front Nutr. 2022;9:868640.
5. Tarantini S, Valcarcel-Ares MN, Toth P, Yabluchanskiy A, Tucsek Z, Kiss T, et al. Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) supplementation rescues cerebromicrovascular endothelial function and neurovascular coupling responses and improves cognitive function in aged mice. Redox Biol. 2019;24:101192.
6. Kim M, Seol J, Sato T, Fukamizu Y, Sakurai T, Okura T. Effect of 12-Week Intake of Nicotinamide Mononucleotide on Sleep Quality, Fatigue, and Physical Performance in Older Japanese Adults: A Randomized, Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study. Nutrients. 2022;14(4).
7. Igarashi M, Nakagawa-Nagahama Y, Miura M, Kashiwabara K, Yaku K, Sawada M, et al. Chronic nicotinamide mononucleotide supplementation elevates blood nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide levels and alters muscle function in healthy older men. NPJ Aging. 2022;8(1):5.
8. Liao B, Zhao Y, Wang D, Zhang X, Hao X, Hu M. Nicotinamide mononucleotide supplementation enhances aerobic capacity in amateur runners: a randomized, double-blind study. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2021;18(1):54.
9. Katayoshi T, Uehata S, Nakashima N, Nakajo T, Kitajima N, Kageyama M, et al. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide metabolism and arterial stiffness after long-term nicotinamide mononucleotide supplementation: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Sci Rep. 2023;13(1):2786.
10. Janssens GE, Grevendonk L, Perez RZ, Schomakers BV, de Vogel-van den Bosch J, Geurts JMW, et al. Healthy aging and muscle function are positively associated with NAD+ abundance in humans. Nature Aging. 2022;2(3):254-63.
11. Poljsak B, Kovač V, Milisav I. Healthy Lifestyle Recommendations: Do the Beneficial Effects Originate from NAD(+) Amount at the Cellular Level? Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2020;2020:8819627.