The dietary supplement nicotinamide riboside (NR) may protect the brain from neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. Scientists at the University of Delaware came to this conclusion. writes Neuroscience News.
Nicotinamide riboside is a form of vitamin B₃ with ribose. The substance enters the body with food and is a product of the enzymatic activity of yeast.
HP stimulates the production of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+). He helps repair cells and damaged DNA and regulate redox processes. NAD+ levels decrease with age and, for example, due to obesity or smoking.
After six weeks of HP supplementation in elderly people with mild cognitive impairment, NAD+ levels increased in extracellular vesicles. These are tiny vesicles that secrete cells from various tissues or organs into their environment. They can serve as advanced biomarkers for various diseases.
“We selected vesicles that carry markers specific to neurons, and therefore we are confident that the NAD+ measured in them reflects what is happening specifically in neurons and, accordingly, in the brain,” said lead author Christopher Martens of the study.
He believes that the results indicate that HP slows down neurodegenerative processes. Further research is needed to prove this.
