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What does walking, lifting and hauling things, breathing, digesting and keeping your heart beating have in common? These everyday activities are heavily dependent on our muscular system.

Regrettably, muscle performance reduces as we age – even as early as our 30s, our skeletal muscle strength and mass increasingly diminish, with many losing as much as 5 per cent per decade. This severe drop in muscle capacity in older adults leads to a decline in quality of life and independence with an advanced risk of falls, fractures, frailty and mortality.  

NMN, NAD+ and muscle decline

In line with this lowering in muscle strength is a decline in NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) levels. NAD+ is a molecule known as a coenzyme that enables every cell in our bodies to work perfectly – and this includes our muscle cells.

Older people tend to have reductions in NAD+ levels. Revitalising this essential coenzyme through its precursors (like NMN or nicotinamide mononucleotide), may aid in preventing diminished physical strength and muscular decline[1]. It is also regarded as a critical element in increasing NAD+ levels in cells [2].

How does NMN influence muscle performance?

To see if these NMN-induced NAD+ level elevations produce better physical function, a study from the University of Tokyo looked into muscle performance and strength. They found that NMN notably improved some muscle strength and performance indicators like grip strength, walking speed and the number of instances the participants could stand up from a chair in 30 seconds. Their outcomes demonstrate that oral NMN supplementation for 12 weeks improves muscle strength and performance in healthy, older men.

Watch the exclusive interview with Eric Verdin, President of the Buck Institute to find out how NMN-C can help boost your daily productivity.

Given the promising results, replication of the study is recommended for replication in a larger group of adults, including women, to be more conclusive of the primary conclusions – that NMN can improve muscle strength and performance in individuals because it boosts NAD+ levels. 

NMN and longevity

Exactly what benefits does NMN supplementation give that contribute to prolonging longevity? New studies show that the benefits include:

• Augmented mitochondria function: individuals can’t survive without mitochondria, and it cannot stand sans NAD+. Mitochondria are crucial powerhouses for the cell, giving them energy. 

They are needed for metabolisms and transforming molecules from the food we eat into energy for our cells. Decreased metabolisms will see this process become less efficient and will, in turn, lead to issues like obesity. NAD+ enables mitochondria to metabolise.

• DNA repair: NMN produces NAD+, which can trigger sirtuins – which play a crucial role in sustaining DNA integrity. During cell division, the DNA at the end of chromosomes (telomeres) grow smaller and will begin to damage genes at some point. Sirtuins delay this process by balancing the telomeres. 

A study from Baylor College of Medicine discovered that giving activated sirtuins could stabilise telomeres, reduce DNA damage and contribute to liver disease reduction [3]. By raising NAD+ levels and activating sirtuins, NMN supplements can boost the body’s ability to refresh DNA and continually slow the damage rate.

• Enhanced muscle endurance: NMN supplements are also observed to improve conditioning levels and general fitness. NAD+ breaks down fatty acids and glucose, which muscles use to remain strong and maintain their structure. 

With age, muscles deteriorate in strength and size. By maintaining high levels of NAD+ through daily supplements with NMN, age-related muscle decline may slow improving short and long-term fitness.

• Eye function: decreased NAD+ levels have been shown to take part in vision loss and eye neurodegeneration. Reducing this decline and improving vision should be viable by replenishing NAD+. Studies show that treatment with NMN can address conditions such as dry eyes, improve tear production, protect eye cells and preserve eye cell viability [4].
• Heart capacity: as the human heart keeps going at a steady pace throughout life, it doesn’t rest or slow down. It consumes a tremendous amount of energy which is an NMN-reliant process. 

A University of Washington study discovered that treating older mice with NMN and SS-31 could improve heart function. Taken together, they are employed to recapitulate the metabolisms and functions of younger hearts [5].

• Higher brain function: there’s considerable evidence that NMN improves brain function. University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center scientists discovered that administering the NMN molecule in mice enhances blood vessel dilation, which improves blood flow to the brain and helps it function more effectively [6]. 

This supports a procedure called neurovascular coupling, in which the blood flow to the brain elevates when neural activity increases. In the short term, this could have you feeling more alert, and, in the longer term, it may play a role in the deceleration of cognitive decline.

• Lower levels of obesity: one study established that a three-week NMN remedy yieled in improved glucose tolerance, reduced fat mass, liver and plasma triglyceride levels in mice [7]. NMN has been seen as having a calorie-restrictive effect by moving cells from a state of growth into a state of repair. Although, obesity is a complex issue and will depend on many other factors, including environment, lifestyle and diet.
• Protection against diabetes: low insulin sensitivity levels may indicate type 2 diabetes. The body becomes less reactive to insulin levels in the bloodstream, escalating the risks of weight gain and, ultimately, diabetes. Research suggests that a long-term NMN administration can supplement the body’s sensitivity to insulin, enabling your body process glucose more effectively, lowering blood sugar levels and reducing diabetes risks.

Elevant Prime and Elevant Optima

If you’re checking the market for a supplement to address increasing muscle performance, Elevant is worth your while. The company introduced Prime in 2021. 

NMN has been proven to safely boost NAD+ levels in the body [8]. Meanwhile, Elevant has been performing extensive research and acquisition into NMN supplements over the past years. This effort subsequently brought about Optima, which offers high-purity NMN-C in chewable form. 

With a constant regimen of NMN supplementation, you can guarantee that your NAD+ levels are sustained throughout your body as you get older. This will ensure that your body’s ability to handle cellular repair and regeneration stays relatively consistent for as long as possible.

Continual studies in cellular repair and muscle regeneration only show that scientists are on the right track [9]. Using NAD+ supplements and improving lifestyle preferences for your health will give you the most acceptable option for longevity so you can enjoy life instead of dreading what lies ahead [10].

[1] https://www.prohealthlongevity.com/blogs/control-how-you-age/maintaining-mighty-muscles-clinical-study-finds-nmn-boosts-muscle-strength-and-performance-in-older-men
[2] https://nad.com/what-is-nad
[3] https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/03/190328150722.htm
[4] https://www.nmn.com/news/nmn-treatment-dry-eye-disease
[5] https://www.nmn.com/news/two-molecules-improve-heart-function
[6] https://www.nmn.com/news/recent-research-suggests-nmn-supplementation-improves-brain-function-in-aging
[7] https://bit.ly/3aEWqtu
[8] https://nmnbio.co.uk/blogs/news/physical-performance-can-nmn-increase-athletic-ability
[9] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8685813/
[10] https://elevant.co/blogs/news/cellular-repair-how-does-it-work

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