NAD⁺
NAD⁺ synthesis + salvage — fuels sirtuins, PARPs, redox balance
NAD⁺ is the universal currency for taking and giving electrons in metabolism — every glycolysis step, every TCA step, every β-oxidation step depends on it. It also powers two families of longevity enzymes: sirtuins (epigenetic regulators that switch genes off as you age) and PARPs (DNA-damage repair). NAD⁺ levels decline ~50% from age 20 to 60, which is why NMN and NR supplements have become a longevity-research darling. The body builds NAD⁺ from vitamin B3 (niacin / niacinamide / NMN / NR) — different forms enter different points in the synthesis pathway.
The load-bearing nutrients — if these are deficient, this pathway slows down. Click any to see daily targets, food sources, and supplements that supply it.
Nutrients that contribute to this pathway but aren’t the single load-bearing inputs.
Pathways that share a load-bearing cofactor with this one.