Why Test NAD+?

NAD+ is the acronym for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. This metabolite is found in virtually all living cells and is essential to sustaining life. Recently, NAD+ and NADH have become heavily studied in relation to longevity. NAD+ levels markedly decline with age, creating a deficit that decreases the body’s ability to retain function. Abnormal levels of these metabolites have been linked to improper immune function, metabolic disease, dementia and neurodegeneration, and heart disease.

• NAD levels decline by up to 50% in human skin tissue between the ages of 40–60 (MASSUDI, H., ET AL., 2012)
• NAD depletion may play an important role in the aging process (MASSUDI, H., ET AL., 2012) 
• Preclinical studies show a correlation between lower NAD levels and some age-related health conditions (Fang, et al. 2017)

Ground Breaking Technology

NAD measurement has been performed using mass spectrometry or colorimetric kits. Each method involves a set of characteristic problems. Using a mass spectrometer is expensive and time-consuming, while the colorimetric kits on the market are inaccurate and unreliable. The novel NADMED method solves these problems, providing a fast, accurate, and reliable method for the cost-effective measurement of NADs. With NADMED technology, all four forms of NADs (NAD+, NADH, NADP+, and NADPH) and oxidized and reduced forms of glutathione can be measured from a single sample. The method has been compared and verified against mass spectrometry, showing only 4% sample-by-sample variation making it extremely accurate.

The principle of NADMED’s proprietary technology is a cyclic enzymatic reaction and colorimetric detection, where metabolites are extracted from a sample in a single step after which each metabolite is stabilized separately. The intensity of the assay’s color change is proportional to the quantity of NADs or glutathiones. Sample extracts are analyzed with standards. Finally, the values of the light absorption of standards are compared to those of samples to determine metabolite concentration.

The Only EU approved NAD+ Testing Kit Due to its accuracy and reliability, the Q-NADMED Blood Kit is CE-marked for measuring NAD+ and NADH from a small blood sample for a range of clinical purposes. The marking indicates the kit complies with the European Union (EU) In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices Directive (IVDD 98/79/EC) and that the device may be brought to market in the EU. The Q-NADMED Blood Kit is the only method for the NAD measurement to have received CE-marking.

Published Studies Documenting NAD+ Change with Supplementation and Accuracy vs. The Gold Standard (Mass Spectrometry) Very few studies have been published comparing NAD+/NADH testing kits and results have been unreliable in our experience. Thus, we wanted to work with a company who had published results in comparison to the gold standard of Mass Spectrometry. NADMED has met this requirement and has received EU approval as a mark of its accuracy. Additionally, NADMED has shown blood levels of NAD+ can change with supplementation in both healthy and diseased individuals, suggesting that you should be able to see changes in your patients after short courses of therapy.