In a short few years, nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) has been all the rage as the potent molecule provides many health benefits, from regulating blood circulation to treating chronic diseases like diabetes. In preliminary studies on animals, scientists were led to believe that NMN could be the secret to extending longevity by improving cellular functions. Learn about the basics of nicotinamide mononucleotide and explore NMN benefits for overall health.
Understanding the Mechanisms Behind the Health-boosting Effects of NMN
What is NMN?
NMN, shortened from nicotinamide mononucleotide, is an essential and potent substance that occurs naturally in every cell of the human and all living organisms on Earth.
In the human body, NMN synthesizes the production of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), a coenzyme supporting diverse impactful body functions and processes. The helper molecule refined by NMN plays a central role in converting food into energy, regulating gene expression, repairing DNA, maintaining cellular energy, improving mitochondrial functions, and disposing of oxidative cells.
By improving cellular health with sufficient NAD+ converted once it enters the body, NMN is protective against the emergence of age-associated health diseases and neurodegenerative disorders.
Ongoing research and studies have suggested that NMN may increase longevity, benefit the brain, and mitigate the risk of chronic ailments arising with age, such as cardiovascular diseases, type-2 diabetes, obesity, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, sarcopenia, and cancers.
NMN Benefits: How Does The Molecule Improve Overall Wellness and Wellbeing?
So far, the healthful benefits of NMN have been proven through various research and studies in rodents. Despite limited research, scientists and health experts express that NMN may pose similar effects on humans, paving the way for the higher possibility of reversing aging. NMN may improve brain functions, liver functions, reproductive health, cardiovascular health, bone structure, skin health, and so on.
NMN Supports Cognitive Function
As the brain demands continuous energy delivery to maintain optimal functioning, keeping the brain healthy is one of the many benefits of NMN. Several findings have discovered that NMN may help safeguard the brain from the detrimental effects of aging, support mental integrity, and lower the risk of cognitive decline.
According to a study published in NCBI, nicotinamide mononucleotide protects the brain from the accumulation of beta-amyloid, one of the leading causes of the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological conditions.
Another reason NMN may be a game changer in keeping the brain sharp as you age is that it helps rejuvenate the neurovascular system of the brain, supporting the delivery of nutrients and blood to the vital organ. Efficient energy levels fuel the brain’s activities, bolstering mental acuity, preventing brain fog/fatigue, protecting the brain cells from dying, and increasing the survival rates of brain cells.
NMN Increases Energy Levels
NAD+ breaks down consumed nutrients into energy. That’s why achieving higher energy levels is one of the noticeable benefits of the potent molecule when the body receives sufficient amounts of NMN.
A study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition has disclosed that combining NMN supplementation and physical training can help enhance the ventilatory threshold in amateur runners. In another study examining the efficacy of NMN in 18-year-old mice, NMN stimulated their physical activity, with the improvement in endurance increasing by 50 up to 80 percent after 2-month treatment.
NMN Prevents Cardiovascular Issues
How does NMN make the heart stronger and help it avoid the risk of cardiovascular issues?
NMN may be a promising therapy for treating cardiovascular diseases and improving heart health. With increasing age and poor lifestyle choices, many people are at heightened risk of dysfunction in blood vessels. Boosting the levels of NMN is effective in supporting healthy blood pressure. A study in 2019 unveiled that older mice consuming NMN supplements experienced better vascular function due to significant reductions in arterial plaque and epigenetic rejuvenation of mRNA.
Another remarkable benefit of NMN in boosting heart health is that it helps fight off the invasion of free radicals and the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). While less oxidative stress contributes to less likelihood of oxidized cholesterol particles blocking the blood flow, low levels of ROS boost the production of nitric oxide, an essential compound for optimal blood circulation as it helps dilate the blood vessels.
NMN Enhances Insulin Sensitivity
Diabetes affects over 400 million people all over the world, with the cases predicted to increase rapidly in the next few years. Many factors contribute to insulin resistance, such as obesity, genetics, or poor lifestyles. Insufficient insulin sensitivity facilitates the body cells to react ineffectively to insulin, leading to a greater risk of diabetes due to high blood glucose.
A study demonstrated that NMN supplementation increases insulin action in 25 prediabetic women with a BMI between 25.3 and 39.1kg/m2 after 10 weeks. In another study to confirm the efficacy of NMN, long-term administration of NMN can ameliorate insulin sensitivity in mice.
NMN Manages Healthy Weight
Since abundant NAD+ levels rev up energy metabolism, NMN has been shown to help overweight people shed extra body weight, lowering the risks of obesity and diabetes in the long term. In addition to promoting weight loss, NMN supplements can stabilize blood glucose.
NMN Slows Down Aging
The potential to delay aging and declines associated with increasing age is another ground-breaking benefit of NMN. As NMN rejuvenates biological processes at the cellular level, many scientists believe that NMN could be the answer to the most intricate question of all time: Is it possible to reverse aging? Multiple studies on older animals revealed that NMN can increase energy levels, boost metabolic rates, improve cellular functions, and boost cells’ self-renewal ability. These are essential for pursuing healthier aging because processes within the body can benefit greatly from newly-generated, optimal body cells.
NMN Boosts Fertility
Can NMN help boost fertility? Supporting reproductive health is another NMN benefit worth looking into in recent years. A study in 2020 discovered that NMN-fed female mice experienced increased birth rates with a shorter time to become pregnant. Another study examining the fertility-boosting effects of NMN found that old female mice restored their NAD+ levels in their immature egg cells, maximizing their chances of fertilization.
Taking NMN Supplements: Safety and Potential Side Effects
Our bodies need NAD+ to maintain critical functions within the cells; however, the molecule tends to wear out up to 50% during the middle ages. That’s why boosting the precursor molecule is believed to help restore the youthful effects of NAD+.
A few ways to boost NMN include taking NMN supplements and eating NMN-rich foods. The wellness molecules can be sourced from avocado, broccoli, cucumber, cabbage, beef, mushroom, shrimp, tomato, and edamame.
NMN at low doses is generally safe for humans. In supplemental forms, such as capsules, powder, and liquid, NMN can be consumed up to 1,250 mg without causing any side effects.
Although no reports entail the potential side effects of NMN when combined with other medications, it’s always best to consult with your doctor, stick to the recommended dosage, and buy NMN supplements from reputable brands.
Be mindful of the ingredient lists when buying over-the-counter NMN, as it might contain ingredients linked with unknown allergic reactions, such as nuts, dairy, and soy. Stop taking NMN as soon as you experience weird reactions.