Can NAD⁺ supplements really slow down the aging process, as is often claimed? In a new review published in Nature Metabolism, researchers from the NAD International Scientist (NADIS) Network take a critical look at the science behind these popular “anti-aging” supplements. Their conclusion: while results from animal studies are promising, solid evidence for beneficial effects in humans is still lacking.
“NAD⁺ is essential for energy production, DNA repair, and cellular metabolism,” explains Riekelt Houtkooper, who led the study together with first authors Kasper Vinten and Maria Trętowicz. “The idea that NAD⁺ levels decline with age has sparked huge commercial interest, but we need to be careful not to overstate what we actually know.”
The review summarizes the current clinical evidence on NAD⁺ precursor supplementation in humans and highlights the challenges of translating findings from preclinical models. In animal studies, NAD⁺ boosters such as nicotinamide riboside (NR) and nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) have shown benefits like improved muscle function, delayed metabolic decline, and increased resilience against age-related diseases. However, as the authors point out, the same effects have not yet been convincingly demonstrated in people.
The analysis shows that while supplementation can clearly increase NAD⁺ levels in blood, it remains uncertain whether this translates into meaningful health benefits for key organs such as muscle or brain. Moreover, NAD⁺ decline with age has been shown only in a limited number of human tissues, based on relatively few studies. For most organs, robust evidence is still missing.
The researchers emphasize that thorough, well-controlled clinical trials are essential before making strong claims about the therapeutic potential of NAD⁺ precursors. “Supplements are often expensive, and without solid data on their efficacy and safety, their use is mainly based on hope rather than evidence,” says Houtkooper. “It’s important that future studies clarify whether increasing NAD⁺ truly supports healthy aging in humans.”
This review, conducted within the framework of the NADIS network, brings together expertise from multiple disciplines to better understand how NAD⁺ metabolism changes with age and lifestyle interventions. The authors hope that ongoing and future human studies will provide the clarity needed to evaluate the true therapeutic potential of NAD⁺-boosting strategies.
Reference:
NAD+ precursor supplementation in human ageing: clinical evidence and challenges | Nature Metabolism
Vinten, K.T., Trętowicz, M.M., Coskun, E. et al. NAD+ precursor supplementation in human ageing: clinical evidence and challenges. Nat Metab (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-025-01387-7