Title
NAD+ Metabolism in Cardiac Health, Aging, and Disease
Background
Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) is a crucial molecule for energy balance and essential processes like DNA repair. Approaches inhibiting NAD+-degrading enzymes, supplying NAD+ precursors, and increasing NAD+-generating enzymes show positive effects on metabolic health and age-related diseases. NAD+ levels decrease with aging, obesity, and hypertension, major risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Preclinical models indicate that boosting NAD+ extends healthspan, addresses metabolic syndrome, and lowers blood pressure.
Methods
Testing elevated NAD+ in various heart conditions, including atherosclerosis and cardiomyopathies, has demonstrated benefits. This study scrutinizes how NAD+ works in heart cells, compares different NAD+ precursors in preclinical tests, and raises questions about how to design clinical trials for NAD+ treatments in heart diseases.
Results
Patients dealing with challenging heart conditions, like heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, may find relief from NAD+ precursors. The study underscores understanding NAD+ metabolism in heart cells, highlights varying efficacy of NAD+ precursors in tests, and stresses careful planning in clinical trials to assess the preventive or therapeutic potential of NAD+ replenishment or elevated NAD+ levels in major heart diseases.
Conclusion
This research advances our knowledge of NAD+ in heart cells, indicating potential benefits of NAD+ precursors in tough cardiac conditions. It prompts further exploration in clinical trials, stressing the need for careful trial design to evaluate the effectiveness of NAD+ replenishment or elevated NAD+ levels in preventing or treating major heart diseases. The potential use of NAD+ precursors in patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction is a noteworthy implication requiring additional investigation.