There has been increased buzz around NAD+ recently and if you thought it was just for the gym bros and wellness gurus, think again, as midlife could be the ideal time to take NAD+ seriously. 

What is NAD+ and why does it matter?

NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is like your body’s rechargeable battery. It powers essential cellular processes turning food into energy, repairing DNA, and keeping your cells young and resilient. The problem? Our natural levels of NAD+ decline as we age, dropping by as much as 50% by midlife. This decline is now thought to be one of the key drivers of both internal aging and external skin changes. See more on NAD+ HERE.

So midlife is THE perfect time to look to increase our levels of this clever molecule and the good news is, there are a few options available to us midlifers keen to invest in our wellness and longevity at this key stage of life.  Whether through supplementing with NMN, experimenting with NAD+ skincare, or simply learning how lifestyle choices (like good sleep and exercise) influence cellular health, this molecule could be the missing link in our wellness toolkit.  However, taking NAD+ itself isn’t as simple as all that – it is a very large molecule and as such won’t penetrate directly into our cells, we need to look at the NAD+ precursors – known as NMN.

The rise of NMN supplements

NMN is a building block our bodies use to make NAD+ and it is one of the most promising ways to boost NAD+ from within to support better energy, improved metabolism, and even cognitive sharpness and brain fog, all areas of concern for us in midlife.

Maz Packham is a nutritional therapist at Nourishful Nutrition, she explains that you can also look to support levels of NAD+ in midlife with lifestyle and dietary strategies: “exercise, particularly high-intensity, which is when the body burns energy, the increased need for NAD+ signals to the body to increase production. Moderate-intensity exercise like walking and cycling can also be helpful. Hot and cold exposure have been shown to help boost the production of NAD+ by activating stress response pathways. Cold exposure for example triggers hormesis, a mild stress that causes cells to adapt by increasing NAD+ production. Fasting and calorie restriction also promotes mitochondrial efficiency and can activate longevity pathways that naturally raise NAD+”.

Maz also recommends making sure your diet contains plenty of Vitamin B3 (Niacin) most commonly found in foods such as beef, poultry, fish brown rice, nuts, seeds, legumes, banana, avocado, and broccoli, as it serves as a precursor to NAD+ and can help boost levels.

Skincare goes cellular

Skincare brands are now formulating creams and serums with NAD+ precursors, aiming to recharge skin cells at the source. By supporting cellular energy and repair, these products promise firmer, more resilient skin, not just a quick surface fix, but a potential deep-level rejuvenation. Tracey Cairns, MURAD, Director of Education explains that one of these key precursors is niacinamide that our skin uses to make NAD+ and by using skincare that contains these types of precursors can help improve skin elasticity, enhance barrier function, reduce pigmentation and inflammation and accelerate wound healing, so we can give the skin what it needs to increase its own NAD+.

The bottom line

NAD+ isn’t a magic bullet – but it may just be the closest thing we have to a midlife reset button. Supporting your NAD+ levels through smart supplementation, targeted skincare, and healthy living could help us feel more energised, resilient, and radiant, inside and out and I for one, am all for that!

Try:

Murad Retinal Resculpt Overnight Cream – a luxurious high-tech lifting and firming night cream powered by encapsulated retinal and NAD+ Lift Complex and they also do a body cream and eye cream to! 

Inner Confidence NMN+essential vitamins – Created by beauty industry stalwarts, this supplement supports energy, clarity, and long-term wellbeing, 

words by Nicola de Burlet