NAD(+)-Precursor Supplementation With L-Tryptophan, Nicotinic Acid, and Nicotinamide Does Not Affect Mitochondrial Function or Skeletal Muscle Function in Physically Compromised Older Adults

Background: Boosting NAD(+) via supplementation with niacin equivalents has been proposed as a potential modality capable of promoting healthy aging and negating age-dependent declines of skeletal muscle mass and function. Objectives: We investigated the efficacy of NAD(+)-precursor supplementation (tryptophan, nicotinic acid, and nicotinamide) on skeletal muscle mitochondrial function in physically compromised older adults. Methods: A randomized, double-blind, controlled trial was conducted in 14 (female/male: 4/10) community-dwelling, older adults with impaired physical function [age, 72.9 +/- 4.0 years; BMI, 25.2 +/- 2.3 kg/m(2)]. Participants were supplemented with 207.5 mg niacin equivalents/day [intervention (INT)] and a control product (CON) that did not contain niacin equivalents, each for 32 days. The primary outcomes tested were mitochondrial oxidative capacity and exercise efficiency, analyzed by means of paired Student's t-tests. Secondary outcomes, such as NAD(+) concentrations, were analyzed accordingly. Results: Following supplementation, skeletal muscle NAD(+) concentrations [7.5 +/- 1.9 compared with 7.9 +/- 1.6 AU, respectively] in INT compared with CON conditions were not significantly different compared to the control condition, whereas skeletal muscle methyl-nicotinamide levels were significantly higher under NAD(+)-precursor supplementation [INT, 0.098 +/- 0.063 compared with CON, 0.025 +/- 0.014; P = 0.001], suggesting an increased NAD(+) metabolism. Conversely, neither ADP-stimulated [INT, 82.1 +/- 19.0 compared with CON, 84.0 +/- 19.2; P = 0.716] nor maximally uncoupled mitochondrial respiration [INT, 103.4 +/- 30.7 compared with CON, 108.7 +/- 33.4; P = 0.495] improved under NAD(+)-precursor supplementation, nor did net exercise efficiency during the submaximal cycling test [INT, 20.2 +/- 2.77 compared with CON, 20.8 +/- 2.88; P = 0.342]. Conclusions: Our findings are consistent with previous findings on NAD(+) efficacy in humans, and we show in community-dwelling, older adults with impaired physical function that NAD(+)-precursor supplementation through L-tryptophan, nicotinic acid, and nicotinamide does not improve mitochondrial or skeletal muscle function.

Automated summary

The study showed that NAD(+) precursor supplementation with L-tryptophan, nicotinic acid, and nicotinamide did not improve mitochondrial or skeletal muscle function in physically compromised older adults living in the community.