Combined NAD+ and Ketamine Therapy for Depression, Anxiety, and Addiction
Mental health disorders, like anxiety, depression, PTSD, mood disorders, and addiction, often profoundly impact people’s wellbeing. While there are several existing therapies, they do not work for everyone and may result in unpleasant side effects.
A potential new therapy, which combines NAD+ with ketamine, is a cutting-edge treatment for people with mental health conditions. Read on to learn more about the treatment and potential benefits.
If you aren’t up-to-date about NAD+ supporting mental health, read our article on NAD+ for Anxiety Disorders and Mental Health.
What is Ketamine?
As a medicine, ketamine was first developed in the 1960s in Belgium as an anesthetic medicine for animals. In 1970, following FDA approval, it began to be used as an anesthetic for people (1).
Ketamine is different from other anesthetics in that the person taking it doesn’t need to be on a ventilator to receive it because it doesn’t slow breathing or heart rate. Emergency responders may give it to someone who has had a suicide attempt to help people to calm down (2).
Many people given ketamine would share anecdotes about not having experienced suicidal thoughts in several months. This led doctors to realize that it can help reduce depression, even in people who were not affected by other antidepressant drugs (2).
Not all people respond to ketamine in the same way, but if the response is positive, it may have many mental health applications. It may help reduce suicidality, and other symptoms of depression provide relief for social anxiety disorder, depressive anxiety, PTSD, and mood disorders. Ketamine has not been approved by the FDA to treat these conditions, but doctors may prescribe them for off-label uses (3, 4).
Ketamine may also assist in treating alcohol and heroin addiction in helping reduce cravings during Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS). Ketamine may be administered by itself or as an infusion with NAD+ (5).
Taking ketamine is not without risks, however. In addition to some potential short-term side effects like drowsiness, double vision, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and feelings of unease, when used differently than how the doctor prescribes, people have a higher risk of (6):
- Instability of heart and blood vessel function
- Respiratory changes
- Agitation and confusion
- Increases in intracranial pressure
- Livery injury
- Trouble thinking or analyzing
For this reason, if you have a history of high blood pressure or other heart health problems, ketamine is not recommended.
Can NAD+ Therapy and Ketamine Therapy Be Combined?
Cutting-edge research suggests that ketamine may work together with NAD+ therapy to support addiction treatment and mental health conditions.
Research shows that people with low concentrations of NAD+ in cells have a higher risk of developing depression, anxiety, mood disorders, addiction, and chronic disease. Improving NAD+ levels through supplementation and NAD+ IV therapy can significantly reduce oxidative damage and reduce chronic disease risks (5, 7).
Since depression, anxiety, and addiction risk increases with low NAD+ levels, and symptoms of these conditions may be treated with ketamine, researchers and medical specialists are testing the use of both NAD+ and Ketamine therapy together for the treatment of these conditions since it helps to reduce inflammation and restore neurotransmitters in the brain (8, 9).
To cite a recent review, “Neurotransmitter balance [such as that promoted by NAD+ therapy] can improve symptoms of acute and chronic depression on its own, or it can act as an idea co-therapy alongside other traditional and non-traditional treatments, including ketamine therapy.” (8)
In other words, ketamine helps block the receptors that contribute to the most damaging symptoms of mental health disorders. In contrast, NAD+ helps promote healthy neurotransmitter balance for the long term.
Some of the conditions that may benefit from combined ketamine/NAD+ therapy include:
- Stress disorders
- Mood disorders
- Acute and chronic pain
- Fibromyalgia
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Autism and other spectrum disorders
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Protection against dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease
- Cognitive enhancement and memory impairment
- Addictions
Clinics that administer infusions of ketamine and NAD+ together have found that the benefits are rapid and well-tolerated. When used to treat addictions, the infusion can help to reduce cravings, pain, and depression that often occurs during the detoxification phase (5, 11).
Is Combined Ketamine and NAD+ Therapy Right for You?
The research around combined ketamine and NAD+ therapy is promising but is in early stages (10). It is not suitable for everyone, especially if you have a history of heart health issues. There are clinics led by medical professionals specialized in administering ketamine and NAD+ therapy.
If you have questions about ketamine and NAD+ therapy for a condition you are experiencing, seek out a medical professional in your area with experience in successfully supporting patients in this manner.
Main Takeaway
NAD+ therapy and supplementation have been widely studied to address some of the root causes of an increased risk of chronic and mental health diseases. It can be accessed through specialized clinics or as an over-the-counter supplement.
Ketamine has been used for decades as an anesthetic, but its applications for treating mental health conditions have surfaced as promising.
Together, NAD+ and Ketamine can be administered or prescribed to help treat various mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, addiction, and PTSD. If you are experiencing one or more of these mental health conditions and have tried other therapies without success, reach out to an experienced medical specialist about whether combined NAD+ and Ketamine therapy is a good option for you.
References
1. Meisner, R. C., MD. (2019, May 22). Ketamine for major depression: New tool, new questions. Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/ketamine-for-major-depression-new-tool-new-questions-2019052216673
2. What is Ketamine? How it Works and Helps Severe Depression. (2021, July 20). WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/depression/features/what-does-ketamine-do-your-brain
3. Yasgur, B. S., MA. (2019, March 22). Ketamine: A Promising Novel Therapy for Anxiety and PTSD. Psychiatry Advisor. https://www.psychiatryadvisor.com/home/topics/anxiety/ketamine-a-promising-novel-therapy-for-anxiety-and-ptsd/
4. Massachusetts General Hospital. (2020, March 13). Ketamine May Relieve Symptoms of Treatment-Resistant Depression. https://www.massgeneral.org/wellness/news/ketamine-and-treatment-resistant-depression
5. Alcohol & Substance Abuse / Addiction. (2019, October 3). Desert Ketamine Clinic. https://desertketamineclinic.com/alcohol-substance-abuse-addiction/
6. Davis, K. F. (2021, December 13). What are the uses of ketamine? Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/302663#abuse
7. Taylor, J. H., Landeros-Weisenberger, A., Coughlin, C., Mulqueen, J., Johnson, J. A., Gabriel, D., Reed, M. O., Jakubovski, E., & Bloch, M. H. (2017). Ketamine for Social Anxiety Disorder: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Crossover Trial. Neuropsychopharmacology, 43(2), 325–333. https://doi.org/10.1038/npp.2017.194
8. Mandal, S., Sinha, V., & Goyal, N. (2019). Efficacy of ketamine therapy in the treatment of depression. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 61(5), 480. https://doi.org/10.4103/psychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_484_18
9. PriorityYouMD. (2020, June). Ketamine Therapy & NAD+ Therapy Combination Treatment for Mental Health and Overall Improved Quality of Life. Priority You MD. https://priorityyoumd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Ketamine-and-NAD-Therapy-for-Mental-Health.pdf
10. Sanacora, G., Frye, M. A., McDonald, W., Mathew, S. J., Turner, M. S., Schatzberg, A. F., Summergrad, P., & Nemeroff, C. B. (2017). A Consensus Statement on the Use of Ketamine in the Treatment of Mood Disorders. JAMA Psychiatry, 74(4), 399. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2017.0080
11. Ivan Ezquerra-Romano, I., Lawn, W., Krupitsky, E., & Morgan, C. (2018). Ketamine for the treatment of addiction: Evidence and potential mechanisms. Neuropharmacology, 142, 72–82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.01.017
