Breakthroughs in Human Clinical Trials With NMN
People are increasingly looking for supplements that increase their energy and ensure a long, healthy life. Nicotinamide Mononucleotide (NMN) has been proven to do both of those things in animal trials. An increasing number of human clinical trials are underway and the results that are coming in are very positive.
Which is More Effective: NR or NMN?
In this video interview, Dr. David Sinclair, a Professor of Genetics at the Harvard Medical School states that Nicotinamide Riboside (NR) is more popular than NMN because it lacks a phosphate molecule and is therefore cheaper to produce. But in empirical studies using the same dosage, NMN has been proven to be more effective than NR. This could be because our body needs to convert NR into NMN before it can have a positive impact on NAD+ levels.
Why Not Take NAD+ Directly?
As we know, NMN is a key NAD+ intermediate, so the question many people ask is why don’t we take NAD+ directly instead of NMN? Wouldn’t that be more effective?
Well, it is possible to get NAD+ via an IV drip for over an hour under medical supervision, especially in Florida and Los Angeles, but there have been no human placebo controlled clinical trials to prove it’s effective.
People report that NAD+ boosts their mood and gives them more energy. So, it is often used to treat depression, addiction and to cure hangovers. However, the NAD+ molecule is large, and our cells need to break it down into its various components before uptaking it, so until human trials have been conducted, this is just anecdotal data.
On the other hand, NMN is the right size molecule and has the right components to be easily assimilated.
What Does the Research Say About NMN?
There have been a number of animal studies demonstrating that NMN restores levels of the essential coenzyme NAD+, increases insulin sensitivity and has significant anti-aging effects.
Dr Sinclair is currently conducting animal studies with NMN. So far, the study reported that the mice have less frailty. The mice seem to be healthier and younger, they are more active, run further, have better mitochondrial function and live 10-15% longer on a dosage of 400mg/kg. This is more apparent in female mice.
Other laboratories have demonstrated that NMN protects the internal organs of mice and promotes wound healing.
Clinical Human Trials
We already know that NMN is proven to have anti-aging effects in mice. We are now on the brink of proving that NMN is as effective in humans as it is in mice.
In a randomized, placebo-controlled, 10-week study, Yoshino et al discovered that at the low dosage of 250mg a day, NMN increases insulin sensitivity in post-menopausal, prediabetic women who are obese. This is an important breakthrough as increased insulin stimulated glucose disposal is a hallmark of wellness and longevity.
Dr Sinclair with the Harvard Medical School has been running a clinical human trial for many years giving people a of 1-2g of a molecule similar to NMN. The full results are likely to be available this year (2022). At this stage of the study there have been no side effects, therefore proving that NMN is safe for humans to take.
These are the markers Dr Sinclair is hoping to find in human clinical trials: more energy, more mitochondrial function, more endurance, and better blood flow. Of special interest is whether NMN will protect internal organs like the kidney and heart, and increase wound healing in humans like it does in mice.
The Bioavailability of NMN
The size of the NMN molecule is smaller than NAD+ and it has the right components our bodies need to make NAD+.
Some researchers argue that NMN doesn’t get into cells; however, Shin-ichiro Imai, MD, PhD, a professor of developmental biology and medicine at Washington University discovered SLC12A8 which he says acts as a transporter to move NMN from the liquid outside the cell into the cell.
Dr. Sinclair states that even though these findings are still the subject of debate, and this may mean we don’t know for sure how NMN works, but we do know that it does work, and that is the important point to remember.
NMN is effective when taken orally in tablet form. But there are other methods like taking sublingual tablets, capsules and powders, or even having it injected.
The Key Takeaways
In animal studies NMN has been proven to enhance longevity, energy, endurance, and to increase insulin sensitivity.
Positive breakthroughs are being made in human clinical trials indicating that NMN is as beneficial for humans as it is for mice. No side effects have been encountered, so NMN is safe for human use. NMN has also been proven to increase insulin sensitivity which is a hallmark of human wellness and longevity.
References
- NMN, NR, Resveratrol, Metformin & Other Longevity Molecules | Lifespan with Dr. David Sinclair #4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRWT7hVgwuM&t=1286s - Long-Term Administration of Nicotinamide Mononucleotide Mitigates Age-Associated Physiological Decline in Mice
https://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/fulltext/S1550-4131(16)30495-8 - Slc12a8 is a nicotinamide mononucleotide transporter
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6530925/ - Nicotinamide mononucleotide increases muscle insulin sensitivity in prediabetic women https://science.sciencemag.org/content/372/6547/1224
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