Last Updated on August 3, 2021 by
Alternative to Meds Editorial Team
Medically Reviewed by Dr Julia Britz NMD
Table of Contents:
NAD+ is a powerful molecule found in every single cell of the body. Its job is to assist in biochemical reactions and supply the mitochondria with the energy it needs to maintain good sleep, stabilize mood, and ensure our immune systems work properly. This makes NAD+ IV therapy an essential therapeutic tool.
What is NAD+ IV Therapy and How Does it work?
NAD+ truly is the master metabolizer! It has many roles, but the one I’ll focus on is its main function of electron transfer. NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is involved in redox reactions, accepting electrons, and then donating them, from one reaction to the next. The electrons (stored energy) carried by NADH (reduced form) can be converted to ATP in the mitochondria via a process called oxidative phosphorylation. This results in energy production.
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 …
Around age 25 our body really slows down in the production of NAD+.1 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 from tryptophan and aspartic acid via de novo synthesis of niacin (vitamin B3) from the salvage pathway, but the magic happens when we get therapeutic NAD+ IV doses.2
When I say “magic,” I’m not kidding.
Benefits of NAD+ IV Therapy
An imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain — like gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), serotonin, and dopamine — can cause anxiety or depression. With depleted NAD+ levels, we tend to see low dopamine.3 NAD+ helps balance these neurotransmitters, and IV therapy may provide relief.
NAD+ can be considered for people with a variety of conditions including addiction, medication tapering support, OCD, anxiety, depression, psychosis, schizophrenia,4 Alzheimer’s,5 Parkinson’s, and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Tryptophan turns into NAD+ in the liver, which is partially why alcohol and drug use deplete it. NAD+ therapy is done intravenously over a few hours. Most people notice improvement very quickly which is one reason I like it so much. When I say “improvement” what I mean is that people report improved sleep, more stable mood, better energy, and reduced/eliminated tapering symptoms.
