One ingredient that has been gaining attention in recent years as an anti-aging component is NMN. It is also found in tomatoes, avocados, and broccoli, and is produced from vitamin B3.
This article provides overview information on NMN, which is being researched worldwide in the fields of medicine and beauty, as well as details on how to consume it efficiently.
What is NMN?
NMN is an abbreviation for “nicotinamide mononucleotide.” It is an substance that has attracted a lot of attention in recent years for its potential anti-aging effects.
NMN produced from vitamin B3 is converted in the body into a substance called NAD, which is necessary for energy metabolism. NAD is essential for the function of various organs in living beings, but its amount decreases as we age.
How NMN came to the attention of the world
NMN first came to the world’s attention in 2011, when a group led by Professor Shinichiro Imai of the University of Washington School of Medicine demonstrated that NMN had a remarkable therapeutic effect on diabetes in a mouse experiment. When diabetic mice were fed NMN, their symptoms improved dramatically.
In addition, it has been reported to help restore memory and cognitive function loss associated with Alzheimer’s disease, aging-related organ dysfunction, and heart failure, as well as diabetes.
Professor Imai’s group conducted an experiment in which mice in their 20s to 60s (as equivalent in human years) were given NMN, and the results were published in the American academic journal Cell Metabolism, showing that NMN is expected to have a wide range of anti-aging effects.
Professor Imai, who specializes in the regulatory mechanisms of aging and lifespan in mammals, is also the person who discovered in 2000 that the sirtuin enzymes are a factor that regulates aging and lifespan in the body. This discovery had a major impact not only on the medical industry, but also on the beauty industry.
However, it is important to note that chemically synthesized NMN includes α-NMN that cannot be detected in a normal analysis. The only effective NMN is β-NMN when it is manufactured using the same reaction that happens in our body.
Main benefits expected from NMN
The main benefits that can be expected from taking NMN are as follows
Control of weight gain
First of all, it may inhibit weight gain. Experiments on mice by Professor Imai’s group have shown this effect.
After one year of observing two groups of mice (one group was administered NMN and the other was not), the mice in the NMN group ate more as they got older. But at the same time, their energy metabolism increased to a level not much different from that of young mice. Because they were burning fatty acids to obtain energy, they gained less weight as they aged.
Control of bone density loss
The second effect is the inhibition of bone density loss. As a result of the long-term administration of NMN to mice mentioned above, it was found that bone density also increased slightly.
Improved insulin sensitivity
Experiments with mice have shown that it enhances insulin sensitivity throughout the body. Insulin sensitivity refers to the ease with which insulin works, and the higher the sensitivity, the easier it is for insulin to work.
Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas that regulates blood sugar levels. Diabetes, which we often hear about, is a condition in which cells cannot take up blood sugar properly and the blood is flooded with sugar because insulin is no longer working adequately.
In a clinical trial on postmenopausal pre-diabetic (pre-diabetic) women, Professor Imai’s group announced in the American scientific journal Science that NMN enhances muscle insulin sensitivity. Since the effect of NMN was found to be greater in females than in mice, they divided postmenopausal pre-diabetic women into two groups and had only one group take NMN, which revealed that skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity increased by an average of 25%.
Inhibits cognitive decline
A different research group from Prof. Imai’s group has reported that administration of NMN to mice suppressed cell death in the hippocampus of the brain, which is closely related to Alzheimer’s disease.
What about its anti-aging effects?
In the aforementioned mouse experiments conducted by the group led by Professor Imai, a wide range of anti-aging effects were observed, including an increase in activity and immune cells. The difference between the mice who took NMN and those who did not was apparent in the age range 40s-50s in human years. This is related to the fact that NMN increases the activity of sirtuins, which are enzymes that control aging and lifespan.
Different research institutes have also reported numerous reports on the retention of elasticity of blood vessels and the improvement of the function of various tissues and organs during aging.
However, it is still in the mouse experimental stage, so the results of future clinical trials on humans are still awaited.
Mechanism of action of NMN
When NMN is taken, it is converted into a coenzyme called NAD in the body, which stimulates the activation of sirtuins. Through this mechanism, aging is controlled.
