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NAD is the abbreviation for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. It’s a powerful antioxidant that your body uses both as a fuel and as a defense against oxidative stress, and it’s also responsible for DNA repair, neurotransmission, and cellular repair.
Chronic stress, burnout, and sleepless nights deplete NAD levels in the brain, and when certain parts of your brain have trouble communicating with each other, you will find it difficult to concentrate, solve mentally challenging tasks, and have the motivation to do everyday activities you once enjoyed.
However, the effects of NAD don’t stop at brain function. NAD is a helper molecule, enabling energy production in all of your body's cells. NAD is also involved in calcium metabolism, gene expression, extracting energy from food, and mitochondrial function.
Low levels of NAD can cause issues at a cellular level, throughout your body, raising your risk for chronic conditions.
Our expert at Invigorate Asheville, Dr. Linda Dula, offers NAD Therapy to ensure optimal body functioning for patients who want to boost their energy and reduce their risk for various diseases.
Your NAD levels drop as you age, but a decrease in NAD can also occur because of the following:
Sugar metabolism can also use more NAD compared to fat metabolism. Therefore, ketogenic diets are sometimes recommended to increase NAD levels. Fasting and exercise are also known to increase NAD.
Dietary sources of NAD include milk, fish, and avocados.
Low NAD levels are associated with chronic fatigue, accelerated aging, and an increased risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic conditions.
In animal studies, NAD supplementation has been shown to increase the quality of life in older mice, including in mice who already had previous health issues such as chronic inflammation and obesity.
Because NAD is involved in so many bodily processes, researchers have yet to discover all the ways low NAD levels impact the human body.
NAD therapy is primarily used for patients who want to boost their mental performance and energy levels and prevent disease. After receiving supplemental NAD, many patients report higher energy levels, improved focus, and improved moods.
NAD is also sometimes used as an alternative treatment for anxiety and depression and as a way to boost metabolism and get better control over weight and blood sugar metabolism.
To ensure that the supplement is absorbed by the body, Dr. Dula delivers the NAD via an IV. This way, the supplement isn’t partially destroyed as it passes through the digestive system.
If you’d like to find out whether you’re a good candidate for NAD therapy, contact us to schedule an appointment.
