As more people seek ways to stay young for longer, the supplement industry is moving beyond creams and cosmetics to something more ambitious: products that claim to act on cellular processes to slow aging.
Some of the most marketed compounds include NAD+, NMN, and resveratrol, which are often said to support cell repair, energy production, and healthy aging. But what do they actually do, where are they used, and how strong is the evidence?
To understand the claims, it’s helpful to distinguish between three things: NAD+ molecules, compounds sold to boost NAD+, and products such as supplements, creams, and serums that contain them.
Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) is a coenzyme present in all living cells. Coenzymes are helper molecules that enable enzymes to perform chemical reactions in the body. NAD+ plays an important role in the activity of protein families involved in energy metabolism, DNA repair, inflammation, and cellular stress responses.
NAD+ levels tend to decline with age, but this decline can be complex and tissue specific. Reduced availability of NAD+ is associated with reduced mitochondrial function, a reduction in the activity of cellular structures that help produce energy. This is one of the biological changes associated with aging.
NAD+ in creams and serums
NAD+ is starting to be used in skin care creams and serums, but the evidence is less developed compared to supplements.
NAD+ is important for skin cell energy and repair, but it remains unclear whether topical NAD+ found in regular creams can penetrate the skin in sufficient amounts to produce meaningful anti-aging effects.
More established ingredients such as sunscreens, retinoids, and niacinamide now have stronger evidence for improving visible signs of skin aging.
NAD+ precursor as a supplement
Many studies have focused on NAD+ precursors, as NAD+ itself is not thought to be efficiently absorbed when swallowed. Precursors are compounds that the body can convert into another substance. In this case, they are compounds that the body can convert into NAD+. Two of the most well-known are nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) and nicotinamide riboside (NR).
In animal studies, NAD+ precursors have shown promising results. Older mice given these compounds showed improvements in energy metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and aspects of physical function. Several studies have also reported improvements in healthspan and lifespan-related measures in animal models, but these findings vary by model and do not accurately translate to humans. Although these results helped increase commercial interest, turning promising mouse research into meaningful benefits for people has proven much more difficult.
Human clinical studies suggest that NMN and NR may increase NAD+ levels in blood and tissues, or related markers of NAD+ activity. However, the strongest evidence is for blood changes, and evidence for meaningful effects in specific tissues is still limited.
Some small studies have reported potential benefits for metabolic health, including insulin sensitivity, in certain groups. Although some researchers have investigated potential effects on muscle mass, recent studies have not found convincing evidence that NMN or NR preserve muscle mass or function in older adults.
When researchers focus on outcomes directly related to day-to-day aging, such as physical fitness, cognition, frailty, and biological age, the picture is less clear. Biological age is a controversial estimate of how old the body appears at a cellular or molecular level. One big problem is that most supplement trials last only a few weeks or months, whereas aging occurs over a long period of time.
resveratrol
Resveratrol is another compound often touted for anti-aging, but it is different from NMN and NR. Not an NAD+ precursor. It belongs to a group of natural phytochemicals called polyphenols and is found in red grapes, berries, and peanuts.
In laboratory and animal studies, resveratrol has been associated with lower levels of inflammation and improved mitochondrial function, which means increased activity in the parts of the cell that help produce energy.
The problem is that resveratrol has low oral bioavailability. This means that much of what is swallowed is degraded or modified before it reaches tissues in the form and concentration used in laboratory experiments. This creates a huge gap between what resveratrol can do in the cells in your dish and what the supplement is supposed to do in the human body. So far, human trials have shown no convincing evidence that resveratrol slows aging, and research results regarding its cardiovascular and anti-inflammatory effects remain mixed.
Resveratrol can interact with some drugs, especially anticoagulants and antiplatelet drugs (often called blood thinners). High doses may also cause side effects such as gastrointestinal symptoms. People who take medications regularly, manage chronic conditions, or are pregnant or breastfeeding should seek medical advice before taking high-dose supplements.
So, are NAD+, NMN, and resveratrol the elixir of youth?No. The key distinction is between biological plausibility and proven benefit. These compounds are not biologically impossible; they act on real pathways involved in energy production, stress responses, and cellular maintenance. But influencing a pathway is not the same as slowing a person’s aging.
In humans, evidence to date suggests potential benefit in limited circumstances, but major questions remain about long-term safety, optimal dosing, and who is most likely to benefit. The science is plausible, but marketing often translates “this affects processes related to aging” to “this supplement will keep you young.”
For now, the most favored methods for supporting healthy aging are less glamorous: regular exercise, quality sleep, a balanced diet, avoiding smoking, limiting alcohol, and managing long-term health conditions. Supplements may eventually prove helpful, but for now, the evidence for staying young for longer is much stronger for daily habits than for anti-aging products.
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