What is NAD+? Benefits, Uses, and How it Supports Health and Aging

Aging is inevitable, but what if we could slow it down—or even reverse some of its effects?

Recently, a supplement has been praised on social media by well-known celebrities like Justin Bieber and the Kardashians for its anti-aging abilities. NAD+, formally referred to as Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide, is a coenzyme found in every cell of your body, and a lack of this important molecule can have detrimental effects on both the body and mind. It’s a mouthful to say, but its role in cellular health and energy production might just be the key to healthier aging.

The Science Behind NAD+

So, what does NAD+ actually do? Think of it as a cellular multitasker. It helps your cells convert food into energy, repairs damaged DNA, and provides energy to proteins called sirtuins, which are responsible for our natural healing responses.

Here’s the catch: as we age, NAD+ levels decline, which means less energy, slower DNA repair, and a higher risk of diseases associated with aging.

DNA Repair

The good news? Scientists are discovering that boosting NAD+ levels may turn back the clock on some of these age-related issues. A 2017 Harvard study demonstrated that a protein responsible for DNA repair becomes dormant with age but can be reactivated through NAD+ therapy. It was so effective at repairing DNA that significant improvements were observed in lab mice who had undergone chemotherapy.

Increasing NAD+ levels helps to restore DNA repair mechanisms in older cells. It’s like giving your cells a tune-up, helping them work more like they did when you were younger.

Improved Fat Metabolism, Energy, and Brain Health

It’s not just about DNA repair. NAD+ also increases activity in the mitochondria—the powerhouses of your cells. It boosts important enzymes called sirtuins, which are responsible for optimizing mitochondrial function. One of many studies show these crucial enzymes affect metabolism, energy consumption, aging, and sleep cycles. More efficient mitochondria mean more energy, better brain function, and regulated glucose levels.

NAD+ serves as the foundation for a complex network of biological processes in the body. Without the proper resources, our cells lack the strength to perform at their full potential.

Reduces Disease Caused by Oxidative Stress

Oxidative stress is a well-known contributor to a long list of devastating diseases worldwide. It begins when the balance between antioxidants and harmful free radicals is disrupted. The consequences of this imbalance are evident in illnesses like Alzheimer’s, diabetes, cancer, and even general age-related decline.

The Journal of Biological Chemistry highlights NAD+’s ability to reduce oxidative stress by utilizing sirtuins to signal powerful antioxidant enzymes and regulate our cells’ natural defense mechanisms.

What does this mean for us?

NAD+ plays a critical role in the biological processes responsible for maintaining cellular health, energy production, and combating age-related decline. As we age, declining NAD+ levels can have a more significant impact than we realize, but studies are beginning to show that restoring NAD+ levels through supplementation offers a promising future for anyone that ages (yes, even the Kardashians age).

NAD+ works as a powerful ally in the goal of healthier aging by supporting crucial cellular processes. While aging is, for now, inevitable, NAD+ supplementation is being increasingly more available to the public as the science begins to grow. We offer NAD+ treatment in our Tustin Medspa to patients wanting more. Some specialist recommend starting NAD+ in your 30s and 40s to combat deficiency, however, many well known celebrities in their early 20s have been known to start NAD therapy. Because we want to support you during your journey to a happier and healthier future, 30 minute consultations are free to book on our website or give us a call at (714) 716-6395.

Weight Loss it is NOT a One Size fits All

What really is the American Diet? We are truly the worlds original melting pot of people. All nationalities are represented here. Having a mix of all different nationalities has given us a sort of a food identity crisis. The Mediterranean Diet is considered the gold standard of the healthiest diets, yet Japan and its citizens are known to have an extraordinary life expectancy. There was a study called the “Comparison of the Impact of the Mediterranean Diet, Anti-Inflammatory Diet, Seventh-Day Adventist Diet, and Ketogenic Diet Relative to Cognition and Cognitive Decline” – PubMed (nih.gov). In this case, studies showed that people who lived the longest were pescatarians (plant-based eating that includes a small amount of fish). We live in an age when we can get information about literally everything right in the palm of our hand, and yet we are one of the sickest nations in the world.

Globally the United States is considered the unhealthiest country of all. The top three killers in the U.S. are, in this order, heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. Unsurprisingly all three of these illnesses are also known to be affected by our diet and what we consume. Nationally, 39 % (in women) to 41.9 percent of adults are considered obese. Those numbers continue to grow every year, I know personally, I have been arguing with my body about my weight, shape, and size since I was a pre-teen.

I was raised with the concept that weight and weight management is really just a math problem, this is one of the many of the things I learned about dieting that was wrong. Calories in my body, minus calories expended by any kind of movement, when I reach a calorie deficit then I would begin to lose weight. The Math and the charts told me that as woman I need 2,200 calories a day to maintain my current body weight. (a man caloric intake would be 2,700.) So, math says that if I eat less than 2,200 calories a day, I should lose weight. So, I should be able to eat 2 Western Bacon Cheeseburgers from Carl’s Jr. (total of 1,520 calories) a day and lose weight. That is a big fat lie, that was the beginning of a lifetime of stories, myths and general misinformation about fat, weight, healthy habits and the d word; “diets”. In the next year we here at Med Aesthetics along with Advanced Medical Weight loss are going to talk (or write) about the latest studies, latest medical developments, what works, what doesn’t work and why.

I have spent a lifetime in search of how to lose weight and keep it off, what is healthy, what diets work, what doesn’t and why. I have gone to school in pursuit of this information from the science of the skin and body. Aesthetics license, massage training, Registered Dietitian training, health coach education, holistic health practitioner license/training. Completed studies on how to read DNA graphs, how DNA affects outcome, medical courses that was entirely on fat. (Turns out there are year long courses on the study of fat, from your brain to your bones)

Gina has focused her energies on fitness training, the science of exercise, healthy lifestyle choices and how to integrate all of that into daily life while still being family friendly. She can take the theories from the books and bring it to life in a very practical way. All the information in the world is great but when it isn’t practical or can’t translate to real life, real families, then nothing happens, nothing changes.

Of course, all of our doctors bring clinical medical-based options that range of Poly-peptides like Trizepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound) and Semaglutides (Wagovey, Ozempic) to appetite suppressants and fat burners. Every one of our doctors not only keep up with the latest clinical studies, but many of them teach other professionals on best practices with the obesity medicine, wellness to what available from the pharmaceutical industry that is are medically safe, clinically reliable for real results. Med Aesthetics along with Advanced Medical Weight loss bring a lifetime of science and a commitment to the health and well-being of each patient. We take time with our patients to design custom programs that address your health problems, hormone or testosterone imbalances, weight management. We have begun relationships with pharmaceutical grade vitamin laboratories that can custom blend vitamins and/or minerals for any deficiency in your body to get you back into balance.

Cole is the glue that brings it all together. He brings the youths voice from technology, social media and helps to translate medical information on skin, body, health, wellness into a easier to understand format.

The Team at Med Aesthetics OC loves working with patients and with each other, we find great joy in your success. Seeing men and women losing weight, feeling great about their bodies sometimes for the first time in years. We have technology that can help you keep your muscles tone, tightening skin ,help with stretch marks and scar revisions. Customizing each and every weight loss program to suite you, to fit your needs and work on the things that matter to you.

Call Med Aesthetics OC to get started right away. (714) 716-6395 or book online for your free consultation at out booking portal