Carl read the papersWhat it actually is
NAD+ is a coenzyme found in every living cell. It’s a workhorse of energy metabolism — shuttling electrons in the reactions that produce ATP, the cell’s energy currency.
NAD+ also fuels sirtuins (longevity-linked repair enzymes) and DNA-repair machinery. Levels decline with age, sparking interest in raising it via NAD+ itself or precursors like NMN and NR.
How it’s thought to work
- ATP production — carries electrons in the reactions that generate cellular energy.
- Sirtuin activation — the raw substrate sirtuins need for repair and longevity signalling.
- DNA repair — supports the enzymes (PARPs) that fix DNA damage.
- Redox balance — cycles between NAD+ and NADH to keep metabolism running.
What the research says
Strong mechanistic and animal evidence that NAD+ is central to energy and aging; human trials (often via NMN/NR precursors) show raised NAD+ levels, with clinical benefits still being worked out.
- Cellular energy and fatigue/brain-fog research.
- Sirtuin/longevity and DNA-repair pathways.
- Commonly raised via NMN or NR precursors, or IV NAD+.
Watch: NAD+ explained
Video by Dr. Paul Anderson on YouTube. Not affiliated with Peptide Carl and not an endorsement — included because a second explanation of the same mechanism is often what makes it click.
Reported protocols
These are the doses the peptide community actually reports running (Reddit & forums), alongside published research — logged for education, not as a recommendation to use.
| Parameter | Commonly reported range |
|---|---|
| Community dose | NMN 250–1000 mg (most land at 500); NR 250–500 mg; subQ NAD+ 50–100 mg; IV 250–1000 mg/session |
| Frequency | Daily, morning (IV intermittent) |
| Route | Oral (NMN/NR) — a minority subQ; IV in clinics |
| Cycle | Daily, ongoing |
| Community tip | People take NMN/NR orally, not NAD+ itself; subQ/IV NAD+ flushes hard if pushed fast — go slow |
Common use cases
| Goal | Community protocol notes |
|---|---|
| Cellular energy / fatigue | NMN 500 mg/day oral, AM |
| Longevity (sirtuins) | daily, ongoing |
| Fast top-up | IV NAD+ in a clinic |
Mixing it (reconstitution)
Freeze-dried peptides must be reconstituted with bacteriostatic water before they can be measured. Carl’s calculator turns “mg in the vial + ml of water + target dose” into “units on the syringe” — and tells you how long the vial lasts.
→ Open the Reconstitution Calculator
Injection & handling
Mostly ORAL — people take NMN/NR (250–1000 mg) by mouth, not NAD+ itself (it is thought to absorb poorly by mouth). SubQ NAD+ (50–100 mg) or IV (clinic) exists but flushes hard if pushed fast — go slow. Oral daily in the morning.
Stacks it appears in
- Mitochondrial Tune-Up — NAD+ + 5-Amino-1MQ + MOTS-c — fuel, fuel-economy and the performance chip together.
Sources
- Covarrubias AJ et al. NAD+ metabolism and its roles in cellular processes during ageing, Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2021 (PMID 33353981)
- Massudi H et al. Age-associated changes in oxidative stress and NAD+ in human tissue, PLoS One 2012 (PMID 22848760)
- Martens CR et al. Nicotinamide riboside raises NAD+ in middle-aged and older adults, Nat Commun 2018 (PMID 29599478)
- Yoshino M et al. NMN increases muscle insulin sensitivity in prediabetic women, Science 2021 (PMID 33888596)
- Gallagher C et al. NAD+ supplementation for anti-aging and wellness: PRISMA systematic review, Ageing Res Rev 2026 (PMID 41655607)
- Grant R et al. 6-hour IV NAD+ infusion pilot, Front Aging Neurosci 2019 (PMID 31572171, PMC6751327)
- Gindri IM et al. Safety and effectiveness of NAD in clinical conditions: systematic review, Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2024 (PMID 37971292)
