What Does NMN Do For The Body?

Looking for a way to reverse aging, improve metabolism, and boost longevity? Have we got the molecule for you! 

Heather Eastman, NSCA-CPT and CFT L1

You might not have heard of this molecule, but more and more studies are showing that daily NMN supplementation may improve metabolism, boost immune function, and even reverse the damaging effects of lifestyle and aging. 

Given the loftiness of these claims, it’s worth taking a moment to look at what is, how it works, and what NMN can do for you.  

What is NMN and What Does NMN Do?

NMN stands for nicotinamide mononucleotide. It is a naturally occurring molecule in the body and a direct precursor to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), a coenzyme that assists with a multitude of essential functions, including cellular repair and energy production. 

NAD+ is one of the most abundant molecules in the body, yet many common lifestyle factors—lack of sleep, poor diet, exposure to toxins, excess stress, and aging—can deplete NAD+ levels in the body. Since NMN is a precursor to NAD+, supplementing with NMN can help restore NAD+ to ideal levels, which in turn helps with energy production and repair of every cell in your body.

How Does NMN Work? 

A good way to think of NMN and how it works is to imagine a battery. As you use the battery (in this case, your body) it becomes further and further depleted, losing electrons with each exchange and reaction. Just like the battery, your body can be recharged, but it requires an outside boost to help restore those electrons. 

NAD+ helps replenish your cellular “batteries,” and NMN is the molecule that helps make all of that happen. Unlike stimulant-laden supplements, the recharging boost you get from NMN is not something you’ll notice right away. Daily supplementation over 4-6 weeks is recommended to achieve optimal results, which is why replenishing your NMN supply each month is crucial. 

What Does NMN Do for You?

How does all of this help you? As discussed in The Official BioStack Labs Biohacking Supplements Protocol, improving your NAD+ levels helps your body slow down the effects of aging at a cellular level by improving cellular energy and performance. With every cell of your body functioning and performing at optimal levels, you experience an improvement in your energy, your recovery, and your performance. 

But what does NMN reallydo? 

NMN and Aging

For starters, NMN can help with aging. NAD+ helps with DNA repair, and animals studies have shown that supplementation with NMN for the purposes of replenishing NAD+ may slow aging in a variety of tissues, and even has the potential to reverse declining cell function. Does this mean you’ll wake up after your first bottle looking 20 years younger? Of course not, but it does mean NMN can slow down the aging process and promote better health and longevity for many critical organ systems, including your brain, heart, and gut. 

NMN and Metabolism

As we’ve already discussed, NAD+ is a key enzyme for optimal cell function and maintaining energy output. We’ve also discussed how poor diet – especially diets high in saturated fat – can accelerate the aging process. Studies in mice have shown that boosting NAD+ levels helps to not only mitigate the effects of a poor diet, it can also increase exercise capacity, even in older subjects. Some studies have even shown supplementation with NMN reversed the impaired glucose tolerance in female mice. In layman’s terms, this means the effects of diabetes in these subjects were reversed, suggesting that NMN supplementation could be a new strategy to fight metabolic disease. 

NMN and Immunity

Anytime your body fights disease it uses valuable resources at an accelerated rate. This includes NAD+. Just as you need to stay hydrated, well-rested, and nourished to maintain a healthy immune system, you need optimal NAD+ levels as well. Supplementation with NMN helps regulate inflammation and cellular function before, during, and after an immune response. NMN has even been used in the treatment of Covid-19 patients in attempts to bring down fevers and inflammation. 

Is NMN Good For You?

More research is needed to determine the full potential for using NMN to improve aging, metabolism, and immune function, but the antioxidant and cell-boosting effects of this molecule are already well-documented. We already know NAD+ decreases significantly as we age, and boosting NAD+ through NMN supplementation has been show to be both safe and effective. 

As discussed in the article, Is Biohacking Safe,asking if NMN is good for you is a bit like asking if exercise or dieting is good for you. Assuming you are following a safe protocol and acquiring your NMN from a trusted and reliable source, there really isn’t a downside to taking NMN daily. 

What Is the Best Way to Take NMN?

As with any foundational supplement, such as vitamin C, that you take to improve overall health and longevity, consistency is key. With NMN supplementation, you won’t notice the effects after the first week, but you start to see improvements in the first 2-4 weeks of daily supplementation. After about 16 weeks, you’ll begin to experience the full benefits of this supplement. 

For this reason, it’s best to take NMN daily over a period of several months so you can build up and maintain ideal NAD+ levels. Once you’ve reached this point, every cell in your body will have what it needs to function optimally, giving you better energy, faster recovery, improved metabolism, and better overall longevity. 

To view other biohacking supplements and learn more about the BioStack Labs Supplement Protocol, click here.