What Is NAD+? Health Benefits, Risks, and More

NAD+ has gotten a lot of hype for its potential to lower inflammation, improve cognitive function, lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and blood pressure issues, and repair the skin.

“There’s a lot of interest and promise in boosting NAD+ because of the research that’s been done in animal models, but the human research hasn’t been as exciting,” Craighead says. “A lot of the studies done with people have been small and for a short duration, and we’re still waiting for bigger studies to come out and provide definitive proof.”

Here are some of the potential health benefits of NAD+ according to research on oral NAD+ precursor supplementation so far.

May Reduce Inflammation

“Reductions in inflammation is the most consistent benefit we see across studies of NR,” Craighead says. But whether the reduction in inflammation linked to NAD+ is also associated with lower chronic disease risk or prognosis hasn’t been proven, Craighead says. “What it does in the long run, we don’t yet know.”

May Improve Cognitive Function for Certain Populations

Researchers suspect the anti-inflammatory effects of NAD+ may offer perks for brain health — in particular, for inflammatory neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). And they’ve started to investigate if there is indeed a link.

The researchers believe NR may help prevent Parkinson’s disease from worsening, but more research is needed. “There are some promising signs of benefit, but the benefits are pretty small and only tested in a handful of people,” Craighead says.

May Lower Diabetes Risk

NAD+ may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes by improving insulin sensitivity (how well your body responds to insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar).

Craighead says the research is promising but calls for more studies with larger sample sizes.

May Improve Heart Health

Craighead notes that a caveat of this review is that it involved studies using niacin, which is a precursor to NAD+, but isn’t commonly used, owing to its adverse side effects.