First Human Trial Shows NR Can Enter The Brain And Reduces Biomarker For Alzheimer's

TL;DR

A study shows that oral nicotinamide riboside (NR) can increase NAD+ levels and reduce neurodegenerative biomarkers in brain cells.

Transcript

foreign this is Richard from Modern Health span today we'll look at this study oral nicotinamide riboside raises NAD plus and lowers biomarkers of neurodegenerative pathology in plasma extracellular vesicles enriched for neuronal origin the paper is important because it uses a novel mechanism to investigate the metabolism of the brain and shows tha... Read More

Key Insights

• 🅰️ NR supplementation increases NAD+ levels in extracellular vesicles derived from neurons, indicating its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier.
• ❓ The decrease in amyloid beta, a neurodegenerative biomarker, suggests that NR may have potential in reducing Alzheimer's pathology.
• 🧠 Extracellular vesicles provide a non-invasive method to study brain metabolism and can potentially be used for diagnostic purposes.
• 🧠 The study highlights the challenges of measuring metabolic changes in the brain and the importance of finding alternative methods.
• 🔽 The small sample size and statistical limitations of the study suggest the need for larger studies to confirm the findings.
• 🛀 NR and other NAD+ precursors have shown safety and efficacy in raising NAD+ levels in humans.
• 🔡 Low NAD+ levels in the brain can contribute to cellular and metabolic dysfunction, making it a target for therapeutic interventions.

Questions & Answers

Q: How does NR supplementation affect NAD+ levels in the brain?

The study found that NR supplementation increased NAD+ levels in extracellular vesicles derived from neurons, indicating that NR crosses the blood-brain barrier and raises NAD+ levels in the brain.

Q: What are extracellular vesicles and why did the study use them?

Extracellular vesicles are nanoparticles that carry DNA, RNA, or proteins and are secreted by cells. In this study, they were used to measure NAD+ levels in the brain as biopsying brain tissue is not possible in humans.

Q: What were the main findings regarding neurodegenerative biomarkers?

The study showed a significant decrease in amyloid beta, a protein associated with Alzheimer's disease, in the group of participants who responded to NR supplementation. However, the decrease in phosphorylated Tau, another Alzheimer's marker, was not significant.

Q: How can extracellular vesicles be used as diagnostic tools for neurodegenerative diseases?

By examining neuron-derived extracellular vesicles, early markers of neurodegenerative diseases such as elevated amyloid beta or Tau can be detected. This approach shows promise as a non-invasive diagnostic tool.

Key Insights:

• NR supplementation increases NAD+ levels in extracellular vesicles derived from neurons, indicating its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier.
• The decrease in amyloid beta, a neurodegenerative biomarker, suggests that NR may have potential in reducing Alzheimer's pathology.
• Extracellular vesicles provide a non-invasive method to study brain metabolism and can potentially be used for diagnostic purposes.
• The study highlights the challenges of measuring metabolic changes in the brain and the importance of finding alternative methods.
• The small sample size and statistical limitations of the study suggest the need for larger studies to confirm the findings.
• NR and other NAD+ precursors have shown safety and efficacy in raising NAD+ levels in humans.
• Low NAD+ levels in the brain can contribute to cellular and metabolic dysfunction, making it a target for therapeutic interventions.
• Further research is needed to investigate the long-term effects of NR supplementation on neurodegenerative diseases.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The study investigated the effects of NR supplementation on NAD+ levels and neurodegenerative biomarkers in 22 healthy adults.

• NR supplementation increased NAD+ levels in extracellular vesicles derived from neurons and decreased neurodegenerative pathology markers.

• Extracellular vesicles offer a non-invasive method to study brain metabolism and can potentially be used as diagnostic tools for neurodegenerative diseases.