About four years ago, Megan and I flew to the U.K. and went to ‘IV Boost’, our favourite London IV clinic to have the new NAD drip that everybody was talking about. The lovely Dr. Josh welcomed us in, explained the process, and got us going. NAD is a slow drip and it took about 2 hours to administer, but the results were astonishing. Our fatigue from the overnight flight was washed away, and instead of withdrawing to an early dinner and bed, we scooted out to enjoy one of London’s great shows.
The question that needs to be addressed, is what exactly is an NAD drip, and what does it do inside of us that was so invigorating.
Inside of every cell are battery power packs called mitochondria. Think of them like a well-functioning Eskom from 20 years ago, providing essential energy, clearing toxins and repairing cellular damage. However, the key to mitochondrial energy is a molecule called NAD, whose full name is the cumbersome Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide. Over time, we run out of NAD, and by the time we are 60 our mitochondria can be functioning at just 50 percent of capacity – rather like the modern-day Eskom. However, by replacing NAD (most ideally in the form of a drip), we can unlock our flagging mitochondrial machinery and experience its boost of energy. Stress, toxins and a lack of sleep will also cause our NAD energy system to flag, which is why we enjoyed such a huge energy boost after our overnight flight.
However, NAD has further functions. We age because our DNA becomes damaged, and one of the jobs of NAD is to protect our DNA from the damaging effects of radiation and other toxins. However, as we age we lose this protective ability, our DNA becomes increasingly damaged and we watch in the mirror as our body visibly ages.1
Replacing NAD helps to keep our DNA protected, and should slow the aging process as we make our way through life.
Lastly, NAD drips boost our happy hormone serotonin in the brain and support our craving hormone dopamine. For this reason, we have used the drip to help people stop smoking, reduce their alcohol, boost their mood and have even found it quite beneficial for our dementia patients.
In summary, a NAD drip is not for everybody as it takes two hours to administer, and so if you are nervous about needles, we would probably start you on a quicker, easier drip.
In addition, although the potential for NAD is very exciting, and although we get great feedback from our patients who have had the drip, the evidence in the literature for the success of NAD drips is still limited.2
However, for people who are struggling with energy, who want to protect their DNA from damage, or who have low moods, cravings or worsening forgetfulness, our experience is that a NAD drip can be transformative.
If you would like to know more about this, then please contact our front desk for more information.
References
- Leonard Guarente et al. NAD+ and sirtuins in aging and disease. Trends Cell Biol. 2014: 24: 464-71.
- Radenkovic D et al. Clinical evidence for targeting NAD therapeutically. Pharmaceuticals. 2020: 13: 247.
