NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide) is a precursor to coenzyme I (NAD+, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) in the human body. NAD+ plays a key role in physiological processes such as cellular metabolism, energy production, and DNA repair. As people age, NAD+ levels gradually decline. Supplementing with NMN can increase NAD+ levels, helping to improve age-related physiological functions—this is particularly beneficial for middle-aged and elderly populations.
01 Enhancing Energy Metabolism
With age, the function of mitochondria (the main site of cellular energy production) in cells gradually declines. NAD+ is a critical coenzyme for energy metabolism in mitochondria, participating in important metabolic pathways like the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle.
After middle-aged and elderly individuals supplement with NMN, NMN is rapidly converted into NAD+, increasing intracellular NAD+ levels. This provides more energy substrates for mitochondria, promotes the production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), and thus enhances cellular energy metabolism. As a result, middle-aged and elderly people receive sufficient energy during physical activities, reducing fatigue caused by energy deficiency.
02 Improving Cardiovascular Function
- Regulating blood lipids: NMN may regulate the expression of lipid metabolism-related genes in the liver, promote the oxidative decomposition of fatty acids, and reduce the synthesis of triglycerides and cholesterol. This lowers blood lipid levels, helping to prevent hyperlipidemia and cardiovascular diseases caused by it.
- Lowering blood pressure: NMN activates endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in vascular endothelial cells, promoting the production of nitric oxide (NO). As an important vasodilator, NO relaxes vascular smooth muscle, increases vascular diameter, and reduces blood flow resistance—thereby lowering blood pressure.
- Enhancing vascular endothelial function: NMN promotes the proliferation and migration of vascular endothelial cells, strengthens the connections between these cells, and improves the integrity and function of the vascular endothelium. This helps the endothelium better regulate vascular tone and exert anti-thrombotic effects, preventing the development of arteriosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases.
03 Enhancing Cognitive Ability
- Promoting neuronal survival and regeneration: In the brain, NAD+ derived from NMN activates the Sirtuins protein family, especially SIRT1. SIRT1 regulates the expression of genes related to neuronal survival and regeneration, promotes the proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells, generates new neurons, replenishes neurons damaged by aging or disease, and maintains the quantity and function of brain neurons.
- Improving neurotransmitter transmission: NMN helps maintain normal NAD+ levels in nerve cells, which is essential for the synthesis, release, and signal transmission of neurotransmitters. For example, it can affect the synthesis and release of neurotransmitters like acetylcholine—key to cognitive functions such as learning and memory—thus improving brain cognitive function and enhancing memory and learning abilities.
04 Boosting Immunity
- Regulating immune cell function: NMN modulates the activity of immune cells such as T cells and B cells, enhances the proliferation and differentiation of T cells (enabling them to better recognize and attack pathogens), and promotes B cells to produce antibodies—improving the body’s humoral immune response.
- Enhancing ROS scavenging in immune cells: Immune cells produce large amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS) when functioning; excessive ROS damages immune cells. By increasing intracellular NAD+ levels, NMN activates the antioxidant enzyme system, enhances immune cells’ ability to scavenge ROS, protects immune cells from oxidative damage, and maintains their normal immune function.
05 Delaying Aging
- Activating the longevity-related Sirtuins family: Sirtuins are a group of NAD+-dependent deacetylases that play important roles in cellular metabolism, gene expression regulation, and DNA repair. After NMN increases intracellular NAD+ levels, it activates Sirtuins proteins (e.g., SIRT1, SIRT3), which regulate various intracellular signaling pathways through deacetylation to delay cellular aging.
- Repairing damaged DNA: During cellular metabolism, DNA is constantly damaged by internal and external factors (e.g., UV radiation, oxidative stress). By increasing NAD+ levels, NMN provides sufficient substrates for DNA repair enzymes like PARP (poly ADP-ribose polymerase), enhancing DNA repair capacity and reducing the accumulation of DNA damage—thus delaying cellular aging.
06 Improving Sleep Quality
The human circadian clock is regulated by a series of circadian clock genes (e.g., Per, Cry, Bmal1). NMN regulates the expression rhythm of these genes, making the circadian clock more stable and regular.
After middle-aged and elderly individuals supplement with NMN, it adjusts the cycle and phase of the circadian clock, aligning it better with the circadian rhythm of the external environment—thus improving the sleep-wake cycle.
07 Protecting Vision
Photoreceptor cells and retinal pigment epithelial cells in the retina are crucial for maintaining vision.
By increasing intracellular NAD+ levels, NMN enhances the antioxidant capacity of retinal cells, reduces oxidative stress damage to cells, protects retinal cells from free radical attacks, and delays the senescence and death of retinal cells.
08 Promoting Bone Health
- Enhancing osteoblast activity: Osteoblasts are responsible for bone formation and remodeling. NMN activates signaling pathways like Wnt/β-catenin, promotes the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts, increases the quantity and activity of osteoblasts, and stimulates the synthesis and mineralization of bone matrix—thus increasing bone mineral density and bone strength.
- Inhibiting osteoclast activity: Osteoclasts mainly mediate bone resorption; excessive osteoclast activity leads to bone loss. NMN regulates the RANKL/RANK/OPG signaling pathway, inhibits the formation and activity of osteoclasts, reduces bone resorption, maintains normal bone metabolic balance, and prevents bone diseases like osteoporosis.
09 Supporting Blood Glucose Regulation
- Improving insulin sensitivity: Insulin resistance is a common cause of abnormal blood glucose regulation in middle-aged and elderly people. NMN activates the AMPK signaling pathway, regulates intracellular energy metabolism, increases cells’ sensitivity to insulin, enables cells to better respond to insulin signals, and promotes the transport of glucose transporter GLUT4 to the cell membrane—thus enhancing cellular glucose uptake and utilization.
- Regulating the expression of glucose metabolism-related genes: NMN regulates the expression of glucose metabolism-related genes (e.g., glucokinase, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase) in tissues like the liver and muscles. This promotes glucose metabolism and storage, inhibits gluconeogenesis, helps maintain stable blood glucose levels, and provides auxiliary support for the prevention and treatment of diabetes mellitus.