Benefits of NAD+ IV Therapy in Drug Tapering, Withdrawal, and Mental Health Conditions
Deficient or depleted levels of natural chemicals such as gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), serotonin, and dopamine can be restored naturally, for instance, with diet and supplementation.3 Similarly, with depleted NAD+ levels, we tend to also see low dopamine. NAD+ helps restore these neurotransmitters, and IV therapy may provide welcome relief for a wide range of conditions and situations in the field of recovery and mental health.4-13
Conditions that restoring NAD+ may help include:
- Addiction
- Medication tapering support
- OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder)
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Psychosis
- Schizophrenia
- Alzheimer’s
- Parkinson’s
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Age-related degenerative conditions
- Psoriasis
- Reversing neurodegenerative decline
- Glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration
What is NAD+ IV Therapy and How Does it Work?
NAD+ therapy is a nutrition-based therapy. NAD+ is a powerhouse natural molecule that is produced during the digestion of the foods we consume. Truly, it is the master metabolizer!
It has many roles, but the focus here is on its primary function of energy production through electron transfer. NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is involved in the reduction of oxidation reactions (redox). This is a molecular exchange of accepting electrons and then donating them, which generates and frees up potential energy. The electrons that store energy are carried by NAD+ and then are converted to ATP in the mitochondria. ATP stands for “adenosine triphosphate.” ATP is like the “juice” that provides energy that is distributed by way of the mitochondria. The process is called oxidative phosphorylation. This process is what results in energy production throughout the body.
When the body has all the necessary ingredients for this process, our cells are well nourished, and we feel good! When we don’t have them, we feel weak and sick. So, here’s where it gets interesting…
NAD+ Infusion and Aging
Around age 25, our body really slows down in the production of NAD+.1
An adequate level of NAD+ plays a protective role against cell degradation and aging. In fact, researchers in neuroscience are now calling NAD+ “the anti-aging molecule.”10
Not only does getting older decrease our storage of NAD+, but so does stress, chronic illness, poor sleep, overeating, and drug/alcohol use. Our bodies do naturally continue to produce small amounts of NAD+ from tryptophan and aspartic acid (amino acids) in combination with niacin (vitamin B3) — but real magic happens when we utilize IV therapy to obtain therapeutic levels of NAD+.2,9
When I say “magic,” I’m not kidding!!! ~Dr. Julia Britz, NMD
NAD+ IV for Mental Health, Antidepressant Users, Amphetamine Users
Research has opened up some bright, wide vistas for the potential benefits of restoring NAD in persons experiencing depression and other mental health symptoms. A research study from 2015 reports that antidepressant users in particular may experience a decline in NAD levels. The relation between decreased NAD and antidepressant use needs further study, but adequate levels of NAD (a form of niacin) have already been established as a safe and effective therapeutic strategy for various conditions that could have been unsuccessfully treated with antidepressant medications, instead of correcting the diet and the use of IV treatments to restore NAD.13
Animal studies have also shown a direct correlation between amphetamine use and depleted energy, depleted ATP levels, and depleted dopamine levels. Energy, ATP, and dopamine levels significantly improved with the administration of NAD+.4
We do know from lab testing that patients with poor dietary habits often develop a deficiency in NAD, which is a necessary component for natural mental well-being and physical health as well.,
NAD+ IV Benefits in SUD Recovery
A stunning clinical study of 50 cases of people recovering from SUD found that NAD+ significantly benefited their recovery compared to placebo results. Patients who were given NAD+ as part of their treatment reported substantial reduction of drug cravings, anxiety, and depression, as well as improved sleep.14,15
Compared to pharmacological approaches such as benzodiazepines, sedatives, antidepressants, stimulants, and drugs such as Naloxone to quell cravings and other symptoms, NAD+ treatment provided much better outcomes with significant relief of symptoms, with mild or no side effects.17
NAD+ in Holistic Addiction Treatment
The amino acid Tryptophan turns into NAD+ in the liver, which is partially why alcohol and drug use deplete it.16 NAD+ therapy is done intravenously over a few hours. Most people notice improvement very quickly, which is one reason ATMC likes it so much. People report improved sleep, more stable mood, better energy, and reduced/eliminated tapering symptoms. How exciting is that???
NAD+ Oral Supplements vs NAD+ IV Treatments
Yes, there are oral supplements, but you just can’t reach therapeutic doses with them. They have practical use for keeping levels up between drips, but oral supplements may not be “enough” on their own for most people to notice a difference. IV treatment bypasses the digestive system, providing nearly immediate relief and a much higher absorption rate in the cells.14,15
Sometimes a person may get “stuck” near the end of their taper, where they are likely experiencing “interdosing withdrawal” symptoms. This is not an uncommon problem — the person is not able to successfully or easily cut down to the next dose.
