Is this for you?
- Cellular regeneration and cellular renewal, the most-asked-about indication
- Post-burnout recovery, since chronic stress and sleep deprivation accelerate NAD+ depletion
- Cognitive clarity and focus support
- Neurodegenerative complement, coordinated with your neurologist, supportive only
- Athletic recovery and metabolic flexibility
- 40+ wanting to invest in long-term cellular health
Why NAD+ matters and why levels fall
NAD+, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, is a coenzyme present in every cell in your body. It does three things that matter for how you feel and how you age: it shuttles electrons in the mitochondrial electron transport chain (the literal mechanism by which your cells produce ATP), it activates sirtuins (a family of longevity-associated enzymes), and it powers PARP, the enzyme that repairs DNA damage.
Levels decline with age. By midlife, NAD+ in many tissues sits at roughly half what it was in young adulthood. The same decline shows up faster under chronic stress, alcohol use, poor sleep, and metabolic disease. The subjective experience is recognizable: less recovery, less metabolic flexibility, more inflammation, slower repair.
Oral NAD+ precursors (NR, NMN) help: they raise NAD+ in some tissues over weeks of consistent intake. IV NAD+ is a different intervention: it elevates intracellular NAD+ within hours, not weeks. Most clients describe an unmistakable shift the day after their first loading session.
The mechanism, plainly stated.
Mitochondrial energy production
NAD+ is the electron acceptor in the citric acid cycle (where your mitochondria break down fuel, including glucose, fatty acids, and amino acids, to drive ATP synthesis). Without enough NAD+, the mitochondria run sub-optimally: they produce less ATP per unit of substrate, generate more reactive oxygen species, and trigger more inflammation. Restoring NAD+ restores the rate-limited step in cellular energy production.
Sirtuin activation and longevity signaling
Sirtuins (SIRT1 through SIRT7) are a family of enzymes that depend on NAD+ to function. They regulate metabolic health, mitochondrial biogenesis (the creation of new mitochondria), inflammation, and DNA repair. Most of the research on caloric restriction and longevity routes through sirtuin activation. Adequate NAD+ availability is required for sirtuins to do their work.
PARP and DNA repair
PARP (poly-ADP ribose polymerase) is the enzyme that detects and repairs DNA single-strand breaks. It uses NAD+ as substrate: it consumes NAD+ to do its repair job. Heavy DNA damage (oxidative stress, environmental toxins, chronic inflammation, ageing) depletes NAD+ through this exact pathway. Restoring NAD+ replenishes the substrate PARP needs to keep your genome healthy.
Neurological and mood pathway
NAD+ supports dopaminergic and serotonergic neurotransmission. Some clients report measurable improvements in cognitive clarity, focus, and mood within a loading sequence. The addiction-recovery community has used IV NAD+ for decades to support withdrawal, a related mechanism, framed carefully as supportive rather than curative.
Safety and what to expect
We are explicit about contraindications. Tell your nurse during intake. These are the items that matter.
- The "flush": at faster infusion rates, NAD+ produces a chest-tightening, jaw-tensing, intense-warmth sensation. It is not dangerous but it is uncomfortable. We use a slow-drip protocol explicitly to mitigate this. Tell your nurse the moment you feel it intensifying and they will slow the rate further.
- Pregnant or breastfeeding: discuss with your OB before scheduling. We default to caution.
- Severe cardiovascular disease: discuss with your cardiologist. The vasodilation effect during a fast infusion can be more pronounced.
- Active chemotherapy: coordinate with your oncologist. PARP inhibitors (some cancer therapies) interact with the NAD+/PARP axis in ways that require oncology team alignment.
- NAD+ sessions are long: a 250mg session runs ~2 hours, 500mg ~3 hours, 750mg ~4 hours, 1000mg ~5 to 6 hours. Bring a book, headphones, work, or rest.
- Hydration before and after matters, and your nurse will guide you.
Where nad+ iv therapy fits in your plan.
Most clients run this as part of a sequenced plan or alongside complementary protocols. Here are the natural pairings.
What clients ask us.
Which dose is right for me?
250mg is the entry dose, a good starting point if you have not done NAD+ before and want to see how your body responds. 500mg is the standard loading dose; most clients building a longevity protocol or recovering from burnout start here. 750mg is the premium dose for clients ready to push further once they've tolerated 500mg well. 1000mg is the advanced nurse-directed protocol for specific indications. We do not push 1000mg as a first session.
What does the flush actually feel like?
At a slow drip, most clients describe a gentle warming and mild jaw tension that builds and resolves as the rate adjusts. At a fast drip (which we deliberately avoid), the flush is intense: chest tightness, jaw clenching, abdominal cramp, sense of pressure. Our protocol is to start slow and adjust if you tolerate it well. You will not be uncomfortable for long, and your nurse adjusts in real time.
How long do effects last?
A single session produces an intracellular NAD+ elevation that lasts roughly 7 to 14 days, with subjective effects (clearer head, more energy, better sleep) often felt within 24 hours and persisting for days to weeks. A loading sequence (multiple sessions across several weeks) produces a longer-lasting baseline shift. Most longevity-oriented clients run a loading sequence and then maintenance sessions every 4 to 6 weeks.
Is IV NAD+ better than oral NR or NMN?
Different interventions, different rates. Oral NR and NMN are NAD+ precursors: they enter circulation, get converted to NAD+ inside cells, and raise tissue levels gradually. They are excellent for sustained daily support. IV NAD+ is the molecule itself, delivered to circulation, producing a measurable intracellular elevation within hours. Many of our longevity clients run both: IV loading plus daily oral precursor maintenance. Your nurse will discuss the right blend.
How frequently can I do NAD+?
For a loading sequence, once or twice per week for 3 to 6 weeks. For maintenance, every 4 to 6 weeks. For specific indications (post-burnout recovery, addiction recovery support), a faster cadence under nurse direction. We design the cadence based on your goals and how you respond to the first session.
Ready to start? Talk to a nurse first.
Every protocol starts with a conversation. Free 10-minute consult. We will walk through whether this fits your goals, your safety profile, and your timeline.
