NAD+ for Skincare: The Research Behind the Beauty Industry’s 2024 Trend of the Year

With dozens of articles in recent years heralding the vitamin B derivative, Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), as an anti-aging fountain of youth—including peer-reviewed research studies—it was only a matter of time before the skin care industry would catch on. 

Industry heavyweights such as Cosmetics Business refer to NAD+ as “skin care’s new darling,” while PopSugar praises it as “the Latest Buzzy Beauty Ingredient.” Some forward-thinking holistic skincare brands are taking an inside-out approach to skincare, including NAD+-boosting ingredients in their products. This paradigm shift focuses on enhancing beauty at the cellular level rather than an outside-in approach. 

The NAD+ skincare trend may offer a safer, more affordable, and perhaps more effective approach than the traditional model. According to Harvard Health, the average woman uses 12 beauty products daily, many containing potentially harmful synthetic chemicals. 

However, beyond the glossy headlines, does research support NAD+ for skin care?

How Does NAD+ Support Skin Health?

In a 2023 research study (on mice) published in the International Journal of Physiology, Pathophysiology, and Pharmacology, NAD+ “profoundly decreased” ultraviolet-induced skin damage. 

The researchers found that NAD+ significantly lowered the reduction of superoxide dismutase caused by UV damage in the mitochondria of cells. Superoxide dismutase is a powerful antioxidant enzyme that protects against the root cause of pre-mature aging: oxidative stress. 

In addition, the researchers also discovered that NAD+ lowered the levels of the inflammatory marker, cyclooxygenase (COX) 2, and significantly mitigated DNA damage also caused by excess ultraviolet light exposure. Finally, the researchers found NAD+ protected cells against UV-induced premature death (apoptosis).

“Our study [suggests] great potential of NAD+ as a protective agent for [ultraviolet]-induced skin damage,” the researchers concluded.

A 2009 research study in Current Pharmaceutical Design suggests that niacin (vitamin B3) deficiency in humans leads to low NAD+ levels, which causes sun sensitivity in the skin. Interestingly, the researchers explain that human skin keratinocytes contain nicotinic acid receptors, the primary type of cells found in the epidermis. Keratinocytes, which produce the skin, hair, and nails’ structural protein (keratin), form a protective barrier against environmental factors, pathogens, and water loss. Thus, when NAD+ binds to the nicotinic acid receptor sites in the keratinocytes, the skin is better protected against UV damage.

NAD+ and Collagen

The human body consists of tens of thousands of proteins, of which collagen is the most abundant. Like the skeleton frame of a skyscraper, type 1 collagen provides a matrix-like structural support scaffolding in the dermis, the deepest layer of the skin. Due to aging, the skin’s strength and quantity of collagen fibers decline. Thus, supplementing with NAD+ may help reverse the aging process. 

NAD+ is thought to enhance collagen production by influencing several cellular processes, including:

Energy Production

Your cells need adequate levels of ATP (the primary source of energy in the cells) for collagen to be synthesized.  The bonding of amino acids (building blocks of protein) that form collagen requires sufficient cellular energy, which NAD+ enhances. 

NAD+-Dependent Enzymes in Collagen Synthesis

Several collagen synthesis enzymes depend on NAD+. For instance, prolyl hydroxylases, enzymes crucial for collagen stabilization, require NAD+ as a cofactor. 

DNA Repair and Cell Viability

DNA doesn’t only predetermine your eye and hair color. The health of your DNA in real-time significantly affects your skin’s appearance. NAD+ acts like a handyman for DNA repair—this is important because maintaining the integrity of the cell’s genetic material is crucial for collagen-producing cells (fibroblasts). Cells with higher levels of NAD+ are better equipped to repair damaged DNA and synthesize collagen.

Sirtuin Activation

NAD+ is a catalyst for sirtuins, a class of proteins involved in regulating various cellular functions, including collagen production. Sirtuins modulate the activity of collagen’s genetic expression.

Antioxidant Capacity

Oxidative stress damages collagen fibers. NAD+ activates antioxidant enzymes, helping to counteract oxidative stress and support collagen preservation.

Mitochondrial Function

NAD+ provides energy for the powerhouse of the cells—the mitochondria. Healthy mitochondria are essential for cellular activities, including the synthesis and processing of collagen.

All this scientific evidence supports NAD+ for repairing skin cells and enhancing beauty at the cellular level. 

What is the Best Skincare Supplement with NAD+?

A few skincare brands, such as Young Goose, have introduced products with NAD+ boosters (precursors). However, you can also increase your cellular levels of NAD+ orally. 

Nadovim, formulated by the integrative medicine pioneer Dr. Thomas Szulc, M.D., can also assist with reversing collagen degradation. Featuring actual NAD+ molecules (no precursors), Nadovim also contains seven ingredients that support skin health, including magnesium, bacopa, and cat’s claw. The serving size of Nadovim is just two capsules per day.

What Does the Future of Skin Care Hold?

By our 40s, our levels of NAD+ may decline by as much as 50%. As more research proves the anti-aging abilities of NAD+ at the cellular level, we can expect more skincare brands to feature NAD+ boosters in their offerings.