NAD+ is abuzz in the medical community as one of the most effective healing modalities with significant therapeutic potential. No wonder— it’s currently being researched and its healing potential is being uncovered. Read below for the most recent discoveries in NAD+ therapy and how it can fit into your health and wellness journey.
What is NAD+?
NAD+ stands for ‘Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide’, a powerfully transformed product of vitamin B3 (niacin) that is present in every cell in your body. NAD+ is a coenzyme— what’s a coenzyme? It’s the partner-in-crime of enzymes. Enzymes are responsible for creating and using resources in your body. Every single function of the body, from growing hair to digesting, requires an enzyme to take place.
Potential Benefits of NAD+ IV Therapy
- Promotes a sense of wellbeing, balance and inner peace
- May support eyesight, cognitive function, sleep and mood
- May help ease feelings of low mood and anxiety
- May improve the quality and duration of sleep
- Can help maintains bioenergetics of the cell through creating healthy mitochondria
- May support healthy weight and metabolism
- Decreases the rate of premature aging ie. senescence— when the cell prematurely ages, stops dividing, but does not die
- Increases ‘good’ immune responses (modulates the immune system)
- Decreases inflammation and increases your body’s ability to heal itself
- Decreases aging pathways while promoting pathways to reverse some signs of aging1,3
- Is being studied for its role in recovery after stroke
- May help protect against neurodegeneration and brain aging
- Increases energy levels by increasing mitochondrial functioning and ATP production
- May support cardiovascular health and reduce cardiac stress
- May support the body’s resilience against illness
- May help regulate blood lipid levels, including cholesterol
- Is being researched for its potential to improve symptoms of neurodegenerative conditions such as Dementia, Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s, ALS and MS
- Is being studied for a possible role in reducing cancer risk by supporting cellular health
- Is being researched for its effects on blood glucose regulation
How does NAD+ IV Therapy work?
After reading the long list of ways in which NAD+ could benefit your health, you may be thinking— how on earth does one little molecule accomplish so much?
NAD+ fuels metabolic reactions and drives your cells to metabolize carbohydrates, fats, and amino acids. NAD+ is one of the most important molecules for oxidation/reduction reactions (ie. redox reactions). As our understanding of the body has progressed, NAD+ has been recognized as one of the most vital compounds in the body whose role extends to metabolic regulation, gene regulation, cellular health and immune health1,3,4.
NAD+ is effectively the oil that runs every engine in the body and it creates our fuel sources. The more miles we get, the lower the oil levels become.
The uncertainties of life that give our journey substance, depth and knowledge impact our NAD+ levels as we age. Our stores of NAD+ naturally decrease due to age, stress (free radicals!), cellular dysfunction, chronic inflammation and immune activation.
NAD+ IV Therapy is like an oil change for your body.
NAD+ is both responsible for the consumption and creation of resources in the body. It uses and creates ATP, the ENERGY resource of the cell. Our bodies naturally reuse and recycle our NAD+ (we’re 100% sustainable, but not 100% efficient!). Through higher levels of output than we can stand, our NAD+ levels deplete. NAD+ plays a key role in maintaining balance within the body.
Keeping oil levels up and healthy is crucial to your health and wellness!
It’s important to note that nutrient deficiencies can cause NAD+ deficiencies. A severe case of NAD+/ Niacin deficiency is called Pellagra, which results in delusions or mental confusion, diarrhea, weakness, loss of appetite, pain in the abdomen and scaly skin sores.
Similar to Scurvy, Pellagra is a disease of the past that we were able to cure by supplementing Vitamin B3 (Niacin) rich foods into our diets. However, it does highlight the importance of nutritional therapy as an adjuvant therapy when administering NAD+.
NAD+ and Aging
The Bionics of Aging
As we age, our cells naturally deplete in NAD+ stores. Our cells require adequate amounts of NAD+ to function efficiently, much like oil levels in a car. Our bodies can intelligently restore NAD+ levels from the foods that we eat, but sometimes, it isn’t enough. Understanding what depletes our NAD+ levels can serve as a tool to help us understand how to treat our bodies as we age.
Chronic stress causes free radical formation, increasing toxic load. The body uses NAD+ to help clear itself of this toxic load by helping to recycle Glutathione. Glutathione is the most important antioxidant in the body (antioxidants clear free radicals). NAD+ is also used by multiple pathways that regulate chronic immune activation, inflammation and free radical production.
Senescence is an important aspect of the aging process: it describes a cell that hasn’t died, but stops working, which plays a role in the development of wrinkles and dark under-eye circles. NAD+ has been shown to decrease senescence in cells by optimizing cell functioning and protecting cells from damage. This protection also keeps a few things under control— like PARP1. PARP is a protein that is released under conditions of excessive DNA damage, UV light, stress, inflammation and chronic immune activation.
