Most people hear about NAD+ in the context of longevity, but that’s only part of the story. NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is an essential molecule found in every cell in your body. While it’s best known for its role in healthy aging, the benefits of NAD+ span across all life stages, supporting energy production, cognitive performance, stress resilience, and recovery at every age.
Whether you’re a sleep-deprived new parent, a high-performing professional facing mental fatigue, or an athlete pushing your physical limits, supporting NAD+ levels can help optimize your overall cellular health—and your quality of life, too.
Let’s explore how NAD+ works and why maintaining it throughout adulthood matters.
- ABOUT OUR EXPERTS: Josh Axe, D.C., D.N.M., C.N.S., is a doctor of natural medicine, chiropractor, clinical nutritionist. Jolene Brighten, N.D., is a board-certified naturopathic endocrinologist.
What Does NAD+ Do in the Body?
NAD+ is a coenzyme that helps your cells generate energy. It’s involved in over 500 enzymatic reactions and is key for supporting mitochondrial function (your cells’ energy engines), as well as DNA repair, gene expression, hormone production, and regulating circadian rhythms (your “internal clock”).
In short, NAD+ keeps your cells functioning at their best so your energy stays high, your workouts are effective, and you’re as productive and resilient as you can be.
Read More: The Best Foods And Supplements For Longevity
Unfortunately, NAD+ levels start to decline in your 30s, according to Josh Axe, D.C., D.N.M., C.N.S. Other factors—such as high stress levels, a poor diet, and lack of sleep—can also interfere with your body’s ability to produce NAD+ effectively, he adds.
That’s why researchers and wellness experts are increasingly looking at NAD+ supplements, or more specifically at precursors like NR (nicotinamide riboside) and NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide), as tools to support mental clarity and vitality across life stages.
Why take NAD+ precursors rather than NAD+ itself? Precursors are converted by your body into NAD+, helping to restore cellular energy levels and support critical processes like DNA repair and mitochondrial function. Because NAD+ itself isn’t well absorbed orally, NMN and NR offer a more effective way to boost your body’s natural supply.
Benefits of NAD+ in Your 20s & 30s: Building Resilience Early
Although your NAD+ levels are naturally higher in early adulthood, an unhealthy lifestyle—even in your 20s or 30s—can cause premature depletion.
Here’s why NAD+ matters in early adulthood:
- Cellular energy and metabolism: Supports mitochondrial function to help power your body and brain during busy, high-demand years.
- Improved ability to cope with stress: Helps repair cellular damage caused by stress, lack of sleep, or working out regularly (especially if the exercise is intense or you’re potentially overtraining).
- Support for hormonal balance: According to Jolene Brighten, N.D., board-certified naturopathic endocrinologist, NAD+ plays a role in estrogen, testosterone, and cortisol regulation through its impact on ATP production and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Brighten says it can help assist in hormone production and balance, which affects almost every aspect of your well-being.
Picture this real-world example: A new mom or dad juggling night feeds and work stress might benefit from NR or NMN to support energy metabolism and reduce oxidative stress (which can occur from sleep deprivation, exhaustion, and feeling overwhelmed). In Brighten’s opinion, taking NAD+ precursors in this situation can be helpful for feeling sharper and more even-keeled.
Read More: What’s The Difference Between NAD+, NMN, And NR?
Benefits of NAD+ In Your 40s & 50s: Navigating Hormonal Shifts and Fatigue
By midlife, NAD+ levels may have potentially dropped significantly, which Axe says can manifest as brain fog, sluggish metabolism, increased inflammation, and slower recovery from workouts or injuries.
Ample NAD+ levels during midlife can help support:
- Cognitive clarity: Studies suggest NAD+ precursors may support cognitive health, including mental sharpness and memory, by fueling neuron function.
- Hormone regulation: For women, NAD+ is involved in estrogen receptor signaling and supports resilience during perimenopause and menopause, according to Brighten. For men, it helps support testosterone metabolism and mitochondrial health. These effects translate to benefits like support when dealing with stress and a jam-packed schedule.
- Exercise recovery: NAD+ plays a key role in muscle repair and mitochondrial biogenesis after workouts or injuries. It may help to make you feel more comfortable when working out and in between training sessions, allowing you to stay consistent and see improved results.
Imagine a midlife professional experiencing burnout from a hectic work schedule, commuting, and plenty of family obligations. They can likely benefit from NMN or NR (which, remember, turn into NAD+) to support mitochondrial energy production and help buffer the effects of chronic stress and aging on the brain and body.
Benefits of NAD+ In Your 60s and Beyond: Protecting Against Age-Related Decline
As NAD+ levels continue to fall, your body’s ability to repair DNA, generate energy, and maintain tissue integrity also declines—making the benefits of NAD+ across life stages more important than ever. Supporting NAD+ becomes even more critical at this age to help maintain quality of life, mobility, independence, and general health.
NAD+ can help support healthy aging by:
- Protecting mitochondrial health: Helps prevent age-related decline in energy and physical function, such as achy joints and lack of motivation.
- Enhancing DNA repair: Supports longevity through autophagy and activation of sirtuins, which help to clear out damaged cells and maintain genome stability. Sirtuins are like your body’s cellular “repair crew,” and NAD+ supports cellular repair processes that help maintain healthy aging over time.
- Boosting immunity: NAD+ may help modulate immune responses.
Let’s say you’re a healthy older adult who’s looking to maintain strength and brain function at work, in the gym, and while going about daily life. You may benefit from daily NMN or NR (or NAD+ IV therapy if you prefer to visit a clinic) to help counteract the natural decline in cellular energy and repair capacity.
Read More: 6 Lifestyle Habits That Mess With Mitochondrial Health
What About Athletes? The NAD+ Edge for Performance & Recovery
Even in younger, fitter individuals, NAD+ is often depleted by intense training, oxidative stress, and high metabolic demand. This is where supplementation can play a big role.
For athletes, NAD+ supports:
- Muscle recovery: Promotes repair of damaged muscle tissue and reduces downtime.
- Energy production: Enhances mitochondrial efficiency, potentially improving endurance and stamina.
- Oxidative stress defense: Can help counteract free radicals produced during prolonged or high-intensity exercise.
If you’re an endurance athlete recovering from overtraining, you may benefit from NMN, which has been shown in animal studies to support muscle function and reduce exercise-induced fatigue.
Supplementation Across Life Stages: What to Know
As mentioned above, NAD+ precursors like NR and NMN are two of the most effective ways to raise NAD+ levels naturally.
NR vs. NMN:
- NR: Well-researched, high bioavailability, ideal for general energy, brain health, and long-term use.
- NMN: Promising for metabolic and muscular health; may have faster uptake in certain tissues like muscle.
Most studies suggest starting with:
- NR: 250–500 mg per day
- NMN: 250–600 mg per day
Takeaway
While NAD+ is a rising star in anti-aging research, the benefits of NAD+ across life stages go far beyond just adding years to your life.