NAD PRECURSORS AS INTERVENTIONS FOR AGE-RELATED DISEASES AND EXTENDING HUMAN HEALTHSPAN

From yeast to mammals, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) is a critical cofactor for redox reactions and for the activity of sirtuins. Levels of NAD+ decline with age. Interventions that boost NAD+ levels increase C. elegans lifespan and restore mitochondrial function in aging mice, in each case is dependent upon the sirtuins. Interventions that increase NAD+ availability, such as NAD+ precursors and CD38 inhibitors induce profound changes in aging mice including reversal of aspects of aging. Thus agents that restore youthful NAD+ levels may be next generation interventions to improve human healthspan.