What Are the Benefits of Nadh?

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) is a form of niacin--one of the B vitamins. It plays a key role (precursor to CoQ) in the metabolism process that converts food into energy. NADH has been shown to have beneficial effects on mood and positive effects in preventing some diseases. Its effects--both positive and negative--are highly dependent on the size of the dose.

Dosage and Benefits

• NADH is sold in pills with four different amounts of active ingredients: 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg, and 20 mg. Most people who do feel a positive effect feel it with the lower dosages. The negative effects are mostly noticed with the larger doses. The positive mood effects are increased energy, increased clarity and focus, and a sense of well-being. Many people get this effect with a 2.5 mg pill every other day. Negative effects--panic, restlessness, inability to focus--are associated with 10 and 20 mg doses. Many people report that the effects diminish over time--especially with higher dosages. The recommended dosage procedure is to take the pill the first thing in the morning on an empty stomach and then wait 30 minutes before eating.

Mood-Based Benefits

• Users of NADH say that it can increase energy, improve memory, help with depression and slow the aging process. Many athletes take NADH because it is a completely legal, naturally occurring substance that improves performance in some people. It is taken by some to boost energy on important days. Daily use means a loss of effectiveness, so it is saved for special occasions. Some people use NADH to provide visual clarity, treat jet lag and as a sexual stimulant. Negative mood effects are rarely reported with 2.5 mg doses. Negative mood effects--mostly associated with higher doses--include anxiety, mood swings and insomnia. All of the negative mood effects went away when NADH use was discontinued.

Disease-Based Benefits

• There is evidence that NADH can be helpful as a treatment for (or prevention of) several debilitating medical conditions. For many sufferers of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), NADH can provide a return to normalcy. Unfortunately, continued daily use (especially of higher dosages) inevitably leads to some undesirable conditions such as insomnia or upset stomach. All of these effects go away when NADH use is discontinued, but it can cause cause a severe CFS crash when NADH is suddenly discontinued. Regular NADH use is thought to prevent, delay or mitigate the effects of both Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Georg D. Birkmayer, M.D., Ph.D., (the "father" of NADH research) reports an improvement of function in 100 percent of Alzheimer's patients and 80 percent of Parkinson's patients with regular low doses of NADH.