Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) was first discovered in 1906 by the British biochemists Arthur Harden and William John Young. They were studying the fermentation of yeast cells, and they found that NAD+ was essential for this process.
In 1938, Conrad Elvehjem discovered that NAD+ was a precursor to nicotinamide, a vitamin that is essential for preventing pellagra, a disease that is characterized by skin lesions, diarrhea, dementia, and death.
In the 1960s, scientists discovered that NAD+ was also involved in cell signaling. NAD+ is a cofactor for many enzymes, which means that it is required for these enzymes to function properly. NAD+ is involved in a wide range of cellular processes, including energy metabolism, DNA repair, and cell signaling.
In the 1980s and 1990s, researchers discovered that NAD+ levels decline with age. This decline is thought to contribute to a variety of age-related diseases and conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.
In the early 2000s, researchers discovered that nicotinamide riboside (NR) and nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) are precursors to NAD+. This discovery led to the development of NR and NMN supplements, which can be used to boost NAD+ levels in the body.
NAD+ research is still in its early stages, but it is one of the most rapidly growing areas of longevity research. There are a number of clinical trials underway to investigate the safety and efficacy of NAD+ for a variety of conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.
Here are some of the key milestones in the history of NAD+ research:
- 1906: NAD+ is discovered by Arthur Harden and William John Young.
- 1938: Conrad Elvehjem discovers that NAD+ is a precursor to nicotinamide.
- 1960s: NAD+ is discovered to be involved in cell signaling.
- 1980s and 1990s: NAD+ levels are found to decline with age.
- Early 2000s: NR and NMN are discovered to be precursors to NAD+.
- 2010s and 2020s: NAD+ research accelerates, with a focus on developing NAD+ boosters for age-related diseases.
NAD+ research is a rapidly growing field, and new discoveries are being made all the time. NAD+ has the potential to revolutionize the way we treat and prevent age-related diseases, and it could play a major role in extending human lifespan.
