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By Team Adesso | Posted Jul 2, 2024
For years, people have been looking for ways to turn back the clock on age-related diseases. One supplement that has proven beneficial in this area in addition to protecting against neurodegeneration and improving a person’s exercise performance is nicotinamide riboside (NR).
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This supplement is a nucleoside derived from nicotinamide, and it is a precursor to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), which is a coenzyme that plays an important role in energy metabolism. Although NR is found in some foods, such as cow’s milk, the levels are too low to have any significant effects. As a result, NR is usually taken as a supplement.
NR is being studied for its potential therapeutic applications:
NR has been shown to slow the progression of age-related diseases in animals. For example, one study found that NR supplementation improved the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease in mice. Another study found that NR supplementation improved the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease in rats.
NR has also been shown to improve exercise and skeletal muscle performance in animal studies. One study found that a single week of NR supplementation was sufficient to dramatically restore exercise capacity in mice with restricted NAD availability in skeletal muscle tissue. Another study found that NR supplementation increased muscle strength and endurance in mice.
NR has also been shown to have neuroprotective effects in animal studies. One study found that NR supplementation protected against nerve cell death in rats exposed to toxic levels of mercury. Another study found that NR supplementation protected against cognitive decline in mice exposed to toxic levels of lead.
The current state of research on NR suggests that it could be a promising treatment for age-related diseases, improved exercise performance, and protection against neurodegeneration in humans given its positive results in animal studies. However, more research is needed to confirm these findings.
If you are considering taking an NR supplement, please consult with your healthcare provider first.
