Can NAD⁺ Help Protect the Brain from Dementia?

What is dementia?

Dementia is a group of conditions that affect memory, thinking, and behavior. The most common type is Alzheimer’s disease. These conditions usually get worse over time and mainly affect older adults.

Now, scientists are looking at a special molecule called NAD⁺ to see if it could help protect the brain and slow down memory loss.

 

What is NAD⁺ and how is it connected to dementia?

NAD⁺ (short for Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide) is a natural substance found in every cell of your body — including your brain. It plays an important role in helping cells stay healthy and produce energy.

As we age, our NAD⁺ levels go down. This drop may raise the risk of memory problems and brain diseases like dementia.

Here are a few ways NAD⁺ may help protect the brain:

1. Supports energy in brain cells
   Brain cells need a lot of energy to work properly. NAD⁺ helps turn food into energy. Low NAD⁺ may lead to tired or damaged brain cells.

2. Helps repair brain damage
   Brain cells can be damaged by stress, toxins, or aging. NAD⁺ helps fix this damage by supporting the repair of DNA, which is important for brain health.

3. Reduces inflammation
   Inflammation in the brain is a big factor in Alzheimer’s and other brain conditions. NAD⁺ helps calm inflammation and supports the immune system inside the brain.
   
   

4. Helps brain cells survive
   NAD⁺ supports proteins that protect brain cells and may help them live longer and work better.
   
   

What does research say?

Early studies in animals show that increasing NAD⁺ levels may:

• Improve memory and learning
  
  

• Lower brain inflammation
  
  

• Protect brain cells
  
  

• Slow down brain aging
  
  

Small studies in humans suggest NAD⁺-boosting supplements may be safe and helpful — but larger studies are still needed before we can say for sure.

Can supplements help?

NAD⁺ doesn’t absorb well if taken directly. That’s why scientists focus on special forms of vitamin B3, like:

• NR (Nicotinamide Riboside)

• NMN (Nicotinamide Mononucleotide)
  
  

These are easier for the body to absorb and turn into NAD⁺. Researchers are studying whether these supplements could:

• Slow down brain aging

• Support memory

• Reduce the risk or slow the progress of dementia
  
  

But it’s important to remember: these are not cures. They show promise, but we still need more research before we know how well they work in people with memory problems.

 

In summary

NAD⁺ plays a big role in brain health.
Low NAD⁺ levels may be linked to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Boosting NAD⁺ in the body — especially through supplements like NR and NMN — is a promising area of research.

For now, it’s an exciting possibility that may one day help us protect the brain and support healthy aging.

 

Source

https://jneuroinflammation.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12974-021-02250-8