The skin is the largest organ in the body and the first to show the physical signs of aging. The appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and the loss of elasticity and plumpness cause people to seek out treatments to slow the external signs of aging. However, it is important to look beyond the surface and address the root causes of skin aging at the cellular level. Recent scientific evidence now shows that cellular aging can be slowed using NAD+ supplements and this benefits not only the skin, but the whole body.

CELLULAR DYSFUNCTION CAUSES SKIN AGING

Skin aging occurs due to both external and internal damage. External damage occurs due to UV exposure, smoking and pollution, while internal damage occurs as a result of the cellular aging process. Currently, many topicals and treatments work to reverse the external signs of aging such as fine lines, wrinkles and loss of skin elasticity, but attention needs to shift towards fixing and preventing the internal damage, which impairs skin cell function.

The cells in your skin experience cellular aging the same way the rest of the body does. As cells lose their ability to repair and regenerate, damage accumulates, preventing normal cellular function which ultimately causes the physical signs of skin aging.

The key cellular changes that cause aging are termed the ‘Hallmarks of Aging’, and these include:

• Loss of DNA repair which leads to UV induced photoaging.
• Mitochondrial dysfunction reducing cellular energy production, which is required for skin cell turnover. This also increases production of free radicals which damage cells.
• Impaired protein folding and glycation cause an accumulation of damaged and dysfunctional proteins. For example, when collagen proteins become glycated (have sugar molecules irreversibly stuck onto them) they stiffen, reducing skin flexibility.
• Fibroblast cells which produce collagen and elastin become damaged and senescent, reducing their ability to produce collagen and increasing levels of inflammation.
• Increased levels of inflammation in the skin degrades collagen and the scaffolding between skin cells causing thinning of the skin.

Figure 1 – The Hallmarks of Aging are the cellular changes that cause the physical signs of skin aging. The Hallmarks of Aging can be reversed by restoring cellular NAD+ levels.

NAD+ SUPPORTS SKIN HEALTH

Studies show that by targeting the hallmarks of aging, the cellular aging process can be slowed and reversed. NAD+ is one of the few molecules that is known to positively impact all the hallmarks of aging. In the context of skin health NAD+ works to:

• Activate cellular repair and maintenance pathways such as DNA repair and antioxidant pathways.
• Activate healthy aging proteins called sirtuins, which repair and protect the mitochondria preventing them from becoming dysfunctional. Sirtuins also trigger production of new mitochondria and recycle damaged mitochondria.
• NAD+ is also a critical component of the energy production process, without NAD+ cellular energy production cannot occur and skin turnover decreases.
• NAD+ and sirtuins work together to help reduce glycation and regulate protein folding and recycling, ensuring damaged proteins are broken down and removed or fixed.
• By powering cellular repair, NAD+ both prevents cells from becoming senescent in the first place and reduces the number of senescent cells.
• NAD+ and sirtuin activation reduce levels of chronic inflammation.

In our clinical trial, Nuchido TIME+ was shown to significantly increase NAD+ levels and sirtuin activity, reduce inflammation, and reduce glycation. Improvements to skin health is also a top reported benefit from our customers.

NAD+ CAN ENHANCE COLLAGEN SUPPLEMENTS

Many people take collagen supplements or use topicals to increase collagen in the skin, however this does not address the root cause of the problem. As mentioned, collagen declines during aging because the cells which produce collagen in the skin, called fibroblasts become damaged and dysfunctional.

Figure 2 – How aging impacts the function of fibroblasts reducing their ability to produce vital proteins such as collagen and elastin.

The loss of NAD+ in these cells causes a decline in energy production and cellular repair allowing damage to accumulate, reducing their ability to produce collagen and elastin. This also increases inflammation in the skin causing further damage to the skin structure. This cellular damage becomes visible as fine lines, wrinkles, loss of skin elasticity and wound repair.

Figure 3 – How NAD+ restoration with Nuchido TIME+ works to restore the cellular health of fibroblasts, compared to the activity of collagen supplements.

While collagen supplements work to restore levels of collagen, NAD+ goes beyond this to repair the damaged fibroblasts, increasing their ability to make collagen and elastin. In this manner, taking a combination of both collagen and NAD+ supplements can have synergistic benefits.

By taking a cellular approach to restoring the health of your skin, you can fix both the internal and external signs of aging. NAD+ restoration with Nuchido TIME+ is a vital tool in restoring cellular health and powering cellular rejuvenation. By combining Nuchido TIME+ with other skin treatments such as collagen supplements, micro needling or laser treatments the beneficial effects are enhanced.