Issue #199: Is NMN The Fountain Of Youth?
Good morning. It’s Tuesday, June 13th.
Today’s Quick Win
From the Lab: The Fountain of Youth??
Speed Read: Using AI for Lifespan
Tuesday QR: Chocolate Chia Recovery Drink
“In nothing do men more nearly approach the gods, than giving health to men.”
Our brain is 2% of our body weight, but takes up 20% of our energy. That’s because every single brain cell has 2 million (yes, 2 million) mitochondria - our energy powerhouses. (Source)
From the Lab
After so many studies in mice - there’s now a randomized clinical trial to measure the efficacy and safety of NMN (Nicotinamide Mononucleotide) on actual humans.
Why all the fuss over this co-enzyme related to Vitamin B3 (Niacin)??
Well it didn’t start the research, but David Sinclair’s book, Lifespan, brought the supplement - and the thinking that we can control how well and how long we live - to the mainstream media.
He showed in his lab that NMN turned old mice into “American Ninja Warrior” mice and made them live much longer.
“NAD replacement is one of the most exciting things happening in the biology of aging.” - Dr. Nir Barzilai, Director of Institute of Aging Research, Albert Einstein College of Medicine (from Life Force).
Since then, he and his dad have been taking it for years and he suggested this is one of the very top reasons his “biological age” is so much younger than his chronological age. He even suggests a colleague’s mom started getting her periods after already having gone through menopause.
NOTE: I took it myself for a couple of months and felt there might have been a slight boost in energy - but that might have also been a placebo effect. I haven’t stuck with it.
So what’s real science, science fiction, and still unknown?
NAD+ is a coenzyme required for life - we’d literally die within minutes without it. It helps convert our fuel (glucose, fats) into energy.
It’s also been shown to help repair our DNA - which gets broken all the time - due to everything from too much sunlight exposure, over-eating, alcohol, even throwing off our circadian rhythm, and loud noise.
We lose about 50% of our NAD+ by our early 50’s - although to be fair, most of the loss occurs by the end of puberty.
Fact: the study proves that studies in humans (not just mice) show that NMN and NR (Nicotinamide riboside) do boost NAD+ circulating in the bloodstream for us humans.
This makes sense as other studies on NR have previously shown this result.
Fact: the study further validates previous research that there don’t seem to be any side-effects or significant risks to using NMN as a supplement.
But that’s about it.
Fiction: the study suggested that NMN significantly lowers our “biological age” - based on using Aging.Ai 3.0 calculator. But here’s the thing - the participants taking NMN measured the same age at the end of the 60-day study as the start (they did not age in 60 days). The placebo/control group got 5.6 years OLDER in just 60 days.
I appreciate what we hear from people like researcher Charles Brenner who suggests that these supplements (he specifically works on and now has a company for NR) can significantly improve our health quality - but there’s not currently a basis for them making us live significantly longer.
Unknown: these studies are all for short durations and we don’t know what will happen by taking these supplements for years or even decades.
Follow the Money
Another point to the story - NMN was a supplement, not overseen by the FDA. But a company, Metro Biotech, of which David Sinclair is an advisor and presumably equity holder - is now getting FDA approval for NMN to become a regulated pharmaceutical.
They know what’s at stake - look at Novo Nordisk becoming the second most valuable company in Europe thanks to its weight loss drugs.
Whether drugs or golf - always follow the money.
Bottom Line
NMN or NR appear to be safe to consume and may improve our health - we just don’t know the real impact yet. But if you’re willing to pay the price for these supplements make sure you go with a reputable brand (Renue by Science or Tru Niagen) as many online NMN or NR supplements aren’t real.
Something to remember from Peter Attia: “The longevity benefits of NMN and NR are nothing compared to exercise.”
Thrive25 Partner Spotlight
Magnesium is a master mineral - we covered the benefits of Magnesium in Issue #21. The only form that gets into the brain is Magnesium Threonate (MgT).
The Momentous Magnesium Threonate supplement is clinically proven to improve cognitive function and enhance the quality of sleep (see video from Dr. Andrew Huberman at minute 2:19). So it’s become part of my personal sleep routine.
Thrive25 subscribers get 15% off the entire product portfolio using code Thrive at checkout. Click HERE!
Speed Read
Health & Longevity in the News
Less Breathing = Longer Life?: Not quite. But if we are allotted a fixed number of breaths, and if we took fewer, deeper breaths would we live longer? Think about that for a min. Ok, onto the real science - oxygen restriction appears to extend life of mice by 50%. Who’s ready to be part of the first human clinical trial? (Learn more)
Think Global, Act Local: What does “local” mean to you when it comes to food? Neighboring farm, from your state, from your region? It turns out, it can mean almost anything. When we discussed food labels (Issue #171), we highlighted some meaningless terms. While “local” is still meaningful, you just need to know how local “local” is. (The Guardian)
Using AI for Lifespan: There’s a lot of debate on reining in AI, but it’s hard to argue when used for good. Researchers have used AI to find mTOR-inhibiting molecules - mTOR inhibitors like rapamycin are all the rage in longevity communities. Research on rapamycin is in heated debate due to a series of side effects: the purpose of this research is to find better molecules without the extra baggage. (Lifespan.io)
Tuesday QR | Chocolate Chia Recovery Drink
Drink this recovery drink 30-90 min after a workout and you’ll feel a difference. Magnesium (did you see Partner Spotlight?) from coconut water promotes the relaxation of muscles and nerves - meaning less soreness. And chia seeds are small but powerful - the iron in the seeds helps burn carbs faster and potassium helps to replenish glycogen reserves, both helpful for recovery.
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