And that’s where NAD+ IV therapy bridges this gap and can do a lot for people who reach this all-too-common barrier towards the end of their taper or withdrawal.
How Does NAD+ IV Treatment Fit Into the Bigger Picture at ATMC?
Rather than a “stand-alone” treatment, NAD+ IV treatments and the use of NAD+ oral supplements are part of a broader and more comprehensive treatment approach at ATMC.
Whether you are seeking NAD+ IV for benzodiazepine withdrawal, antidepressant withdrawal, safe and gentle medication tapering, as part of a holistic detox or SUD recovery program, or for a combination of mental health benefits in recovery, we encourage you to learn more about this and other inpatient treatments offered at ATMC, and how they may apply uniquely to you or your loved one.
The protocols used in ATMC’s treatment programs include a vast range of proven safe and effective methods to pave the way for successful recovery. ATMC is unique in its holistic and practical approach to healing after drug damage, and for regaining natural mental health without depending on medications for relief. Whether your goal is safely tapering from medication or becoming unburdened from mental health symptoms, the treatments at ATMC are proven effective and safe.
The protocols used at ATMC can be viewed on our services overview pages, which we encourage you to examine closely. There is a lot to go over there, and some topics definitely not to miss include the benefits of neurotoxin removal, neurotransmitter rehabilitation, orthomolecular diet correction, exercise, and much more. Examples of other treatments include sound healing, acupuncture, therapeutic massage, personal counseling, Reiki, spa treatments, Equine therapy, cold plunge therapy, and many others.
All of these protocols can be selected as desired and blended into each person’s unique personal program to provide the avenue for the improvements desired. For more information on NAD+ and other types of IV therapy currently offered at Alternative to Meds Center in Sedona, AZ, please visit our IV Therapy Service Page as well.
C.Q.’s Success at ATMC
The ATMC worked for me. And, it’s working for many others like me. I was a resident at the same time at least six other people there were also successfully coming off Benzos. Three of those people had been taking Klonopin for many years. Would you believe there were moments when we all actually laughed? The ATMC made my experience tolerable. On hindsight, there were times that were downright wonderful. How many people report that about their rehab experience?
I cannot stress enough how ideal the ATMC is for those wanting/needing to come off medication. This facility employs many modalities to aid people in their recovery process. Among them are: a safe and aesthetic living environment, supplementation (including amino acid therapy), a highly nutritious organic diet, sauna treatment, group and individual therapy, peer support, exercise, yoga, massage, and an after care program.
Another essential modality the ATMC uses is detoxification through oral chelation. Residents are tested to evaluate the levels of environmental toxins that have built up in their bodies. Toxicity is pandemic. Everyone comes in with some or many toxins at dangerously high levels. Reducing this toxin load is an important part of the recovery process, given that vital metabolic pathways are slowed or stalled by toxins.
The combination of all these modalities is an orthomolecular approach to recovery. The clinicians at the center aim to repair the brain and body at a molecular level. This process targets what has gotten off track at its most essential level. No other center approaches detoxification and rehabilitation so comprehensively.
T’s Husband Shares Their Success Story
She learned with her own eyes that this was not a “lock down” type of facility where they experiment by putting you on different medications. She had many freedoms and the most important thing of all is that she was treated with respect and graciously. We could talk with Tiki on the phone at will which enabled us to encourage and comfort her.
Tiki became a lot more comfortable with her surroundings as time passed. She was tapered off from the prescription drugs, which were replaced with healthy foods and natural supplements. We could hear in her voice things were changing. n the first part of the program, which is the chelation treatments, Tiki was helped to wean off of the drugs and move toward natural substances and nutrients. You could really hear a change in Tiki’s voice when speaking to her over the phone. After the first month, she was then encouraged to think about starting the second phase of the program which includes heavy metal removal treatment. She really wanted to keep moving forward.
Now let me emphasize to you that after returning home the love of my whole life, and my wife, is back! That sparkle in her eye is back, a bounce in her step is back and the laughter which once filled our home has now returned along with T. She’s found her confidence, focus, and a feeling of being alive. Her spirit is rekindled and she also was excited to leave 15 pounds in Arizona.
If you knew the T who left almost scared to death when she went to Alternative to Meds Center, and the T that has returned from Alternative to Meds Center, you could not believe that they are the same person. T, my wife, has become a real story of success from Alternative to Meds Center’s program. The dedication that your staff shows to clients influenced T enough to endure and finish the program which became a “mission” for her.
We feel so blessed. By God’s good grace, the many prayers and determination from my wife to get back her life, it has happened.
