Nicotinamide Riboside Protects Against Acute Kidney Injury but Not Chronic Kidney Disease: Preclinical Findings

Synopsis

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) is essential for kidney function, but its production is impaired in acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). In human kidney biopsies and mouse models, researchers found that the de novo NAD+ synthesis pathway is reduced in both AKI and CKD, while the salvage pathway remains active. Supplementing with nicotinamide riboside (NR) boosted NAD+ levels and protected against kidney damage in AKI models, preventing increases in plasma urea, creatinine, and tubular injury. However, NR had no protective effect in chronic kidney disease models, indicating that while NR can help in acute settings, it does not halt CKD progression.

Journal

Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation