By Entela Celiku, PhD Chemist in Natural Products
The New Frontier of Aging
What if you could feed your cells exactly what they needed to repair themselves, renew their energy, and even slow down the signs of aging? That’s the premise behind NAD⁺, a molecule long known to science but only recently embraced by the wellness world. Once hidden in academic papers, it now headlines drip menus at luxury clinics and circulates in celebrity interviews as the next big thing in biohacking.
For some, like Hailey Bieber, it has become more than a supplement, it’s a philosophy. “I’m going to NAD for the rest of my life and never age,” she famously declared. But is NAD⁺ really the key to energy, resilience, and longevity, or is it just another overhyped trend wrapped in a test tube?
What Is NAD⁺ and Why Does It Matter?
NAD⁺ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is a coenzyme found in every living cell. It supports over 500 enzymatic reactions that sustain life. NAD⁺ helps convert the food you eat into ATP (cellular energy), supports the repair of DNA damage, regulates circadian rhythm, and activates sirtuins, proteins linked to stress resistance, metabolism, and aging.
This molecule isn’t optional. Your cells depend on it. And unfortunately, as you age, your body makes less of it. Research shows that by the time we reach our 60s, NAD⁺ levels can fall by as much as 50% compared to when we were in our 20s. This decline is associated with fatigue, brain fog, weakened immune defense, slower recovery, and increased vulnerability to chronic conditions.
The Rise of NAD⁺ Supplements
Since NAD⁺ itself is unstable in supplement form, most products rely on precursors like NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide) and NR (nicotinamide riboside). These molecules are converted into NAD⁺ inside the body.
Human clinical trials have shown that both NMN and NR can increase NAD⁺ levels in blood and muscle tissue within weeks. Some studies report improved insulin sensitivity, better lipid profiles, enhanced mitochondrial function, and potentially even cognitive support in older adults. However, these trials are still limited in scope usually short-term, small in size, and focused on aging or prediabetic populations.
What we know so far suggests promise, but not certainty. NAD⁺ precursors may be helpful in boosting cellular health, especially in older adults or those with specific metabolic issues. But for healthy young individuals, the benefits may be less pronounced or harder to measure.
IV Therapy: Fast Lane or False Hope?
While oral supplementation is the most common route, intravenous (IV) NAD⁺ therapy is on the rise. These infusions, lasting two to four hours, deliver NAD⁺ directly into the bloodstream in doses of 250 to 750 milligrams. Advocates say the effects are immediate, more mental clarity, better mood, and reduced fatigue.
Some individuals use IV NAD⁺ to recover from long COVID or chronic burnout. Others use it as a general anti-aging or performance-enhancing practice. But despite the buzz, IV therapy is the least studied method of NAD⁺ administration. There are no large-scale randomized controlled trials proving that NAD⁺ infusions work better than oral supplements or that they are necessary at all.
Additionally, IV therapy comes with higher risk. Rapid infusions can cause cramping, flushing, anxiety, and even chest tightness. These aren’t harmless side effects, they reflect how sensitive the body can be to sudden surges in cellular metabolism.
Is NAD⁺ Safe?
Both NMN and NR are generally considered safe when taken at standard doses, typically 250–500 mg per day. Side effects like nausea, digestive upset, or headaches are rare and usually mild. Still, long-term studies are lacking. We don’t yet know how years of supplementation might affect other systems in the body, such as hormone balance, cancer susceptibility, or immunity.
With IV therapy, the risks increase. NAD⁺ impacts many interconnected systems, neurological, metabolic, immune and infusing it too quickly can disrupt those systems in unpredictable ways. Anyone considering this therapy should do so under medical supervision, with close attention to tolerance and long-term response.
Can People with Cancer Safely Use NAD⁺?
If you’re currently going through chemotherapy, have been diagnosed with cancer, or have a history of cancer, it’s important to approach NAD⁺ with extra caution.
While NAD⁺ is known for supporting energy and DNA repair in healthy cells, that same support could potentially apply to cancer cells too. Some early research in animal models has shown that higher levels of NAD⁺ may help tumor cells survive or grow faster, especially in cancers where the normal cell cycle is already out of balance.
That doesn’t mean NAD⁺ causes cancer but it does raise concerns about whether artificially increasing NAD⁺ levels during cancer treatment could interfere with how therapies like chemotherapy or immunotherapy work. Right now, we simply don’t have enough data in humans to say for sure.
So if you’ve been diagnosed with cancer or are in treatment, talk to your oncologist before trying NAD⁺ supplements or IV therapy. This isn’t about fear it’s about making informed, safe decisions based on where you are in your health journey.
What Science Still Doesn’t Know
NAD⁺ may be a key player in the biology of aging, but we still lack answers to some essential questions. For example, can boosting NAD⁺ actually extend lifespan in humans? Does increasing NAD⁺ in otherwise healthy people offer any measurable benefit? Could artificially high NAD⁺ levels over long periods create unintended consequences?
While NAD⁺ may enhance repair and recovery in the short term, long-term safety, dosage standards, and universal protocols are not yet defined. What helps one person may be unnecessary or even risky for another.
The Kungul Perspective
At Kungul, we believe that real wellness is built on knowledge, transparency, and long-term thinking. NAD⁺ is indeed a fascinating molecule, its role in cellular repair, energy metabolism, and healthy aging is supported by a growing body of research. But no molecule, no matter how powerful, can replace the foundation of a truly healthy life.
Longevity is not something you buy; it’s something you earn over time through intentional choices. That’s why, before reaching for any supplement, we encourage people to look inward. Restorative sleep, nutrient-rich whole foods, daily movement, and emotional balance remain the most powerful ways to support your body’s natural NAD⁺ production and protect your cells from premature aging.
For those considering supplementation, compounds like NMN or NR may offer support, particularly for people over 40, those recovering from illness, or anyone struggling with chronic fatigue. However, not all supplements are created equal. It’s important to choose formulas that are third-party tested, free of contaminants, and sourced with full ingredient traceability. What you put in your body should be as clean and honest as the intentions behind taking it.
And while IV NAD⁺ therapy is growing in popularity, we recommend a cautious approach. Because it bypasses the digestive system and delivers NAD⁺ directly into your bloodstream, it should only be administered in trusted medical settings. Your body’s response may vary, and high doses or frequent use without clinical oversight could carry risks that science is still uncovering.
At Kungul, our goal is not to sell promises it’s to support truth-seekers in making decisions rooted in evidence and aligned with their long-term health. Longevity is not about doing more, chasing trends, or hacking your biology at all costs. It’s about doing what matters, consistently and consciously, every single day.
