Celebrities including Hailey Bieber, Kendall Jenner and Gwyneth Paltrow have helped turn NAD+ therapy into one of wellness’s buzziest treatments, with fans seeking it out for everything from energy and healthy aging to sharper focus.
“I’m going to NAD for the rest of my life, and I’m never going to age,” Hailey Bieber tells Kendall Jenner on an episode of The Kardashians.
Kendall Jenner agrees saying the NAD treatments are part of her wellness routine: “Things like this, they comfort me. They help.”
But beyond the celebrity buzz, scientists are investigating a much bigger question: Could targeting NAD+ someday help protect the aging brain and even play a role in memory loss?
People online are talking about their experiences.
A 75-year-old on the Reddit app says he began taking NAD+ after spending three months in the hospital, including two months in intensive care. “I feel a noticeable improvement in my brain fog and my energy level.”
MyNameIsKali_ says taking the NAD+ precursors NR or NMN made him feel more alert: “I also feel more alert and awake during times when I used to dip in energy.”
So what does the science actually tell us?
First, What Is NAD+?
NAD+, short for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, is a coenzyme naturally found in cells throughout the body. It plays an essential role in cellular energy production, metabolism and processes involved in DNA repair.
NAD+ levels decline with age, and research has linked changes in NAD+ metabolism to aging and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. That’s one reason researchers have become increasingly interested in whether restoring NAD+ or boosting it with precursors such as nicotinamide riboside (NR) and nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) could affect age-related changes in the body, including the brain.
What About Brain Fog and Mental Clarity?
People may describe feeling more focused, alert or mentally sharp after NAD+ therapy, and researchers continue to investigate how NAD+ metabolism relates to brain health.
Dr. Mary Van, Clinical Director of THRIVEX Infusion & Wellness Center, says the way NAD+ is administered may also matter when patients are seeking different types of support.
She points specifically to growing interest in intranasal NAD+.
“When you do the NAD as a nasal spray, it’s so close to the brain via the sinus passageways,” Dr. Van says. “You will get a lot more improvement in cognitive function.”
Dr. Van says injections, meanwhile, are generally used in her practice with more whole-body goals in mind.
“The shots are used mostly for the neck down, including the nerves, the health and the musculature.”
One thing is clear: NAD+ has moved beyond celebrity wellness circles and into a much bigger conversation about how we age.