NAD+ WHAT IS?
NAD+?
What is...
Everybody is talking about NAD+ but what are its skin care benefits and the best ways of delivering this wonder ingredient effectively? Isabel Greiner explains
Isabel Greiner, CEO & founder, Intuisse
Described as a fountain of youth miracle molecule, the latest buzzword in skincare is NAD+, or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, a vitamin B derivative. But what is NAD+? Let’s break it down. In short, NAD+ is a co-enzyme present in every cell of the body. As we age, our levels of NAD+ decline and are at 50% by the time we reach our 40s. There is well-documented research suggesting that the decline in NAD+ is an essential underlying mechanism of ageing at the molecular level. This is important because a better understanding of these mechanisms will lead to a better understanding of ageing as a ‘disease’ and how to slow it down to improve quality of life. Here are the four things you need to know about NAD+ and why it is your skin’s new best friend. NAD+ is central to cellular metabolism in that it is required for ATP (energy or fuel) production in the mitochondria, the battery of all cells. This energy production is essential for maintaining healthy, youthful-looking skin.
It also plays an essential role in DNA repair. What does that mean? When skin cells are exposed to external environmental stressors, eg UV light, they become damaged. If the cells are not repaired, they go into a state of senescence. The body does not get rid of them. Instead, senescent or zombie cells congregate together and only eventually die off (apoptosis). The damaged cells cause inflammation and other tell-tale signs of ageing. Sirtuins and PARPs, are a group of enzymes responsible for cellular function and DNA repair, they are the emergency ambulance service of your skin and they require NAD+ to function. Without NAD+, they cannot do their job. It is the key in the ignition. Further, NAD+ appears to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that help to protect skin cells against environmental damage (eg, free radicals, UV) and, therefore, premature ageing, as well as reduce redness and irritation. Finally, NAD+ promotes your skin’s own production of collagen-I, elastin and laminin-V, key structural proteins that lend firmness and elasticity to your skin. As we age, our bodies produce less of
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Intuisse is the brainchild of Isabel Greiner, Professor Giovanni Camici (University of Zurich) and Hanns Erle (Goethe University)
these proteins, leading to wrinkles and sagging skin. For years, we’ve been relegated to drinking collagen and applying topical treatments, with the aim of increasing our collagen levels. NAD+ goes to the root cause and seems to turn back the clock on our skin cells’ collagen production. The result? Improved skin texture, plumpness and tightness. There are many actors in the underlying metabolic cellular processes which lead to the production of NAD+. These so-called precursors include NMN and NR. To date, most products have relied on these precursors or a complex of all three (NAD+, NMN, and NR) to deliver the benefits of NAD+. The reason is that NAD+ due to its plus charge (it is carrying an extra electron) is inherently unstable as a molecule, unlike the precursors. Therefore, outside of IV applications, manufacturers have relied on precursors to deliver the benefits of NAD+ and primarily in supplement form. However, research shows that supplementing NAD+ precursors to a cell does not necessarily translate 1:1 into having active NAD+. In other words, if A+B+C+D=E, having B and C doesn’t guarantee you’ll end up with E. So what you really want is just the NAD+. The challenge, however, has been NAD+’s intracellular delivery (endocytosis) and aforementioned stability (prevention of reduction to NADH). Until now. Intuisse, a science-based Swiss skincare brand, has both the clinical trials and advanced preclinical research on cell senescence, stability and dosage to prove that its proprietary liposomal formulation delays cellular senescence more efficiently than NAD+ alone – and promotes significant increase in collagen-I, elastin and laminin-V in just 14 days. With at least 95% of participants reporting their skin felt significantly smoother and more hydrated after 28 days of using the Essential Cream, it is proof Intuisse’s Active NAD+ is working a tiny miracle
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