NAD supplements, NAD, and NAD+: what they are and the science behind them

NAD supplements, NAD, and NAD+: what they are and the science behind them

You do your best to look after your health. That might mean spending hours in the gym, tracking your steps, and trying to eat well. The promise behind these choices is a longer life, with enough energy to enjoy it. But even if you follow the checklist, you feel exhausted

Behind the tiredness are your cells, tiny machines that turn what you eat into energy to fuel your day. And to do so, they rely on a key tool: NAD molecules. But as you age, NAD levels decline, and so does your ability to recover. 

In this article, we’ll explain:

  • What NAD and NAD+ are

  • The scientific evidence behind the benefits of NAD supplements

  • and how their different formats, such as NAD+ drinks, can fit into a busy lifestyle.

TL;DR

  • NAD and NAD+ are essential molecules that power your cells, protect your DNA, and keep your energy running, but they naturally decline with age.

  • NAD supplements (commonly expensive IV drips or powder/pills) are designed to top up declining NAD levels, supporting energy, focus, and recovery as you age.

  • NEU+ has released the NAD+ drink: a simple 60 mL daily shot that makes NAD supplementation easy, affordable, and something you'll actually stick to.

What are NAD and NAD+? A scientific overview

NAD (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide) is a molecule needed for the process of turning food into usable energy. When you eat, fatty acids and sugars are broken down in your cells, releasing the energy they carry. 

NAD molecules act as transporters, storing this energy in the form of electrons, and delivering them to the power plant of the cell: the mitochondria. There, these electrons serve to produce ATP, a molecule that acts as the energy currency your body uses for everything from muscle contraction to brain function.

During this process, NAD switches between two forms, NAD+ and NADH, depending on whether it’s carrying electrons or not. Without sufficient NAD, your cells wouldn’t produce energy efficiently, which over time can contribute to fatigue, poor stamina, slower recovery, and brain fog. 

But NAD doesn’t just support daily energy; it also helps protect your cells over time. According to studies, NAD participates in many processes, from immune response to DNA damage repair. This makes NAD essential in regulating inflammation and genome stability, ensuring cells function smoothly.


Growing interest in NAD supplementation is driving more research into its effects on recovery and healthy aging. 

NAD decreases with age, but at what age exactly?

Given its importance, the body has its own ways to produce NAD, mainly from vitamin B3 and tryptophan, found in meat, legumes, and nuts. If your diet provides enough of these precursors, NAD should, in theory, stay within healthy levels. 

However, studies suggest that NAD declines with age, which may help explain why energy is reduced over time. In fact, researchers found lower levels of NAD in muscles from older individuals, with improvements linked to exercise habits. 

This makes sense: as we get older, our cells work harder to keep inflammation and DNA damage under control. At the same time, the machinery that produces NAD might be less efficient than when we were younger.

But the exact age at which this happens is still unknown. Human studies suggest that NAD levels begin to decline from early to mid-adulthood, with clearer reductions detectable by around 40-50 years. The pattern, however, will depend on the tissue, gender, and lifestyle. 

For us, outside our cells, this shows up as slower recoveries and less energy for our daily tasks, especially in our highly demanding lifestyles. This is why many are looking for ways to increase their NAD levels, and supplementation has been shown to do so.

What are NAD supplements?

NAD supplements are products designed to boost your body’s NAD levels, either by providing precursors that will be turned into NAD in your cells or by injecting it. They aim to give extra material for energy production, especially as age and lifestyle put it under pressure.

How NAD supplements help your daily life

At the core of everything your body does is energy production, and at the center of it is NAD. Supporting NAD levels can show up in several areas of your life, and that’s why people turn to NAD+ booster supplements for:

  • Sharper focus. Your brain is an energy-hungry organ, using roughly 20% of your resting energy. When a neuron fires, it consumes high amounts of ATP, your body’s energy currency.  Managing complex projects, dealing with coworkers, and starting a business demands many of your neurons to fire coordinately. This is where healthy NAD+ levels can support clear thinking throughout the day.  Recent research shows that NAD precursors can reach the brain and improve its energy metabolism in patients with Parkinson’s disease. 