How can IV NAD+ Therapy affect the aging process?
- Helps to clean up free radicals and recycle antioxidants
- Has been shown to increase cellular health and longevity via Sirtuin proteins. Sirtuins are a family of epigenetic gene regulators that use NAD+ to function. Sirtuins have shown to promote cellular longevity and may hold the key to slowing the development and signs of aging. There are several different types of sirtuins in the cell that have different responsibilities: some regulate gene expression to either slow or stop cellular aging, others optimize the mitochondria, while another prevents cancer formation by telling your cells when it's time to protect (antioxidants) or eject (apoptosis).
- NAD+ both increases energy (ATP production) and the health, longevity and abundance of your mitochondria. The mitochondria is known as the ‘powerhouse’ of the cell where ATP is created. As we age, our mitochondria becomes less efficient and we produce less ATP.
- Studies are emerging that show it may increase the strength of your vascular system, thus allowing your tissues to get better blood supply, oxygen, nutrients and growth factors required for healthy cellular functioning.
- May Increase detoxification, allowing your cells to function optimally by reducing toxins and debris that cause cellular stress.
NAD+ and Neurodegenerative Conditions
NAD+ has been found to serve essential functions in the brain. Harnessing the therapeutic potential of NAD+ is an active area of research in the prevention and treatment of many Neurodegenerative conditions.
Depletion of NAD+ in the brain has been linked to several types of Neurodegenerative Conditions such as Parkinson’s Disease, Huntington’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia, Multiple Sclerosis, among others— and studies supplementing NAD+ as a therapy have shown early positive results.
NAD+ has also been found to have neuroprotective properties, meaning that it may protect brain cells from death due to toxicity. A study showed that NAD+ decreases the activity of certain proteins in the brain that are responsible for chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation in the brain leads to brain cell death and ultimately damage to the brain.
The brain is also damaged by reduced oxygen availability— when oxygen is restricted to the brain, the cells die in response to the stress. The pathway in which NAD+ is involved has been found to protect the brain from low levels of oxygen and even help the brain recover. Stroke is an event in which the brain has limited oxygen supply and the results can be permanently damaging. In fact, stroke is the world-leading cause of disability in adulthood. A study showed that NAD+ therapy in mice recovering from stroke significantly increased their recovery and reduced permanent brain damage.
NAD+ and Cancer Research
Research in the area of NAD+ therapy and Cancer is evolving rapidly. The evidence suggests that in most cases, NAD+ may promote progression of tumor growth in active cancers. Alternatively, some research suggests NAD+ may help protect against cancer by reducing cancer-promoting proteins, meanwhile supporting the body’s ability to fight off cancer and disease.
How could NAD+ increase tumor growth?
Cancer can arise when a tumour suppressor pathway fails to activate and the cell accumulates DNA damage. Tumour suppressor genes such as p53 encode proteins whose job is to halt the growth of damaged or abnormal cells. PARP-1 is a DNA-repair enzyme that uses NAD⁺ as its fuel (substrate) and it also awakens p53 in response to DNA damage. Because NAD⁺ is the fuel that PARP consumes, using NAD⁺ enables PARP activity rather than suppressing it (and heavy PARP activation actually depletes cellular NAD⁺). There are two schools of thought to this: 1) If you flood the body with an active tumour, you give it excess amounts of NAD+ to use and you end up with a more aggressive cancer. Another thought is that, depleted levels of NAD+ cause the PARP to under perform which causes the cancer. Neither has been definitively validated, which is why NAD+ IV is generally avoided during active cancer.
There is some evidence to suggest that NAD+ could help sensitize tumours to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. However, there were some large limitations to this study. The study did not use IV NAD+ therapy. Instead, they used an oral dose of 3-6g of NAM. NAM is similar to NAD+ and when ingested, some of it converts to NAD+. Another limitation of this study was that it would be impossible to reach the concentration of NAM in the blood of a human in order to achieve the same results.
Some research explores whether NAD+ could play a role in cancer prevention.
Several studies have explored the role NAD+ may play in cancer prevention.
NAD+ may help protect your cells from damage. When DNA is damaged by cellular stress, a replication mistake, or UV light, a DNA strand break may occur. If this isn’t properly repaired, cancerous cells could begin to form. Adequate levels of NAD+ in the cell can help the DNA repair process and protect your cells.
NAD+ may support your body’s ability to find and clear abnormal cells. Our immune systems are equipped to eliminate cancerous cells, so long as our immune systems are strong enough to do so. Immune system strength wanes the less energy it has to function— adequate levels of NAD+ may help support our immune system’s ability to identify cancerous cells.