NAD is a coenzyme (an enzyme that helps enzymes function) that is essential for maintaining bodily functions, but it declines with age, and by the time people reach their 50s, the amount of NAD in the body is half of what it was in their 20s. This leads to various problems such as obesity, degeneration of cranial nerves, vision and hearing, and enlargement of the heart.
There are seven types of sirtuins activated by NAD, the most important of which is SIRT1, which improves sugar and fat metabolism, repairs cell membranes, and has other functions.
In experiments in which SIRT1 function was enhanced in the hypothalamus of mice, older mice became as active as younger mice, and their body temperature and metabolism increased, as well as their sensitivity to insulin, which lowers blood sugar levels. It has also been proven that the onset of symptoms and diseases associated with aging, such as obesity, retinal inflammation, and decreased tear volume, also slowed down.
All these are important points regarding the action of SIRT1, and supplementing NMN leads to an increase in NAD and activation of SIRT1.
How to supplement NMN
The main way to supplement NMN is through oral intake. Since the human body is naturally equipped with proteins that act as transporters to rapidly take up NMN into the bloodstream and convert it to NAD faster than it is broken down by intestinal bacteria, oral intake of NMN will efficiently activate the sirtuins.
NMN needs to be compensated.
NAD, which is converted from NMN, gradually decreases with age. For this reason, NMN must be supplemented within a certain period of time. NMN can be supplemented from foods such as broccoli, avocados, edamame, tomatoes, cabbage, and cucumbers, but in very small amounts.
How and how often to take NMN
Taking supplements is recommended as an efficient way to consume NMN. However, it is not enough to take it blindly, but to take it while observing the appropriate dosage.
Precautions when taking NMN
Because the technology for mass production of NMN has not been established, all supplements currently available are relatively expensive. For this reason, inexpensive niacin (vitamin B3) supplements are sometimes commercialized as if they were the real NMN. Some studies have shown that niacin can be effective in some cases, but be careful, because large doses of niacin can cause liver damage and other side effects.
There is also a component called NR (nicotinamide riboside), which also produces NAD. This ingredient has been reported to have an anti-aging effect in mouse experiments, but its anti-aging effect has not been demonstrated in humans, probably because it is decomposed by intestinal bacteria when taken orally.
What is the age at which NMN is expected to be effective?
Anti-aging effects of NMN supplements can be expected from people in their 40s to 50s.
Experiments on mice have shown that even when administered to young, healthy mice, the effect is not significant, and it is only when the mice are in their 40s or 50s that the difference between the administered group and the non-administered group begins to emerge. If the anti-aging effect is sufficiently effective, we can expect to see an increase in “healthy life expectancy,” the ability to enjoy a healthy life right up to the time of death.
Testimonials from patients who have taken NMN
For those who are not sure about taking NMN supplements, here are some testimonials from patients who have taken NMN. We have received a testimonial from a 60 year old who said that the pain from a chronic illness has actually eased. She says, “I had to take painkillers every day for many years because I worked far too hard when I was young and had several internal diseases. Now I haven’t taken any painkillers for about a month. The people around me are surprised that I haven’t been complaining about pain at all. “NMN 9000+”, that I was recommended, is a little expensive, but I think it’s well worth it.”
If you are interested in NMN, please contact our clinic.
If you are interested in NMN, please contact Tokyo Ginza Wellness Aging Clinic. The clinic specializes in anti-aging care through comprehensive medical care based on the three pillars of “understanding aging,” “enjoying aging,” and “confronting aging.
We focus on “preventive medicine,” which provides advice on health and preventive methods suited to each individual based on signs of aging and disease, and practice cell regeneration, functional regenerative medicine, care of the intestinal environment, and prescription of nutritional ingredients in order to achieve “disease-free” health.
We also prescribe NMN supplements for those who want to take a positive approach to aging.
NMN is an ingredient that is attracting attention for its anti-aging effects. Mouse experiments have proven its effectiveness in improving metabolism and eliminating obesity in mice, which are the equivalent of humans in their 40s and 50s.
Taking NMN is recommended because you cannot get enough from your diet. NMN is also prescribed at Tokyo Ginza Wellness & Aging Clinic.
