Which foods or habits effectively raise NAD+ levels?
Exercise and NAD+ supplements (NR or NMN) demonstrably raise NAD+ levels, but whether higher levels also confer health benefits in humans has not yet been proven. Regular physical activity is the only approach for which broader health benefits have also been demonstrated.
You can demonstrably raise NAD+ levels with NMN or NR (capsule or tablet, label: nicotinamide mononucleotide or nicotinamide riboside) and with regular exercise. Nicotinamide, a related compound, works through a different mechanism and did not raise blood NAD+ levels in the same way. Which of the two supplements you take does not matter: NMN and NR raise NAD+ levels comparably, as shown by a study of 65 healthy adults after fourteen days. NMN and NR are partly converted via gut bacteria, making the mechanism more complex than previously thought.
If you want to try it for your endurance, choose a capsule or tablet containing NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide), 600 mg per day, for at least 60 days. More than 600 mg of NMN per day produces no additional rise in NAD+ levels. Note: NMN may not (yet) be sold as a supplement in the EU; NR may. Do not buy it for sports performance if you are a healthy athlete, or as an anti-ageing product: there is no evidence that it works in healthy athletes or that it slows human ageing.
Exercise is the only approach for which broader health benefits have also been demonstrated. Two small studies in young healthy adults (with 24 and 12 participants respectively) showed that even a single training session made the key enzyme that regulates NAD+ production more active. This applied to both high-intensity interval training and more moderate endurance training: the type of exercise makes no difference.
Diet does provide building blocks for NAD+, since NMN and NR are found in vegetables, meat, milk and fermented drinks. However, how much you obtain through food and whether that is sufficient has barely been studied. You therefore cannot count on diet alone being enough. That NAD+ levels rise with supplements is well documented, but whether this also yields health benefits is a separate question. Clinical studies in humans have so far produced more disappointing results than animal experiments gave reason to hope. NMN and NR are well tolerated and no serious side effects have been reported.
Based on two randomised controlled trials, one systematic review and multiple reviews. The trials are relatively small (n=12 to 65). No long-term RCTs are available in the source.
How do you change the order of food intake for better blood sugar?
Research shows that the order in which you eat measurably affects the blood sugar spike after a meal. Eating carbohydrates last, after vegetables and protein, clearly dampens that spike, and the effect is greatest in people with type 2 diabetes.
How can you naturally stimulate GLP-1 through diet?
Tryptophan-rich protein sources and partially broken-down milk proteins (whey or casein) have been shown in small studies to raise GLP-1; that is the most concrete dietary strategy you can apply right now.
How much water do I really need to drink each day?
There is no scientifically well-supported universal daily amount, but research identified 1600 ml per day as a minimum threshold for older adults. Make sure you do not become dehydrated, as that clearly matters, especially when you are ill or have a history of kidney stones.
Which diet is best supported by evidence for a long, healthy life?
For anyone looking to use diet to invest in a long and healthy life, the Mediterranean diet is currently the best-supported choice. Large human studies consistently show positive effects on both cardiovascular health and cognitive health.
What is NAD+ and what does it do in your body?
NAD+ is an indispensable molecule for energy, DNA repair and cell maintenance, and its levels measurably decline with age. Whether that decline can be corrected with supplements, and what benefit that would bring, is a separate question.
What does NAD+ do for your brain?
NAD+ matters for your brain and declines with age. Whether topping it up via NMN (a substance your body converts into NAD+) or other means actually helps has not yet been convincingly demonstrated in people. Wait for the results of larger studies in people before drawing firm conclusions.