NAD+ may help reduce inflammation. Several studies have shown that chronic inflammation plays a central role in the development of cancer. There are several reasons why chronic inflammation can lead to cancer. Two primary reasons are that inflammation can cause direct injury to the cell and/or scramble how cells communicate with each other. It has been shown that adequate levels of NAD+ in the cell may reduce many inflammatory pathways.
NAD+ plays a role in healing. One way to support your long-term health is to keep your cells healthy, which means giving them the tools they need to repair when they’ve been damaged or under stress. It has been shown that adequate levels of NAD+ may help cells clear cellular damage which can lead to cancer.
NAD+, Mental Health & Substance Abuse
We live in a dichotomous era— pressured to achieve more, greater, faster with a great emphasis on comparing ourselves to others, spinning the wheel of anxiety and depression faster and faster. On the other hand, there have never been as many resources to work on ourselves, become better people and work towards an enlightened society that values peace and equanimity.
There is a connection between the pressure to succeed in the eyes of others and higher-than-ever cases of Addiction, anxiety and depression in our society. Part of the issue is that there is a lot of emphasis on the emotional components behind these disorders and less on the metabolic changes that occur that make it really hard to get out of them. We’re hard on ourselves about being hard on ourselves!
Luckily, recent research is getting closer at identifying a holistic viewpoint on how to better our mental health without significant side effects. NAD+ has been proposed as a potential link between the body, Mental health & Addiction.
There are several different ways in which increasing NAD+ levels can potentially help Mental Health & Addiction:
May help ease anxiety and support mood. NAD+ is involved in pathways that support Serotonin, a neurotransmitter linked to happiness and mood levels. 90% of Serotonin is created in the gut— patients receiving IV NAD+ therapy often report that they feel warmth in their GI area while receiving the infusion.
May help with recovery from substance use. Research and patient case studies suggest that increasing NAD+ levels may help reduce withdrawal symptoms, cravings and relapse in cases of alcohol, tobacco, amphetamines, cocaine, marijuana and opiates.
May support stable Dopamine levels. One of the major reasons why addiction spins out of control is because Dopamine, the neurotransmitter behind learning and behaviour, starts going too high and then too low. There are receptors in the brain that are called ‘Adenosine Receptors’ that are the brain’s built-in ‘brakes’ to prevent this from happening. Substance abuse causes Adenosine Receptors to substantially decrease— meaning taking substances starts to wear away your brakes! Without Adenosine receptors, your brain can’t cope with the constant ups and downs, resulting in withdrawal symptoms and cravings. NAD+ may help restore Adenosine levels and support stable dopamine levels in the brain. This has led researchers to explore whether NAD+ therapy could address some of the underlying drivers of addiction.
May support positive relationships and connection. Depression and anxiety have been well-documented as two of the major psychological reasons that cause Addiction relapse. What about feelings of isolation, distrust and loneliness? These psychological factors play a strong role in Addiction disorders and deeply affect people’s abilities to manage cravings. NAD+ may help regulate Oxytocin levels, the love neurotransmitter. Higher levels of Oxytocin in the brain results in relaxation, trust, and psychological stability.
May help with brain fog and cognitive clarity. As we age, go through stressful events or illness, the substances that allow our brains to function optimally decline. NAD+ has been implicated in proper brain functioning, since it is responsible for creating energy in the brain and regulating neurotransmitters. NAD+ may also have neuroprotective properties, meaning it may protect your brain from damage.
NAD+ and Cardiovascular Health
Increasing NAD+ can potentially reduce cardiac stress, increase heart strength (by preventing hypertrophy of the muscles due to oxidative stress) and reduce arrhythmias. NAD⁺ is central to cardiomyocyte energy metabolism: it acts as the electron carrier that feeds oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria and as the substrate for protective enzymes such as the sirtuins (notably SIRT3), which support mitochondrial quality and antioxidant defenses in the heart. A recurring finding is that cardiac NAD⁺ levels fall with aging and under conditions of cardiac stress such as pressure overload and heart failure, and that this decline tracks with worsening cardiac function. A comprehensive review of this area, argues that restoring NAD⁺ can improve mitochondrial function and blunt the damaging thickening and stiffening of the heart muscle.
Part of why NAD⁺ falls under stress is that it is consumed by NAD⁺-degrading enzymes. One of the most important is CD38, a multifunctional immunomodulatory ectoenzyme (an NAD⁺ glycohydrolase) that is a major driver of the age- and inflammation-related "NAD⁺ sink". In cardiac stress, CD38 is upregulated and remains active for longer than in controls, depleting the NAD⁺ pool available to mitochondria and sirtuins. This loss of NAD⁺ has been linked to cardiac hypertrophy — CD38 promotes angiotensin II–induced hypertrophy — and to arrhythmia. Conversely, suppressing CD38 raises NAD⁺ levels and protects against catecholamine-induced ventricular arrhythmias while improving exercise capacity and heart rate variability, reinforcing the idea that preserving or boosting NAD⁺ supports cardiovascular health.
