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Human whole-blood NAD+ levels do not vary with age or lifestyle interventions
Maria M Trętowicz1,2, Angelique M L Scantlebery1, Bauke V Schomakers1,2,3
1Laboratory Genetic Metabolic Diseases, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) levels in blood and tissues are widely proposed to decline with age, yet evidence in human blood is inconsistent. Using a rigorously validated ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry system that accounts for real-world analytical variability, we quantify NAD+ across seven independent human cohorts. We find that whole-blood NAD+ levels remain remarkably stable with age and across lifestyle interventions, but change in response to nicotinamide riboside supplementation, as expected. Our results challenge the utility of blood NAD+ levels as a biomarker of ageing or lifestyle factors.
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