What is NAD+ and Why It Matters for Your Health and Weight Loss
If you follow health news or have heard the buzz around NAD+ you may be wondering what it is and what all the hype is about. Many celebrities are celebrating NAD+, such as Hailey and Justin Bieber, Kendall Jenner, Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Joe Rogan, and professional athletes like Shannon Sharpe and Kevin Love. But you might be wondering whether all the hype is actually justified. It’s natural to be curious about what makes this molecule so popular in wellness circles and if it truly delivers on its promises.
Losing weight is more than just counting calories. Achieving true health is also about restoring balance, boosting energy, and optimizing how your bodily functions on a cellular level. One of the most exciting tools available today in the world of metabolism and wellness is NAD+ (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide). This naturally occurring molecule is essential for life, yet many people don’t realize how profoundly it impacts weight loss, aging, and overall health.
What is NAD+?
NAD+ is a coenzyme, which means it works alongside enzymes to help your body carry out countless chemical reactions. It is found in every single cell, so NAD+ plays a vital role in:
Turning food into energy (cellular metabolism)
Repairing damaged DNA
Regulating circadian rhythms (your sleep-wake cycle)
Supporting brain function and mental clarity
Activating enzymes that promote longevity and reduce inflammation
In short, NAD+ is like a “helper molecule” your body relies on to keep energy production and cellular repair running smoothly.
NAD+ Declines With Age
Unfortunately, NAD+ levels naturally decline as we get older. By the time you reach middle age, your NAD+ levels may be cut in half compared to when you were younger. Several factors contribute to this decline:
Aging: Natural biological changes decrease NAD+ production.
Stress: Chronic stress depletes your body’s resources, including NAD+.
Poor diet: Diets high in processed foods and low in nutrients may reduce NAD+ levels.
Alcohol use: Alcohol consumption interferes with NAD+ pathways.
Environmental toxins: Pollution and chemicals increase oxidative stress, which burns through NAD+ reserves.
This decline is linked to lower energy, slower metabolism, weight gain, reduced mental sharpness, and many age-related conditions. Supporting NAD+ is one way to slow or even reverse these changes.
The Benefits of NAD+ for Weight Loss and Wellness
1. Enhances Metabolism
Because NAD+ is essential for breaking down carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, it directly influences your metabolism. Higher NAD+ levels help your body burn fuel more efficiently, which makes it easier to achieve a healthy weight.
2. Boosts Energy
NAD+ fuels your mitochondria—the “powerhouses” of your cells—so they can turn calories into usable energy. Many patients notice they feel less fatigued and more motivated to stay active when receiving NAD+ supplementation.
3. Enhances Cellular Repair and Longevity
NAD+ activates proteins called sirtuins, sometimes referred to as “longevity genes.” These proteins help repair DNA, regulate inflammation, and protect against age-related decline. By activating sirtuins, NAD+ helps your cells function like younger, healthier versions of themselves.
4. Improves Mental Clarity
Patients often report feeling like they have a sharper memory, better concentration, and improved focus when receiving NAD+ therapy. This is especially valuable during a weight loss journey, when brain fog or low energy can make it difficult to stay on track.
5. Promotes Recovery and Resilience
Whether you’re recovering from an intense workout, managing a health condition, or just navigating the stress of daily life, NAD+ helps your body repair itself more effectively. Athletes and everyday patients alike notice faster recovery and more resilience when NAD+ levels are replenished.
How NAD+ Therapy Works
NAD+ can be delivered as subcutaneous or intramuscular injections, or intravenously. While intramuscular injections (into muscle) can be done, subcutaneous (into fat) is more common since it is better tolerated and there are no significant advantages of choosing intramuscular over subcutaneous. Let’s take a look at subcutaneous versus intravenous administration, but first, it is important to note that NAD+ needs to be an injection or infusion in order to be effective. Some clinics and stores offer oral or pill form of NAD+; however, taking NAD+ by mouth is not effective since NAD+ can’t be absorbed without being broken down.
