Herbs & Supplements:
NADH

Supplement Forms / Alternate Names
  • Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide
Principal Proposed Uses
  • Jet Lag
Other Proposed Uses
  • Alzheimers Disease, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Depression, Parkinson's Disease, Performance Enhancement

NADH, short for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, is an important cofactor, or "assistant," that helps enzymes in the work they do throughout the body. NADH particularly plays a role in the production of energy. It also participates in the production of L-dopa, which the body turns into the important neurotransmitter dopamine.

Based on these basic biochemical facts, NADH has been evaluated as a treatment for jet lag, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, and depression and as a sports supplement. However, only the first of these uses has any meaningful scientific evidence behind it, and even that is highly preliminary.

Sources

Healthy bodies make all the NADH they need, using vitamin B₃ (also known as niacin, or nicotinamide) as a starting point. The highest concentration of NADH in animals is found in muscle tissues, which means that meat might be a good source—were it not that most of the NADH in meat is destroyed during processing, cooking, and digestion. In reality, we don't get much NADH from our food.

Therapeutic Dosages

The typical dosage for supplemental NADH ranges from 5 to 50 mg daily.

Therapeutic Uses

A small double-blind placebo-controlled trial suggests that NADH may be useful for reducing symptoms of jet lag, such as sleepiness and mental impairment.¹ (Unlike the supplement melatonin, NADH is not thought to actually help travelers fall asleep.)

Supplemental NADH has also been proposed as a treatment for Alzheimer's disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, and Parkinson's disease. It has also been tried as an athletic performance enhancer. However, although a few studies have been performed on these uses,^2–7 none were designed in such a way as to produce scientifically meaningful results.

What Is the Scientific Evidence for NADH?

In a double-blind placebo-controlled trial, 35 individuals taking an overnight flight across four time zones were given either 20 mg of NADH or placebo sublingually (under the tongue) on the morning of arrival.⁸ Participants were twice given tests of wakefulness and mental function: first at 90 minutes and then at 5 hours after landing. Individuals given NADH scored significantly better on these tests than those given placebo.

This small but promising study warrants further research.

Safety Issues

NADH appears to be quite safe when taken at a dosage of 5 mg daily or less. However, formal safety studies have not been completed, and safety in young children, pregnant or nursing women, or those with severe liver or kidney disease has not been established.

Last reviewed March 2002 by Medical Review Board

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