IV therapy is one of my most favorite offered services and something I love to personally treat myself to. This service aligns with my work in the field of aesthetics and aging by addressing the health of our overall body.If you are reading this, you may hold interest in self-care modalities that help support our inner and outer longevity. There is so much information out there in the field of biochemistry and clinical research that offers treatments we can engage in to potentially enhance our healthspan, the time in which we live healthy  With this, I introduce Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide, more commonly referred to as NAD+.

What is NAD+? 

Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide NAD+ is a co-enzyme molecule that is important for energy metabolism. It’s also involved in chemical reactions that keep our tissues and metabolism in balance and aging healthfully (1). 

We know through studies that levels of NAD+ decrease as we age, likely because we produce less and use more. In fact, NAD+ depletion has been identified as a hallmark of aging (2). Further, low levels of NAD+ is linked to many age-related illnesses like cognitive decline, metabolic diseases, frailty, and cancers. 

Boosting NAD+ levels is associated with an increased healthspan and lifespan in animal models and also improves age-related disease in humans. Unfortunately we cannot simply supplement with oral NAD+ because, in general, cells don’t take it up. There are animal studies showing that supplementing with NAD+ precursors, nicotinamide riboside (NR) and nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) may help, however the general consensus seems to be that oral bioavailability is low.  

There is evidence to suggest that IV administration of NAD+ increases levels in the blood (3). In a pilot study with 11 men, infusion with 750 mg of NAD+ over 6 hours showed that during the first two hours, there were no signs of NAD+ or its metabolites in the blood, however after two hours, there was a 400% rise in plasma NAD+ concentration. This suggests that NAD+ was being taken up by the tissues during the first two hours and once tissue became saturated, the remaining was detected in the blood (4).

While IV therapy may help boost our levels, we can also engage in healthy activities like exercise and fasting to support NAD+ production. When cellular levels are low, as happens during exercise, fasting, and calorie deprivation, NAD+ levels rise. Our bodies receive the building blocks for NAD+ from foods in our diet that contain the amino acid tryptophan and niacin such as: beans, milk, eggs, broccoli, and avocado to name a few.

NAD+ and Long COVID

Several studies exist that support the use of intravenous NAD+ therapy for symptoms associated with long COVID. COVID infection depletes cellular NAD+ levels so replacing them may help alleviate the associated symptoms (5). Intravenous NAD+ may also help our immune symptoms defend against COVID and other viral infections (6).

I’m excited to be expanding my IV services and bring to you evidence-based interventions that support our healthspan. The FDA currently requires a prescription for the administration of IV NAD+ so schedule a complimentary consultation to get started.

With love,
Heather