In summary, subcutaneous injections offer a more sustained release and thus more consistent results, quick appointments so you aren’t tied up for hours, less invasive, cheaper, and better tolerated than intravenous delivery. For these reasons, at Jackson Medical Specialists, we deliver NAD+ therapy via subcutaneous injections. Depending on your health goals, we may recommend NAD+ therapy alone or in combination with other treatments, such as weight loss medications, nutrition analysis and dietary guidance, or hormone support.
NAD+ and Weight Loss: A Powerful Combination
Weight loss is multifactorial and NAD+ acts as your partner in weight loss. For many people, low NAD+ levels contribute to fatigue, cravings, poor metabolism, and difficulty losing weight despite their best efforts. By replenishing NAD+, patients may notice:
More consistent energy throughout the day
Fewer cravings for sugar and processed foods
Faster metabolism and fat-burning
A change in body composition, with a shift to less fat and more muscle
Easier adherence to nutrition and exercise plans
Combined with medical weight loss strategies, NAD+ can help accelerate progress while supporting overall wellness. Adding NAD+ to your program has been shown to significantly reduce BMI, increase muscle, and increase a hormone called adiponectin. Adiponectin increases insulin sensitivity to regulate blood sugar levels, promotes fat breakdown to reduce body fat, reduces inflammation, and protects against cardiovascular disease by improving blood vessel function and reducing the risk of blood clots.
Is NAD+ Right for You?
NAD+ therapy is probably a great fit for you if you are:
Feeling tired or sluggish despite getting enough rest
Struggling to lose weight, especially in the abdominal area
Experiencing brain fog, forgetfulness, or lack of focus
Interested in anti-aging therapies that improve long-term health
Seeking faster recovery from exercise, stress, or illness
Interested in changing your body composition to a more lean build
If this sounds like you, NAD+ would be a valuable addition to your personalized health plan.
Safety and What to Expect
NAD+ therapy is considered safe when administered by trained medical professionals. Side effects are very rare since it is a naturally occurring molecule in our bodies already, but it’s possible you could experience mild discomfort/ irritation at the injection site. Headache, nausea, dizziness or lightheadedness, or a sensation of warmth or flushing can occur with the intravenous administration. This is usually transient and can be reduced with a slower rate of infusion. During treatment, many patients feel an immediate boost in energy or mental clarity, while others notice more gradual improvements over several sessions. This can depend on the dose and route you choose.
NAD+ injections are not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women. The effects of high-dose NAD+ on a developing fetus or nursing infant have not been studied, so we avoid therapy in these situations out of an abundance of caution.
Dosing: How Much Can You Get and How Often?
Dosages can vary widely. For general wellness or anti-aging purposes, many protocols recommend 50-100 mg of NAD+ per injection, given a few times per week, although it can range from 10 mg to 250 or more mg per injection.
A common approach is starting on the lower end (i.e. 50 mg) and working up to 100-250 mg per dose if tolerated, with injections perhaps 2-3 times weekly. Some patients might then continue with weekly injections at 100-250 mg as maintenance. Research shows the impact of NAD+ supplementation is dose-dependent; meaning higher doses result in greater outcomes. For home use injections, it’s generally advised to not exceed 300 mg per week unless there’s a specific indication. Your exact dosage and frequency will be personalized, taking into consideration factors like age, symptoms, and treatment goals. You’ll be monitored on how you feel and the plan may be adjusted accordingly. NAD+ isn’t a one-size-fits-all therapy, so it might take some trial to find the optimal dosing schedule for your needs.
Conclusion: Unlock Energy and Health at the Cellular Level
NAD+ is more than a wellness trend—it’s a science-backed way to support your body from the inside out. By replenishing declining NAD+ levels, you can improve energy, metabolism, mental clarity, and cellular repair. For patients on a weight loss journey, this extra support may be the missing piece to achieving sustainable, long-term results.
Ready to learn more? Contact our clinic today to see if NAD+ therapy can be part of your weight loss journey: (541) 324-0399. Supporting your body at the cellular level may be the missing piece to unlocking more energy, better metabolism, and a healthier you.
And feel free to check out this systematic review and meta-regression analysis of NAD+ supplementation randomized controlled trials here.
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2023.1208734/full
