NAD+ is an acronym for Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide. It's a molecule found in every cell in your body, where it performs vital functions. The functions of NAD+ are mainly divided into two categories. It shuttles electrons between other molecules like a little train, and in doing so helps create energy. It is also required for several types of proteins to do their jobs. These jobs are incredibly important to the health and maintenance of cells.
Overall, the dual role of NAD+ in energy creation and cellular health and maintenance is absolutely critical to cellular function and thus overall health.
How important is NAD+?
Let's start with some numbers on how important NAD+ really is. Our bodies are made up of about 37 trillion cells. Cells have to do a lot of "work," or cellular responses - to sustain themselves. Each of your 37 trillion cells depends on NAD+ to do its ongoing work.
NAD+ is a central part of the cellular machinery, which is demonstrated when you look at the number of reactions it is involved in. NAD+ and a closely related molecule, NADP, are involved in about 500 cellular responses.
NAD+, cellular energy, and redox
NAD+ acts like a little train. It transports high-energy packets of electrons from one location in the cell to another. When the electronic bag is not carried, it is called NAD+. When it's packed with a pack of electrons, it's called NADH. So NAD+ and NADH are the same molecules, the only difference is whether it carries a basket of electrons.
The "+" in NAD+ represents a net positive charge. When it gains an electron, the negatively charged electron cancels out the positive charge, so it loses the "+". At the same time, it gets an "H". This "H" is like a suitcase (technically called a hydride) on a train carrying an electronic bag. When NADH delivers its electronic package, it becomes NAD+ again.
You may have heard the term redox before. When NAD+/NADH transports electron packets as a little train, it's called an oxidation-reduction reaction, or simply a redox reaction.
As an important electron transporter, NAD+ facilitates metabolic processes, including.
●The Krebs cycle (also known as the citric acid cycle)
This is the main driver of cellular respiration or energy creation. It takes the oxidized form of pyruvate (from glycolysis as described above), through a series of redox reactions and another process called the electron transport chain, to generate most of the ATP (cellular energy) required for life.
●Fatty acid oxidation
This process involves breaking down fatty acids into usable chunks.
All of these processes involve cycling the electron packet of NAD+, turning it into NADH, and back again. The net result of these biochemical pathways is that usable energy is produced in every cell in your body!
How to get more NAD+?
Healthy lifestyle choices are associated with higher NAD+ levels. To give your cells the best chance of getting enough NAD+, studies have shown that some lifestyle habits support higher NAD+ levels, ie.
●Eat whole foods, a balanced diet with plenty of B3. Poultry, beef, and fish are all excellent sources of vitamin B3.
●Exercise linked to increased NAD+
●Fasting (calorie restriction) is associated with an increase in NAD+
●Be in a healthy sleep-wake cycle and get enough sleep
●Supplementation with NAD+ precursors, such as nicotinamide riboside chloride, has been clinically shown to increase NAD+ levels.
●Researchers around the world are investigating how to boost NAD+ as a therapy for degenerative diseases associated with aging.
●Based on the sum of all comprehensive clinical and preclinical studies to date, all indicators point to health benefits from increasing NAD+ levels.
If you have a different opinion or want to get NAD+, contact medical@ysgcn.com
