As the world’s aging population grows rapidly, so has its appetite for health tips, tricks and products that could help guard against the ravages of time. Among countless dietary supplements—vitamins, minerals and other products—some people have pinned their hopes on a molecule called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), a key player in the cellular production of energy.
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Studies show that boosting NAD+ levels can extend life span in yeast, worms and mice. Animal research also indicates NAD+’s promise for improving several aspects of health.
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Unlike drugs, dietary supplements are lightly regulated by U.S. authorities, allowing them to be sold before research confirms their safety and effectiveness in humans.
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For very different reasons, NAD+ has also attracted a wave of attention from cancer researchers. … “It might still slow down the aging part, but it might fuel the cancer part,” says Versha Banerji, a clinician-scientist at the University of Manitoba. “We just need to figure out more about the biology of both of those processes, to figure out how we can make people age well and also not get cancer.”
Read full, original post: Cancer Research Points to Key Unknowns about Popular “Antiaging” Supplements
