Researchers estimate that more than 10 million people around the world have Parkinson’s disease, making it the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s disease. There is currently no cure for Parkinson’s disease. Medications, lifestyle changesTrusted Source, and sometimes surgery are used to manage symptoms through the disease’s stages.
Over the past few years, researchers have also looked at nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) an important molecule that helps the body create energy — as a possible treatment for Parkinson’s disease. Previous research suggests people with Parkinson’s may have a NAD+ deficiencyTrusted Source, and increasingTrusted Source NAD+ levels may have a positive effect. Now, a phase 1 clinical trial has found that a high dose supplementation of nicotinamide ribosideTrusted Source (NR) — a source of vitamin B3 and precursor to NAD+ — increased whole blood NAD+ levels and expanded the NAD+ metabolomeTrusted Source in people with Parkinson’s disease, and may be associated with clinical symptomatic improvement for those with the condition. The research is still in its early stages, and it remains to be conclusively proven that NR supplementation can improve the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
The study was recently published in the journal Nature CommunicationsTrusted Source. What are NR and NAD+? According to Prof. Charalampos Tzoulis, professor of neurology and neurogenetics at the University of Bergen and Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen Norway, and co-lead author of this study, NR is a form of vitamin B3 and a precursor of NAD+. “NAD+ is an essential coenzyme that plays a vital role in multiple cellular processes, including mitochondrial function — the powerhouses of the cell — and cellular energy metabolism, regulation of gene expression, and DNA repair,” Dr. Tzoulis explained to Medical News Today. “Research has shown that abnormal energy metabolism, due to dysfunction in the mitochondria, occurs in the Parkinson’s disease brain and is believed to play a role in the initiation and progression of the disease,” he added.
