Are You Getting Enough? 4 Signs Of Nicotinamide Riboside Deficiency
Nicotinamide Riboside (NR) is also known as niagen and is typically an alternative to vitamin B3.
If you’re looking to promote your cellular health or even slow down your aging process, NR molecules will come in handy. Basically, it’s known to reverse aging signs from inside the body naturally and promote healthy skin.
Despite its numerous benefits, do you know that anyone, including you, is at risk of Nicotinamide Riboside deficiency? Certainly, it’s a common issue, often linked to heart disease and diabetes. What’s more, NR deficiency has been associated with early cell death and poor aging.
So, how do you tell whether you’re getting enough of NR to avoid NR deficiency? Here, we provide four possible signs of NR deficiency. Moreover, we will unveil what NR is and its benefits. The goal is to leave you with a well-rounded understanding of NR to ensure you benefit from its heath-boosting and anti-aging properties!
What is Nicotinamide Riboside (NR)?
NR or Nicotinamide Riboside is essentially a naturally occurring molecule of Vitamin B3, a dominant nutrient in various foods such as yeast, milk, and vegetables.
Others call it a “miracle molecule” for its potential well-being and anti-aging benefits.
NR is a precursor to NAD+ in full Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide, an enzyme in all living things, including humans.
The work of NAD+ in our bodies involves DNA repair, regulating circadian rhythms, cell survival, energy production, and other biological processes.
However, as we age, NAD+ levels often decline, leading to various disorders, including metabolic and cellular aging issues.
When we supplement NR in our bodies, the NAD+ levels increase, resulting in better energy metabolism, slow aging, and cellular health.
Health Benefits of Nicotinamide Riboside
Before looking at the signs of NR deficiency, let’s understand why we should even bother to supplement NR in our daily regimen. Of course, only the health benefits can show its capability and usefulness in the body.
Nicotinamide Riboside health benefits include:
- Enhances Cellular Health
Did we mention that NR is an NAD+ precursor, a crucial coenzyme in energy production and cellular metabolism? In other words, NR is a linchpin component that connects our cellular health with the diet we take or simply allows for the formation of cellular cells from the food we eat.
Most specifically, NR boosts the NAD+ levels that decline with age, therefore reversing the risks of low NAD+ levels, including a decrease in cellular energy production and age-related diseases.
- Promotes Longevity
As a precursor of NAD+, NR is a potent component that restores healthy levels of NAD+, thereby promoting the vitality and functionality of your cells. Subsequently, this prevents early age-related psychological changes and contributes to healthy longevity.
Four Signs of NR Deficiency
Fatigue and Low Energy Levels
One of the possible signs that you have an NR deficiency is when you have fatigue and low energy levels. Specifically, when your NAD+ levels start to decline, the energy production decreases, leading to fatigue because NAD+ produces energy on a cellular level.
Oxidative Stress
Oxidative stress is one of the most common and earliest signs of NR deficiency. Some of its signs include lack of sleep, anxiety, low appetite, stress, and adversely affecting mental clarity.
However, NAD is beneficial in promoting the proper functioning of the brain and mitigating oxidative stress by protecting the brain cells from damage. Subsequently, the right levels of NAD+ require supplementation of NR.
Weight Gain
There are a few reasons supporting why weight gain can be a sign of NR deficiency. First, NAD+ is responsible for energy production. That means, when they are low, no energy is produced, and so your body will store more fat trying to generate energy, leading to an unhealthy weight gain.
Second, NAD is required in the production of insulin and the breakdown of glucose; when it declines, blood sugar levels decrease, and your body retains more water, also increasing weight. And finally, NAD decline results in low metabolism, causing weight gain.
Difficulty Sleeping
Are you having difficulty sleeping often? While there could be other health reasons for difficulty sleeping, NR deficiency is a significant cause. That is because NAD+, in which NR is a precursor, is a necessary coenzyme for the healthy functioning of the body cells, especially in the nervous and brain systems.
Additionally, NAD promotes the production of serotonin, a molecule that allows sleep and mood enhancement. When NAD levels decline, cells fail to function appropriately, and so less serotonin is produced, leading to difficulty sleeping.
How to Boost NR to Avoid NR Deficiency
Besides using anti-aging supplements to promote NR and, subsequently, the NAD+ levels, here are natural foods that are less expensive that you can include in your diet for the same reason:
- Cow’s Milk: It’s a good source of proteins plus NR, thereby increasing NAR+ levels.
- Salmon: Not only is salmon or oily fish a source of healthy fats, but also CoQ10, an essential that aids the conversion of food into energy after eating.
- Red grapes: Specifically, red grapes are a rich source of resveratrol, a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compound with various health benefits, including managing weight and promoting heart and brain health.
- Green tea: It’s a beverage that contains EGCG, Epigallocatechin gallate, a healthy compound that helps in managing weight, reducing inflammation, and has antioxidation properties.
Conclusion
Nicotinamide Riboside deficiency is a serious issue that can result in adverse health conditions. It’s best to be aware of its signs and symptoms so that you can take action at the right time. Now you know what signs that could mean you’re having an NR deficiency.
Whether through dietary adjustments or supplementation, ensuring an adequate supply of nicotinamide riboside is a step toward supporting optimal health.
