NAD+ serves two critical functions in your body
Scientists have identified two primary ways this molecule supports cellular health, both of which become increasingly important as we age.
Energy Production
NAD+ facilitates cellular energy creation through redox reactions, cycling between its oxidized form (NAD+) and reduced form (NADH). This process is essential for the three major metabolic pathways that produce ATP: glycolysis breaks down glucose, the citric acid cycle (also known as the Krebs cycle) processes metabolic intermediates, and fatty acid oxidation breaks down fats—all generating the ATP that fuels every cellular process.
Cellular Maintenance and Repair
NAD+ also activates sirtuins—specialized enzymes that help regulate your body's cellular maintenance system. Sirtuins require NAD+ to regulate gene expression, support cellular cleanup processes (autophagy), maintain circadian rhythms, repair DNA, and coordinate stress responses.