NAD+ is a supplement that brings with it many benefits for your health. From a boost to your energy levels to improved cardiovascular health, most of us are aware of how useful it can be. Its anti-aging effects, such as increased mental clarity and skin rejuvenation through better skin elasticity, promote hair growth and more all make a visible impact too.
But one area that is vital for overall health, but often gets overlooked as there are no clear signs that anything is happening, is the fight against inflammation. To understand why this matters, it is important to know how NAD+ affects inflammation, and what that means for your body and health.
NAD+ Prevents Inflammation at Source
One of the major causes of inflammation in the body is a gene pathway known as NF-kB. This releases cytokines into the body, which cause the systemic swelling that is the root of many inflammation problems. It is also responsible for joint pain throughout the body.
In a healthy body, NF-kB is suppressed by proteins known as sirtuins, however like many crucial processes, sirtuins need NAD+ to function. As the NAD+ levels in the body decline, so does our ability to suppress the swelling caused by NF-kB, which is why it can become an issue as we age.
By raising NAD+ levels, a supplement like Synext from Biogency restores functionality to Sirtuins, especially SIRT1 and SIRT6, which lowers the presence of the cytokines, reducing swelling and joint pain as it does.
NAD+ Helps Remove Senescent Cells
Another cause of inflammation in the body is what is known as senescent cells. These are damaged cells that can no longer divide, but are not dead. Sometimes called zombie cells, they continually secrete compounds that promote inflammation. NAD+ is integral to the process that removes these cells from your body, so lower NAD+ levels mean less effective removal, and as a result, an increase in inflammation.
By restoring NAD+ levels through a supplement like Synext, your body has the raw materials needed to ensure the removal of these senescent cells is maintained.
DNA Repair
DNA issues are another cause of inflammation within the body if they are left unrepaired. This repair process is managed by an enzyme, PARP, which uses NAD+ to perform the repairs to broken DNA. Again, as NAD+ levels decline, the effectiveness of the repair process also falls, leading to increased inflammation.
NAD+ supplements allow you to restore and normalize NAD+ levels in the body, which in turn ensures that PARP has the material it needs to repair DNA almost instantly, preventing the onset of inflammation in those areas.
Boosting Mitochondrial Health
Finally, if inflammation is affecting your body, one of the consequences is that it lowers your mitochondrial efficiency. This in turn, can increase inflammation through oxidative stress. NAD+ is one of the key drivers of cellular respiration, and increasing your NAD+ levels restores mitochondrial energy production, reducing the effects and combatting the levels of inflammation produced.
All very different mechanisms, all driven by NAD+, and as a result, all compromised as NAD+ levels naturally decline as we age. By taking NAD+ supplementation every day, even as we age, our bodies can maintain the higher levels associated with younger life, and as a result, maintain the functionality that prevents inflammation from rising.
That matters, because inflammation is one of the biggest threats to your health as you age. Inflammation is part of the body’s way of healing, whether a cut, a cold or something else. Inflammation expands the blood vessels at the affected location, so more healing and repair cells can flood the area, while fluid that builds up is used to flush away toxins and other infections.
That is a good thing, but as we age, these mechanisms can malfunction, and when our bodies cannot turn off the inflammation, it becomes chronic. This kind of inflammation can damage cells, and is the root cause of many of the issues we deal with in older age, including cardiovascular issues, arthritis and cognitive decline. With NAD+ reversing the causes of chronic inflammation, we can avoid those consequences too, making life healthier and more enjoyable for longer.