Aging is a risk factor for dangerous diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and loss of muscle and joint mass in middle-aged people. Many studies have demonstrated that Nicotinamide Mononucleotide (NMN) supplementation effectively helps increase strength and muscle performance in middle-aged men.
In fact, aging and age-related diseases have been shown to be closely related to a decrease in NAD+ levels in the body. Basic life activities such as walking, moving, carrying objects, and endogenous processes in the body such as breathing, digestion, and circulation also depend on the muscular system.
However, from the age of 30, our bodies notice a gradual decline in muscle mass, some people even lose up to 5% every decade.
Parallel to this decline in muscle strength is a decrease in NAD+ levels - a Coenzyme molecule that helps every cell in our body function normally, including muscle cells. Muscle loss often progresses rapidly in middle age.
As older adults tend to have reduced NAD+ levels, supplementing this important Coenzyme through its precursors like NMN can help prevent muscle wasting and loss of fitness. Research published in the journal NPJ Aging and Mechanisms of Disease demonstrated that older men who supplemented with NMN for 12 weeks experienced significant increases in markers of physical strength. This adds to the evidence that NMN may support muscle health with age. ̣
Previous studies have found that NMN supplementation is associated with supporting increased muscle growth, endurance, and physical performance. In research from 2021 in Guangzhou, amateur runners who combined NMN with exercise improved several markers of aerobic function, including skeletal muscle oxygen utilization.
Besides, another study has announced that using NMN in the afternoon helps improve lower limb motor function in elderly people in Japan.
Currently, Japanese scientists have proven that using NMN has the ability to improve the strength and muscle performance of middle-aged men through experiments with 42 men aged 65 and older. They were divided into 2 groups with group 1 given 250mg of NMN/day and group 2 using placebo, the experimental period lasted for 12 weeks.
Through experiments, men using NMN had significantly increased NAD+ blood levels. This shows that NMN is effective in raising endogenous NAD+ levels. The group using NMN also had significant improvements in speed, gait and left-handed grip test, which is a partial improvement in muscle strength and performance. Gait speed and grip strength are both known clinical markers of aging, as they are strong predictors of age-related muscle loss.
The team also measured lower limb muscle strength using the 30-second chair stand test, which counts the number of times a person can move from sitting in a chair to standing (without using their arms) in a half-minute period. In this study, men in the NMN group significantly increased their sit-to-stand time from baseline to week six of the study, suggesting improved leg strength.
Although this study was relatively small and the sample size was not diverse, including only middle-aged Japanese men, the results were promising when using NMN to support muscle health with age. The study also opens up a potential direction for future research by leaving open the question of whether longer duration or higher doses of NMN can promote increases in skeletal muscle mass.
Effects of the active ingredient NMN.
Impaired muscle function not only affects general health and mortality but also governs quality of life. Therefore, starting a healthy aging journey, for example maintaining muscle strength in middle age is a top priority and using NMN is an effective solution scientifically proven to be optimal.