NAD supplements: What they are, how they work and their role in healthy ageing

If you have heard of NAD supplements being described as a way to “recharge your cells”, this is a pretty acccurate description. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, or NAD, is a coenzyme that exists in every living cell and is essential to life itself.

What is NAD? And why do we need it as we age?

Vitamin B3 is the building block your body uses to create NAD+, one of the body’s most important energy carriers, transferring power between molecules so that food can be converted into fuel.

NAD exists in two forms, NAD⁺ and NADH, which work together like a charged and uncharged battery to drive hundreds of biological reactions in the body to support our health, especially as we age.

More specifically, it supports energy production, DNA repair, metabolism and circadian rhythm, while helping enzymes that regulate cell health and ageing.

As we get older, NAD levels naturally fall because the body produces less and uses more to repair damaged cells.

This decline affects how efficiently our cells function and can influence how we feel and age (1).

Benefits of NAD supplementation

Interest in NAD supplementation has grown rapidly as scientists explore its role in energy and ageing, as well as metabolism.

The idea is that maintaining or replenishing NAD levels may help cells work more efficiently and stay resilient for longer.

While research is still ongoing, it is an exciting area and several potential benefits have already been observed (2).

Energy and vitality:

NAD⁺ is needed to produce ATP, the body’s energy currency. Supporting NAD may help sustain daily energy and reduce tiredness (3).

Cellular repair:

NAD fuels enzymes that repair DNA damage, helping cells recover from internal and environmental stress (4).

Metabolic support:

Adequate NAD levels assist with balanced metabolism and healthy glucose control.

Cognitive performance:

Healthy NAD levels may support mental clarity and focus by aiding neuronal energy metabolism.

Ageing well:

NAD helps regulate oxidative stress, mitochondrial function and inflammation, all of which play a role in how we age (5).

How NAD levels change with age

As we age, NAD production naturally slows while the body’s demand for it increases.

By middle age, NAD levels can fall to around half.

It is a drop in NAD that can reduce the body’s ability to produce energy efficiently, maintain metabolism and repair DNA.

There are actually several everyday factors that accelerate this decline, including alcohol use, overeating, high sugar intake, inflammation, oxidative stress and environmental toxins.

Excessive alcohol consumption

The liver depends heavily on NAD to break down alcohol into safer compounds.

When this process is happening frequently, NAD stores are consumed rapidly, leaving less available for energy and repair.

Over time, alcohol use alters the balance between NAD⁺ and NADH, disrupts normal metabolism and increases oxidative stress, all of which can lead to faster NAD depletion and fatigue.

Overeating, metabolic function and high sugar intake

A diet consistently high in calories, especially from refined carbohydrates and sugars, puts extra demand on NAD.

Add to that, high glucose levels push the body to convert more NAD⁺ into NADH during energy metabolism, lowering the amount of NAD⁺ available for other vital processes.

This imbalance can slow mitochondrial function, promote insulin resistance and contribute to weight gain and lower metabolic efficiency.

Chronic inflammation or oxidative stress

When the body experiences long-term inflammation or oxidative stress, it activates NAD dependent enzymes like PARPs and sirtuins to repair and protect cells.

These enzymes consume large amounts of NAD. Constant activation means NAD is used faster than it can be replenished, and this leaves cells with less capacity for energy generation and repair.

This persistent strain can contribute to faster cellular ageing and reduced resilience.

DNA damage and environmental toxins

A lot of things in life have the ability to damage our DNA, it is fairly unavoidable, and simply part of life. But there are things you can do, such as taking NAD, to protect your DNA.

Everyday exposure to UV rays, pollution and chemical toxins damages DNA, forcing the body to rely on NAD driven repair mechanisms.

The more these enzymes work, the more NAD is consumed. And so repeated activation of these processes reduces NAD stores, limiting the body’s ability to recover efficiently and maintain genetic stability.

Over time, this is a process that could make cells more susceptible to stress and damage.

How to support NAD levels

Supplements

NAD supplements do not usually contain NAD itself but its building blocks, such as nicotinamide riboside (NR) or nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), which the body converts into NAD. Terranova BioSNED NADPro Complex provides a convenient capsule form of NAD-supporting nutrients.

Exercise

Regular movement is one of the simplest ways to increase NAD levels naturally.

Physical activity stimulates NAD production because cells need more energy during exercise.

Diet and lifestyle

A balanced diet rich in whole foods helps preserve NAD levels. Reducing alcohol and refined sugar intake supports NAD recycling.

Meanwhile, fermented foods like kombucha and naturally sweet foods such as fruit and honey (in place of refined sugars) can also encourage NAD production.

Periodic calorie moderation may further enhance NAD synthesis. Please consult a professional if you wish to do this for purposes of proper guidance and safety.

Maintaining regular sleep and light exposure patterns strengthens circadian rhythm, which helps the body regulate NAD storage.

Safety

NAD and its precursors are generally well tolerated at recommended levels. Some people may experience mild digestive discomfort, typically only with higher doses.

The long-term effects are still being studied, so medical supervision is advisable, especially for those taking particularly high doses of NAD supplements (higher than stated on product packaging), or with ongoing health conditions or if taking medication (6).

Precautions

NAD supplements are not recommended for anyone who is pregnant or breastfeeding unless advised by a healthcare professional.

People with metabolic, liver or heart conditions should also seek medical guidance before use.

Takeaways

NAD is essential for energy, repair and healthy cellular ageing. It’s an exciting topic in longevity science and research.

Although natural levels decline with time, maintaining a balanced lifestyle can also go a long way in preserving NAD function.

Recommended product

Terranova BioSNED NADPro Complex

If you are curious about trying an NAD supplement, Terranova BioSNED NADPro Complex is a well formulated option, combining scientific innovation with herbal and plant-based wisdom.

It is designed to support the body’s natural NAD⁺ production, helping maintain energy, cellular repair and metabolic efficiency.

The formula uses BioSNED, Terranova’s own technology that improves how well nutrients are absorbed and used by the body.