The good news: There is something scientists have identified that may be the key—or at least part of it—to keeping your mind and body aging in a healthy way. It’s a coenzyme called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), and it’s starting to generate some buzz. One way NAD+ seems to exert its health-promoting properties is by helping sirtuins do their job3. Sirtuins are a class of proteins that regulate biological pathways, turn certain genes on and off, and help protect cells from age-related decline. For example, NAD+ increases the activity of one type of sirtuins, SIRT14, which has been found to induce the formation of new mitochondria and extend life span, as well as SIRT65, which helps maintain the length of telomeres (the end caps on DNA)—longer telomeres are associated with longevity. Animal studies have shown that supporting healthy levels of NAD+6 can lead to improved memory, resistance to weight gain, a longer life span, and other benefits. As mentioned above, NAD+ is able to do this by activating proteins called sirtuins and optimizing cell metabolism in other ways. Here are some of the most promising ways that maintaining or increasing healthy NAD+ levels can improve health:
