Does NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) really help with aging? A team of international scientists reviews the latest and ongoing clinical trials.

Part of the research team, including Dr. Evandro Fei Fang (middle), from the University of Oslo and Akershus University Hospital in Norway (image: med.uio.no). 

Cutting-edge technology has allowed scientists to examine young and old brains with single-cell resolution, gaining insights into how we can rejuvenate our brain cells to stay sharp. 


Stanford University scientist and corresponding author on the new study, Dr. Anne Brunet (image: labxchange.org). 

Brain &amp; Neurons

Model: Primary hippocampal neurons from non-transgenic C57BL/6 (nTg) and triple-transgenic 3xTg-AD mice; age groups: young (2–6 mo), middle (8–11 mo), and old (17–28 mo).
Dosage: Nicotinamide 2 mM + EGCG 2 µM applied to cultured neurons for 16 h (in vitro).

Study shows that brief nicotinamide + EGCG treatment restores neuronal energy in 16–24 hours, restores autophagy, reduces amyloid-beta buildup, and boosts neuron survival by ~22% in aging/Alzheimer’s lab models.

Three types of beer, including IPA and stout, are shown to improve indicators of metabolic health in a mouse model for aging. 

Metabolism

Model: C57BL/6J mice, J20 mice, and 3xTg mice 
Dosage: 4.3 μEq l−1 of lithium in drinking water starting at 10 to 12 months of age and continued for 10 to 14 months during aging

Harvard Study: A Low Dose of Lithium May Preserve Cognitive Resilience with Age

Researchers uncover significantly lower brain lithium levels in Alzheimer’s disease patients, and supplementing with a low-dose lithium salt restores memory in an Alzheimer’s disease mouse model.

(The study’s principal investigator, Bruce Yankner [center], with four laboratory employees | The Boston Globe)

A Harvard study suggests lower levels of lithium in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease and that lithium supplementation may help preserve cognitive resilience.

Search Result: Mice

NAD+ and Aging: What the Latest Research Says

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Nicotinamide + Ergothioneine Reboot Autophagy and Ease Hallmarks of Brain Aging

Low-Volume Beer Counters Age-Related Metabolic Decline, New Study Shows

Harvard Study: A Low Dose of Lithium May Preserve Cognitive Resilience with Age