What Is NAD+?

Also known as: Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide

NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is not a peptide at all but a coenzyme — the central currency of cellular energy metabolism and a required substrate for sirtuins and PARPs, the enzyme families tied to DNA repair and longevity biology. Levels decline substantially with age.

That decline made restoring NAD+ a pillar of longevity medicine: IV clinics popularized infusions, and subcutaneous injection emerged as the practical home alternative. Whether raising blood NAD+ meaningfully raises it where it matters (inside cells, in the right tissues) remains the field's honest open question.

What is NAD+ studied for?

Side effects & safety

Dose-rate dependent and real: rapid administration causes flushing, chest tightness and nausea (famous from IV drips); subcutaneous doses cause injection-site stinging and occasional nausea. Splitting doses mitigates most of it.

Legal & approval status

Widely available as a supplement ingredient and compounded injectable; not an approved drug for any indication. Legal and mainstream-adjacent.

Typical dosing at a glance

Commonly reported protocols use 50 mg–100 mg, 1–3x weekly, via subcutaneous injection. For the mixing math — how much bacteriostatic water, exact syringe units, doses per vial — see the NAD+ reconstitution calculator →

Related peptides

What is MOTS-c?What is Epithalon?What is SS-31?What is Glutathione?

Educational overview based on published research and commonly reported community protocols — not medical advice, and not an endorsement of any compound. Consult a licensed healthcare provider.