Nicotinamide riboside-A missing piece in the puzzle of exercise therapy for older adults?
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to examine the preclinical and clinical evidence on the effects of NR supplementation, alone and combined with physical activity, on mobility, skeletal muscle, and cardiovascular function.
Results Summary
NR showed potential to improve NAD+ metabolome homeostasis and restore energy metabolism in animals, but its effects on physical performance in humans remain unclear. The study suggests NR is safe for older humans, but efficacy data are mixed.
Population
Older adults and preclinical animal models.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Endurance and resistance training | decrease | mobility loss | older adults | - | prevent | #1 |
exercise | no change | physical and cardiopulmonary function | - | - | does not always achieve the expected improvements | #2 |
nicotinamide riboside (NR) | increase | NAD+ metabolome homeostasis | animals | - | showed an ability to improve | #3 |
nicotinamide riboside (NR) | increase | energy metabolism and cellular function | animals | - | restoring | #4 |
NR supplementation | no change | physical performance | older humans | - | effects are unclear | #5 |
Maintaining physical mobility is important for preventing age-related comorbidities in older adults. Endurance and resistance training prevent mobility loss in aging, but exercise alone does not always achieve the expected improvements in physical and cardiopulmonary function. Recent preclinical evidence suggests that a reason for the variability in exercise training responses may be the age-related dysregulation of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) metabolome. NAD+ is an essential enzymatic cofactor in energetic and signaling pathways. Endogenous NAD+ pool is lower in several chronic and degenerative diseases (e.g., cardiovascular diseases, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, muscular dystrophies), and also in aging. Exercise requires a higher energy expenditure than a resting state, thus a state of NAD+ insufficiency with reduced energy metabolism, could result in an inadequate exercise response. Recently, the NAD+ precursor nicotinamide riboside (NR), a vitamin B3 derivate, showed an ability to improve NAD+ metabolome homeostasis, restoring energy metabolism and cellular function in various organs in animals. NR has also been tested in older humans and is considered safe, but the effects of NR supplementation alone on physical performance are unclear. The purpose of this review is to examine the preclinical and clinical evidence on the effect of NR supplementation strategies alone and in combination with physical activity on mobility and skeletal muscle and cardiovascular function.