Modern science has made several advancements in the last century that has helped us live longer and healthier lives. The ability to treat health conditions has improved manifold, helping increase life expectancy across the globe.
While treatments for most diseases have been discovered and are being perfected, efforts are being made to improve quality of life by developing dietary supplements.
Dietary supplements are manufactured formulations in the form of pills, gummies, capsules, and powders, which are intended to optimize nutrients available to the body for improving the consumer's physical, cosmetic, and cognitive aspects.
Dietary supplements have become especially significant due to the inability of people to get all essential nutrients from a fresh well, balanced diet, owing to the fast-paced life in the present world.
Initial dietary supplements were multivitamins focused on fulfilling essential nutrients needed by the body to keep the body functioning optimally. Over time the focus has shifted to enhancing abilities and counteracting the effects of other conditions.
One condition that most people are keen to counteract is the effects of aging. As we age, the body’s metabolism and performance change and slowly wither away with old age.
This can hamper a person's cognitive, physical, and cosmetic prowess. People take various steps to counteract such ill effects brought by aging.
In recent years, dietary supplements have also ventured into the pursuit of counteracting the ill effects of aging. NMN supplements are one such supplement being touted as a fountain of youth.
This article examines NMN supplements, their effectiveness, safety, and how they can be consumed.
What are NMN supplements?
NMN, or Nicotinamide Mononucleotide, is a naturally occurring molecule in the body that plays various essential functions in the body. NMN is the source material for another crucial molecule called Nictoniamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD).
NMN is processed by the body to produce NAD, which is essential for metabolism in the body. It has been observed in some studies that there is a different delivery mechanism for NAD to cells.
It has been observed that cells can produce NAD by absorbing NAD. Therefore, NMN supplements are used to boost NAD levels in the body.
NAD is essential for various cell functions, primarily for producing energy within the cells. They are a crucial intermediary in converting food to energy within the cell.
NAD is crucial in cell communication and aids the conversion of food to ATP through oxidative phosphorylation. NAD has several other crucial cellular functions which are still being researched.
It has been observed that NAD levels in the body drop with aging, which could be a key driving factor in age-related health conditions. NMN supplements to combat this fall in NAD levels caused by aging. NMN supplementation could combat health conditions caused by aging.
Potential benefits of taking NMN supplements
Preliminary studies have suggested that NMN supplementation may be highly effective in fixing various ailments brought on by aging and lifestyle choices. However, additional research is still required to ascertain these benefits for humans.
Some of the potential reasons to take NMN supplements are:
Improves metabolism
NMN and NAD are primarily linked with the metabolic functions of the body. It is assumed that one of the reasons for several impairments as we age is due to improper functioning of the body’s metabolism brought on by decreased levels of NAD in the body.
Preliminary studies have shown that NMN is effective in helping combat age-induced physiological decline by improving metabolism.
Lowers obesity
NMN supplementation can potentially be highly effective when trying to combat obesity. As mentioned, preliminary studies have shown that it can fix metabolism, leading to an increased rate of resting calories utilized by the body, which can help achieve a calorie deficit that can help lose weight.
Furthermore, it can enhance physical activity performance, helping users maximize the calories used in a day to achieve a calorie deficit.
However, the most significant advantage of using it for obesity is that certain studies have shown that it can help improve insulin sensitivity and regulate insulin levels in the body. This can help control blood glucose levels which can help combat both obesity and diabetes.
Additionally, research shows that NMN supplementation might also be effective in increasing oxidative metabolism and protecting against high-fat diet-induced obesity.
Improves muscle endurance
NMN and NAD were linked to increased muscle endurance due to their ability to boost metabolism and enhance performance in physical activity.
Further research has suggested that it helps improve and retain skeletal muscles. This can be highly beneficial for combating the loss of skeletal muscles with age and improving overall muscle endurance by strengthening muscles.
Improves fitness
NMN supplements improve overall fitness due to their various potential benefits. Apart from improving energy production and muscle endurance, they also help mitigate obesity.
They are also effective in improving sleep quality. These are key factors that can determine the overall fitness of any person. Furthermore, a new study on runners found that NMN was effective in increasing the aerobic capacity of runners as well.
Reduces risk of heart diseases
NMN supplements have a high potential to help combat heart diseases. Cardiovascular health declines over time due to aging as well as lifestyle choices.
Some early research has suggested that NMN may be particularly effective in protecting the heart from ischemia-reperfusion injury. Additional research has also suggested that NMN supplements may effectively treat vascular dysfunction and oxidative stress caused in the circulatory system.
