NAD+ Supplements vs. NAD+ IV Therapy: Which Is Better?
Slowly but surely, the world is learning about the importance of NAD+ for human wellness and longevity while also leaning into the power of NAD+ therapy and NAD+ supplementation for the prevention and treatment of multiple conditions.
But now, with more access to information about NAD+, it can be challenging to understand how to get started with boosting your NAD+ concentration.
Two of the most popular options are and supplementation and NAD+ IV therapy. This article introduces you to popular methods of improving NAD+ concentrations, discusses the pros and cons of each, and helps you decide which route to take.
A Refresher: Why Supplement With NAD+?
Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide, or NAD+ for short, is found in all living cells. It plays a role in hundreds of metabolic processes, and without NAD+, most cells would not carry out any of their normal functions (1).
As our bodies are exposed to stress, illness, and toxins – all normal wear and tear parts of life – our body’s capacity to produce and efficiently utilize NAD+ wanes. The need for NAD+ is still there, but the cells aren’t getting enough of it. The lack of NAD+ is the result of and cause of cell aging. Reduced NAD+ concentrations accelerate our susceptibility to illness and death (2, 3).
There are things we can do to slow our NAD+ depletion and even increase NAD+ production. Natural ways of boosting NAD+v include exercise, diet, and an overall healthy lifestyle. However, the magnitude with which lifestyle choices and environment increase or reduce the depletion of NAD+ is very variable.
The surest way to replenish NAD+ in the cells is through providing exogenous NAD+ and NAD+ precursors. Exogenous NAD+ is NAD+ that comes from outside the body and is delivered to the body via IV, supplements, patches, and other means. NAD+ precursors, in the form of supplementation, can also help to increase NAD+ levels by providing the building block the body needs to increase NAD+ production.
Learn more about how NAD+ supplementation may improve your health.
How NAD+ Supplements Work
NAD+ supplements come in two primary forms. You can get pure NAD+ in the form of supplements, or you can get NAD+ precursors. As of now, there aren’t any studies that demonstrate how one is better than the other, but there is plenty of research to show how pure NAD+ supplementation and supplementation with NAD+ precursors is beneficial (4, 3).
NAD+ supplements come in the form of pills, liquids, or sublingual lozenges. They get absorbed into the bloodstream through the digestive system, and the body utilizes the components to build more NAD+. Since pure NAD+ cannot cross the cell walls, the body will break down pure NAD+ and build it up again inside the cell. If you decide to take NAD+ precursors, your body will transform them and combine them with other elements to make NAD+ in a useable form (7, 8).
Pros of NAD+ Supplementation
- Low cost
- Convenient
- It can be administered or taken in the comfort of your own home
- Not invasive
- No pain or discomfort
- No need for medical intervention
- Is available without a prescription
- Steady supply of NAD+ daily, or as often as you take supplements (6, 5)
Cons of NAD+ Supplementation
- Absorption rates vary
- Conversion rates to useable NAD+ in cells may vary
How NAD+ IV Therapy Works
NAD+ IV Therapy is a way to ensure the maximum uptake of NAD+. It is a medical procedure in which an IV is inserted into your arm, and an NAD+ solution is administered directly into the blood. The dose is much higher than for NAD+ supplementation, which is why it is often used for therapy for conditions where NAD+ deficiency is likely to be the culprit or a factor that worsens the condition, such as chronic fatigue syndrome or certain conditions types of cancer.
Pros of NAD+ IV Therapy
- Highest absorption of NAD of all other options
- Effective for treatment of NAD+ deficiency and related conditions
- Most control over the concentration of NAD+ administered
Cons of NAD+ IV Therapy
- It is a medical procedure not covered by insurance
- High cost
- Medical intervention is required
- Prescription required
- Must be administered at regular intervals during the duration of the therapy period
- May have uncomfortable side effects (9)
Which is Better? NAD+ Supplements or NAD+ IV Therapy?
Like with all nuanced topics, the short answer is: it depends.
If you are looking for directed NAD+ uptake with high absorption rates for a specific condition or health concern, and time, side effects, access, and cost aren’t an issue, then IV therapy may be the way to go. For example, someone for whom IV therapy could be a better choice than supplementation might be someone whose healthcare team has recommended NAD+ IV therapy for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or addiction recovery might already have a center that can safely administer the IV, and it is within your budget.
However, if you are looking for a way to slow aging and reduce chronic disease risk due to NAD+ depletion rather than treat a diagnosed condition, NAD+ supplementation might be a better choice for you. The advantages are that NAD+ supplementation is generally lower cost and allows for greater flexibility. Additionally, there is no need for a medical professional to administer the supplements and patches, allowing for greater flexibility and sustainability over time.
Conclusion
Boosting your NAD+ concentration, either through NAD+ IV therapy or NAD+ supplementation, can offer many benefits to your overall health and wellbeing in the long run.
If you have questions about what NAD+ is and why we need it, how supplementation works, the benefits of NAD+, and other topics related to NAD+, head over to the NAD+ Science page or explore the NAD+ blog topics on the Longevity Collective page. If you have a specific question or concern about NAD+ supplementation with any conditions you may have, reach out to an NAD+ specialist.
References
1. Imai, S. (2009). The NAD World: A New Systemic Regulatory Network for Metabolism and Aging—Sirt1, Systemic NAD Biosynthesis, and Their Importance. Cell Biochemistry Biophysics, 53(2), 65-74. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12013-008-9041-4
2. Braidy, N., Berg, J., Clement, J., Khorshidi, F., Poljak, A., & Jayasena, T. et al. (2019). Role of Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide and Related Precursors as Therapeutic Targets for Age-Related Degenerative Diseases: Rationale, Biochemistry, Pharmacokinetics, and Outcomes. Antioxidants & Redox Signalling, 30(2), 251-294. https://doi.org/10.1089/ars.2017.7269
Verdin, E. (2015). NAD+ in aging, metabolism, and neurodegeneration. Science, 350(6265), 1208-1213. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aac4854
4. Cantó, C., Houtkooper, R., Pirinen, E., Youn, D., Oosterveer, M., & Cen, Y. et al. (2012). The NAD+ Precursor Nicotinamide Riboside Enhances Oxidative Metabolism and Protects against High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity. Cell Metabolism, 15(6), 838-847. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2012.04.022
5. Conze, D., Brenner, C., & Kruger, C. (2019). Safety and Metabolism of Long-term Administration of NIAGEN (Nicotinamide Riboside Chloride) in a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-controlled Clinical Trial of Healthy Overweight Adults. Scientific Reports, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-46120-z
6. Djouder, N. (2015). Boosting NAD+ for the prevention and treatment of liver cancer. Molecular & Cellular Oncology, 2(4), e1001199. https://doi.org/10.1080/23723556.2014.1001199
7. Goody, M., & Henry, C. (2018). A need for NAD+ in muscle development, homeostasis, and aging. Skeletal Muscle, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13395-018-0154-1
8. Hara, N., Yamada, K., Shibata, T., Osago, H., Hashimoto, T., & Tsuchiya, M. (2007). Elevation of Cellular NAD Levels by Nicotinic Acid and Involvement of Nicotinic Acid Phosphoribosyltransferase in Human Cells. Journal Of Biological Chemistry, 282(34), 24574-24582. https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.m610357200
9. Hwang, E., & Song, S. (2020). Possible Adverse Effects of High-Dose Nicotinamide: Mechanisms and Safety Assessment. Biomolecules, 10(5), 687. https://doi.org/10.3390/biom10050687
