Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide. Wow what a mouthful. What is it, how does it work, what can it do for me? The answers to these questions and more, below. (For this article I will use NAD and NAD+ interchangeably)
First, let's start with the fundamentals. Abbreviated NAD, this molecule is responsible for transporting electrons to the mitochondria where the cell can harvest the electrons for energy in the form of ATP.
How does it work? Here’s the science behind how we turn food into energy.
To understand this we must go small, but first, a snack. The food you eat is broken down into glucose. Once inside your cells, glucose is converted into ATP which is what your cells use as power packets to perform every bodily function in every organ, including your brain and muscles. The key to this process is even smaller still, and it's the same thing you use to power your phone. This is of course, the humble electron.
Enter NAD+. The (+) in NAD+ means that it is ready to accept elections (e-), and when it does, the NAD picks up a negative charge that attracts a hydrogen ion, becoming NADH. At this point it teams up with another molecule, FADH2 to be brought into the powerhouse of the cell, the mitochondria where ATP is produced.
Now that we have the science out of the way, how do we take advantage of NAD to improve our health and wellness?
In the realm of health and wellness, boosting your NAD levels with an infusion supercharges your cells making all of your bodily functions perform better. This means stronger athletic performance, clearer thinking, improved fertility, and significantly slowing the process of aging.
The cells with the highest concentration of mitochondria in the body, where NAD has its impact, are the heart and muscles, neurons, and sperm. It is not hard to see then how an NAD infusion will increase your athletic ability, cognitive prowess, and fertility. It turns up the power available for these cells to use.
How does NAD affect aging?
This is one of my favorite topics because it involves a mix of known science with medical theory.
So let’s get into it: How do we age, what happens when we age, and what can we do about it?
The theory of aging and disease I subscribe to is what I explain as the “copy of a copy” theory. If you make 100 copies of a document, every copy will be identical. However, if you make one copy, and then make a copy of that copy, and so on 100 times over then the 100th copy will look blurry and full of defects compared to the original.
Now get this, the body replaces 330 billion cells per day, which means that you are replicating 3.8 million new cells every second! This process of replication is controlled by DNA, which is one of the most basic processes that occurs within a cell. In theory, each time the cell divides the two resulting daughter cells will contain exactly the same genetic information as the parent. That doesn't always happen though. As we age telomeres shorten. Telomeres are the appendages of a chromosome, which is bundled up DNA. Telomere shortening leads to senescence/apoptosis and is implicated in genomic instability, and increased risk for heart disease, infectious disease and cancer formation. This “copy of a copy” theory holds that all disease is the result of imperfect DNA copying.
NAD therapy slows the process of aging by increasing cellular ATP for DNA synthesis, thereby making sharper copies, and more perfect cells. This effectively halts all disease, and gives the body a chance to catch up with repair. Yes! The body also has mechanisms for DNA repair!
This means that it is actually possible to reverse aging!
As we age, NAD levels drop to about half of what they are in youth. Getting an infusion of NAD results in elevated levels of NAD, increased cellular ATP, and cleaner DNA production. The body can then remove damaged DNA and replace it with new bases. This is what has been referred to as the “Benjamin Button Effect”.
How amazing is that?! People spend thousands of dollars on skin care products every year to prevent and treat skin damage from the outside, but now it is finally possible to treat from within and actually have healthier skin.
Elevated levels of NAD also increased insulin sensitivity. Have you been told you are borderline diabetic? It may be because your NAD levels are dropping and your cells are running on low power.
Increased levels of NAD is associated with better stress regulation through balanced hormones, which are produced in various areas of the body. The body’s hormonal balance is critical for sleep, energy levels and host of other bodily functions. Slight variations of cortisol, serotonin, dopamine, prolactin, growth hormone and others can have drastic effects in the way we feel, sleep, and handle the stressors of daily life.
NAD infusions are THE BEST way to live better, healthier, for longer. It can help you think clearer, feel less anxious, it can make you stronger, and age slower.
How an NAD infusion program is started makes all the difference in how your body adapts to having its cellular metabolism adjusted. It is important that you are getting your NAD from a physician who understands how this molecule works, what dosages to give, and when to give it. Daybreak Hydration has this knowledge and is here for you when you are ready for your total body makeover, from the inside out.