Improves cognitive function
Preliminary studies have indicated that NMN supplementation can help improve memory and cognitive function.
The studies have indicated that NMN supplementation helps reduce amyloid plaques, which helps combat cognitive impairment brought along with old age. This has also led to the possibility of using it to treat cognitive and memory disorders like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's'.
Reduces symptoms of diseases
Some research has shown that NMN supplements have potential applications in pharmaceutical drugs to combat several diseases.
Apart from the above-mentioned applications in treating cognitive impairments like Alzheimer's and Parkinson, heart health, and skeletal muscle loss, it can also be potentially effective in treating sclerosis.
NMN and NAD might also have applications in treating cancer, viral infections, and immune disorders. While these applications are currently being studied, they might have wider applications due to their crucial role within the body.
Apart from using NMN to treat diseases directly, research is also underway on its effectiveness in the delivery of other drugs to treat various diseases.
NMN might also effectively reduce the severity of symptoms of conditions like diabetes, liver diseases, and issues with high blood pressure.
Improves sleep quality
NMN supplementation can potentially be highly effective in improving sleep quality in users.
A study conducted in Japan indicated that NMN supplementation improved sleep quality and physical performance while simultaneously reducing fatigue. Fixing sleep quality and sleep cycle can benefit various other health aspects.
According to new studies, NMN supplementation might also help fix your circadian rhythm. It has been found effective in treating jet lag and can fix your circadian rhythm.
Increases longevity
One of the key reasons for taking NMN supplements is to combat health impairments caused due to aging. Due to its benefits in tackling various health conditions and optimizing various bodily functions, NMN supplements may be effective in increasing longevity by maintaining optimal bodily functions for a longer time.
Usage Guidelines for NMN Supplements
As with other dietary supplements, NMN supplements are not a pharmaceutical drug and, therefore, are not regulated by the FDA. Therefore, extreme caution must be exercised while opting for an NMN supplement.
Choose a product manufactured by a well-reputed company in the industry. Choosing a manufacturer with GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) certification can help ascertain the authenticity of ingredients.
Since NMN is not recognized as an essential nutrient, no RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) is set by WHO and other bodies. Clinical trials are still underway to determine the optimal dosage for NMN supplements.
An initial human study in Japan found that dosages of 500mg per day are safe for humans. Another recent clinical study examining the safety of 300, 600, and 900mg daily dosages found it safe for humans.
A study looking at the effect of NMN supplements on endurance found 1200mg dosage to be safe for human consumption.
Efficacy increased from a small dosage of 100-300mg to 500-600mg daily. The efficacy was less improved when moving to higher dosages beyond 1000mg daily.
It is to be noted that these are results from preliminary human trials, and further research is required to determine the effects of taking NMN supplements over the long term. At present, NMN supplements appear to be safe for human consumption.
However, it is advisable to consult your healthcare provider to ensure that NMN supplementation is safe for you, as the safety of dietary supplements can change based on individual health conditions.
Conclusion
Humanity has always been quite fascinated by the idea of ‘the fountain of eternal youth’. The search has been on throughout human history to find a way to enhance and elongate optimal human health. NMN supplements might just be the supplementation they were looking for.
However, all data regarding NMN supplementation is based on preliminary research. Further research and extensive human trials are still required to ascertain the benefits of NMN supplements.
In the meantime, exercise caution, and consult your healthcare provider before taking NMN supplementation.
FAQs
Q1: What do NMN supplements do?
A: NMN supplements effectively increase NAD levels in the body, which is essential for various functions. Some potential benefits of NMN supplements are increased energy, improved metabolism, cognition, sleep quality, heart health, and reduced ill effects of aging.
Q2: Do NMN supplements really work?
A: Preliminary studies suggest that NMN supplements can have multiple benefits for our health. Recent human studies have indicated benefits in helping improve fitness and sleep quality. However, further research is required to determine the efficacy of NMN supplements in providing various benefits.
Q3: Are NMN supplements safe?
A: Preliminary human trials have concluded that NMN supplementation is safe for humans up to a dosage of 1200mg per day. The optimal dosage is estimated to be 600-900mg daily. However, the long-term effects of taking NMN supplements are yet to be determined; therefore, further research is required.
Q4: What foods are high in NMN?
A: NMN is found in various vegetables and fruits, notably cabbage, broccoli, cucumbers, tomatoes, and avocados. However, 100gm of these foods have an average NMN level of 1mg. Tomatoes have high NMN levels at 28mg per 100gm. This makes it extremely difficult to consume clinically significant dosages of 600-900mg of NMN from such natural sources.
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