Receiving IV NAD+ Therapy at the Upper Room
The Process
Average Duration of Treatment: 1-8 hours
Duration of Treatment is Dose-Dependent (Higher Doses = Longer Duration)
At the Upper Room, it’s important for us to provide you with the best possible experience and treatment outcomes. Each NAD+ IV Therapy session is paired with a Vitamin + Amino IV Nutrient drip and Glutathione drip. The prices are listed in our full Service Menu available here. We do not offer NAD+ by itself, as the co-factors in the vitamin drips are essential for the NAD+ to be therapeutic.
The Experience
Our Infusion Treatment Area has been thoughtfully designed to promote comfort, relaxation and peace. Our leather recliner chairs are soft yet supportive— we can provide neck support upon request. We can provide intranasal medical grade oxygen during your IV NAD+ therapy to alleviate transient side effects, should they occur.
Our staff share service for others as a common attitude and outlook on the world. We are a team of healthcare professionals with deep values for serving others with kindness and compassion. We try our best to make your experience with us comfortable physically, mentally and spiritually.
Possible Side Effects of IV NAD+ Therapy
During an NAD+ IV, it’s important to note that there may be some side effects.
Possible Immediate & Transitory Side Effects
- Increased breathing rate, flushing of the face
- Bloating, gas, warmth in the GI area
- Stuffy nose
- Feelings of muscle contractions
- A head rush
Side effects 24-48 hours After Infusion
- Feelings of euphoria, lightness
- Elevated mood, memory, eyesight, balance, hearing and cognitive abilities
- Toxin afterflush-- known as the Herxheimer Reaction
Contraindications
Active Cancer, Pregnant and Breastfeeding
Considerations before IV NAD+ Therapy or Increasing NAD+ levels
Talk to a physician and take the appropriate steps — consultation, review of your medical history, and any recommended diagnostic testing — before embarking on a journey to increase your NAD⁺ levels. The human body is an incredibly complex system, and NAD⁺ is only one small part of it. Having a health professional's input helps you make safe, well-informed decisions about your health and wellness, and helps ensure that NAD⁺ therapy is actually the right tool for your particular goals.
A few specific things worth discussing with your provider:
Your overall health picture and medications. NAD⁺ affects cellular metabolism throughout the body, so your provider will want to understand your existing conditions and the medications and supplements you take. This helps identify anything that should be monitored or adjusted, and confirms there are no interactions or reasons to hold off.
Whether IV is the right route for you. NAD⁺ can be raised in several ways — intravenous infusions, injections, or oral precursors such as nicotinamide riboside (NR) and nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN). These differ in cost, convenience, how quickly they act, and how they feel. An IV delivers a large dose directly into the bloodstream, which is why it can cause more noticeable sensations than a daily oral supplement. Your provider can help you weigh which approach fits your needs.
What the infusion itself feels like. During an NAD⁺ IV, some people experience temporary flushing, nausea, cramping, chest or throat tightness, or lightheadedness — effects that are strongly tied to how fast the infusion runs. Slowing the drip typically reduces or resolves these sensations, which is one reason these treatments should be given by trained staff who can adjust the rate and monitor you throughout.
Groups who should be especially cautious. People who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and those with significant medical conditions, should only consider NAD⁺ therapy under direct medical guidance. Because NAD⁺ supports the metabolism of all rapidly dividing cells, anyone with an active or recent cancer should be particularly careful and discuss the current evidence with their oncologist before increasing NAD⁺ — the research here is still evolving and the effects are not fully settled.
Regulatory status and realistic expectations. IV NAD⁺ is generally offered as a compounded product and is not an FDA-approved treatment for anti-aging, energy, or the other benefits it's often marketed for. Much of the strongest evidence still comes from laboratory and animal studies, so it's wise to go in with grounded expectations and a clear sense of what you personally hope to gain. Choosing a reputable clinic that uses properly sourced, sterile-compounded NAD⁺ and qualified clinical staff matters a great deal for your safety.
NAD⁺ works alongside — not instead of — the fundamentals. Boosting NAD⁺ is not a substitute for the basics that support healthy NAD⁺ levels and overall wellness: quality sleep, regular physical activity, a balanced diet, and management of chronic conditions. Your physician can help you see where NAD⁺ therapy fits within your bigger health picture rather than treating it as a standalone fix.
