Anti-Aging Pill Research, U.S. Army

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Is the U.S. Army developing an anti-aging pill? Yes. Well, sort of. While this information is not new, it was recently released to the popular press this week and has generated lots of buzz. As I have explained to my readers, there is NO SUCH THING as anti-aging, whether pill, elixir, cream, or infusion because AGING IS NOT A DISEASE. The nomenclature "anti-aging" is a marketing tool and not backed by science.

 

I have been writing this blog since 2007 and my readers know that as a gerontologist and aging expert, aging is a natural process known as senescence, and it is common across all species. Because aging is not a disease, there is no “anti” about it. It cannot be reversed or delayed. Period. You determine how you age and there is no “magic pill” to reverse it or delay it.

 

So what is the hype about the Army and the so-called anti-aging pill? The press includes “anti-aging” when they want readers to pay attention. It’s not an “anti-aging” pill at all.  In partnership with a pharmaceutical company, the Army is testing “nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+)” to determine if the over-the-counter supplement enhances stamina, promotes faster healing and endurance, and improves human performance. With a focus on improving readiness, Special Forces will begin human testing next year.

 

While it is classified as a “nutraceutical” and available from Amazon and boutique supplement dealers, the effectiveness remains unknown, as it has never been blind-tested on humans. Therefore, I cannot recommend this because rodents and primate studies cannot be extrapolated to humans. I will wait and review the study findings, then decide. Stay posted! AgeDoc

 

Articles of interest:

This is an overview of Nicotinamide Riboside written in everyday language for a general audience. Ryan Raymon (2018) provides a general background, pros, and cons of taking this unregulated supplement. I agree with Raymon that further human studies are needed before recommending it for increased healing and longevity.

Raymon, R. (December 10, 2018). Nicotinamide Riboside: Benefits, Side Effects and Dosage. Healthline.

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/nicotinamide-riboside

 

Here is another reader-friendly discussion of Nicotinamide Riboside by Helen Shen, Scientific American, published on May 30, 2019. I agree with her that until extensive human studies are conducted and analyzed, the effectiveness remains debatable.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/cancer-research-points-to-key-unknowns-about-popular-antiaging-supplements/

 

Finally, for readers with a scientific background, this 44-page research article by Braidy et al. (2019) provides a thorough discussion of what it is, how it functions in the body, and recommendations for future studies. I have excerpted the section below, taken verbatim from their study:

“While the potential involvement of NAD+ metabolic pathways in energy metabolism and mitochondrial function has been known for quite some time, suggestions of the involvement of NAD+ in DNA repair and longevity have grown at a rapid rate in the last decade. Characterization of the NAD+ synthetic pathways has not only made these advancements possible but also contributed extensively to the understanding of the diverse roles of pyridine nucleotides in cellular biology. Despite this, information regarding the fundamental roles of NAD+ in neurodegeneration and aging remains limited. Further investigations are necessary in this increasingly relevant field” (Braidy et al. 2019).

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29634344/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6277084/

 





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