  • Real recovery. When you train, muscle fibers use ATP to power each contraction, consuming high amounts of NAD. This contraction triggers cellular stress, activating DNA repair and stress regulation mechanisms, where NAD plays a key role as well. In women with prediabetes, a study showed that NAD supplementation can improve how muscles use energy, and some studies in healthy people show promising results on aerobic capacity and cardiovascular health.

All of this translates into our day-to-day routines. We don’t train or work once a week; instead, our days are full of activities that all together demand high amounts of energy. Resting and having a balanced life are essential, but many times, that’s difficult to achieve. 

NAD can help your body function better in different tasks, so you still have the energy to enjoy yourself and spend time with your loved ones. But the main reason people quit NAD supplements is routine. If you want NAD supplements to really help, they have to fit smoothly into daily life, and this depends on their format. 


NAD supplements work best when the format matches real life, so choosing between pills, injections, or a daily NAD+ drink is key to making them part of your routine.

Different forms of NAD supplementation

For years, NAD supplements have been mainly available in two formats, each with clear pros and cons.

One popular option is capsules and tablets. Most pills contain NAD precursors such as NR or NMN. A typical daily dose of 300 mg costs around £0.70 - £2/day. They are easy to store and carry, but many people find them uncomfortable to swallow or simply forget to take them, especially if they already have other pills to take. 

The second group includes injections and IV infusions. These are typically offered in clinics, and either use a cannula to slowly drip NAD⁺ into a vein (IV infusion) or a syringe to inject NAD⁺ under the skin or into a muscle. Some people seek them out for resets or intensive interventions, as they can deliver large amounts of NAD⁺ over a short session. 

But needles are not for everyone, and the costs are high, averaging £300 per month with at-home solutions or per session when done in a clinic. They can also cause uncomfortable side effects, like nausea or flushing. 

This is why we at NEU+ have developed a new, unique, and simple format to help your body with NAD+, which is easy to take and fits into your routine: the first NAD+ drink.


A daily NEU+ NAD+ drink makes NAD supplements as simple as a 60 mL shot, supporting cellular energy and healthy aging without pills or infusions.

NAD+ drinks: the future of NAD supplementation is here

NAD sits at the center of your cells’ energy production, damage repair, and adaptation to stress. As our lifestyles get busier and NAD declines with age, even a perfect routine can leave you tired. When we looked at all of this, at NEU+ we understood we needed to do better than an IV or a pill no one wanted to swallow. Our mission was clear.

We don’t want you to give up, so we created something special to make NAD supplements accessible for everyone. Our single 60 mL shot is the first NAD⁺ drink in the market, designed to deliver your daily NAD dose in seconds, fuelling your energy from the inside out. We also wanted to make it an affordable option, and something delicious to drink, so that you can easily build it into your morning ritual, without spending hundreds on painful injections or adding another pill to your day. 

As our brand continues to grow, we’d love to hear from you. Have you tried the first NAD+ drink on the market, and how did you feel? If not, you can check our shop here (there are free samples while stock lasts!)

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is NAD+ and why does it matter for your health?

NAD+ (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide) is a molecule found in every cell in your body. It plays a central role in converting the food you eat into usable energy (ATP), while also supporting DNA repair and immune function. Without sufficient NAD+, you can suffer from fatigue, slower recovery, and brain fog over time.

2. At what age do NAD levels start to decline?

Common claims suggest after 30, research shows a spectrum, with NAD levels declining in early to mid-adulthood (30-50). The exact pattern varies depending on factors like tissue type, gender, and lifestyle.

3. Do NAD supplements actually work?

Scientific evidence shows that NAD supplementation can raise NAD levels in the body. Studies have shown promising results in areas like muscle energy metabolism, aerobic capacity, and brain energy function.

4. What is the difference between NAD, NAD+, NADH, NMN, and NR?

NAD is the umbrella term for the molecule. NAD+ and NADH are its two active forms found in your cells. NMN (Nicotinamide Mononucleotide) and NR (Nicotinamide Riboside) are precursors. building blocks your body uses to produce NAD+ internally. Most supplements use NMN or NR rather than NAD+ directly, as they are more easily absorbed.

5. What is the best way to take NAD supplements?

The best format depends on consistency and lifestyle fit. Capsules are common but easy to forget, while IV infusions deliver high doses but are expensive and invasive. NEU+ has developed the first NAD+ drink, a 60 mL daily shot that makes supplementation simple, affordable, and easy to build into a morning routine without needles or swallowing pills.