Nicotinamide Riboside Boosts NAD+ to Improve Telomere Stability: Preclinical Findings

Synopsis

Telomere biology disorders (TBDs), such as dyskeratosis congenita (DC), are characterized by critically short telomeres and often lead to bone marrow failure. A key metabolic molecule, NAD+, is known to be reduced in DC models. This study used mice lacking telomerase (Tert−/−), which develop severely short telomeres, to examine whether boosting NAD+ levels with nicotinamide riboside (NR), a NAD+ precursor, could improve health outcomes affected by telomere dysfunction. The results showed that NR treatment reduced weight loss and improved telomere stability, lowering the systemic inflammation caused by telomere problems. Additionally, NR helped correct imbalances in blood cell production and reduced damage and inflammation in the small intestine after transplantation. These findings suggest that NAD+ supplementation through NR may be a promising approach to support health in conditions involving telomere shortening.

Journal

GeroScience