Alzheimer’s: Nicotinamide Riboside Shows Promise

Neuroscientists at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and researchers at the National Institute on Aging recently showed that supplementation with nicotinamide riboside (a NAD+ precursor) improved cognitive function in a mouse model closely resembling Alzheimer’s.

They attributed the results to the restoration of brain plasticity, a key aspect of neuronal learning and memory storage.

In addition, the NAD+ was found to protect the brain structure and some of the unfortunate changes in the brain that occur in Alzheimer’s disease.

“Our findings suggest a pivotal role for cellular NAD⁺ depletion upstream of neuroinflammation, pTau, DNA damage, synaptic dysfunction, and neuronal degeneration in AD.

Interventions that bolster neuronal NAD⁺ levels therefore have therapeutic potential for AD [Alzheimer’s Disease].”

– Hou Y, Lautrup S, Cordonnier S, et al. NAD(+) supplementation normalizes key Alzheimer’s features and DNA damage responses in a new AD mouse model with introduced DNA repair deficiency. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2018;115(8):E1876-e85.

The study suggests potential brain health benefits of oral supplementation of nicotinamide riboside to increase NAD+ levels.

Nicotinamide riboside is the active ingredient in TruNiagen Pro 1000 mg.