What blood flow and endurance improvement power we can expect from NMN?
【Is the decreased blood flow due to aging the origin of poor health?】
Capillary density and blood flow decrease due to aging, and this is considered to have a negative impact on muscle mass and endurance. Since the decline in muscle mass and endurance is closely related to morbidity and mortality in the elderly, restoring the reduced blood flow could hold the key to improving our quality of life and living a long, healthy life.
【What is the relationship between SIRT1 and NMN?】
Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), a precursor to NAD⁺, has the function of activating the sirtuin genes (SIRT1 to SIRT7), which are attracting attention for their rejuvenating effect on our body’s cells, and is expected to have anti-aging and longevity effects.
SIRT1, in particular, has been reported to promote the increase of capillary density and to improve muscle mass and endurance. In addition, hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), which is generated when sulfur compounds are ingested (it is abundant in garlic or leek, among others), has also been shown to improve ischemia-reperfusion injury and other disorders via SIRT1. However, it remained unclear whether the decrease in SIRT1 activity was a direct cause of age-related loss of blood flow, muscle mass, and endurance.
Therefore, in 2018, a study was conducted to compare capillary density, muscle fibers, and endurance by observing quadriceps tissue from elderly mice which were treated with NMN to activate SIRT1 and elderly mice which were not administered NMN.
【Outline of the experiment】
This study was conducted to verify whether blood flow and endurance, which decline with age, could be improved through the administration of NMN.
In the study, quadriceps tissue was observed in 20-month-old mice that received NMN (NMN on the image below) and was compared to tissue from same-aged mice that did not receive NMN (VEHICLE). A method was adopted that detects each capillary and muscle fiber by visualizing laminin (red) and CD31 (green).
In addition, 20-month-old mice which were administered NMN (NMN, blue) were forced to run, and the running time and distance until they were unable to run anymore (“time run to exhaustion” and “distance run to exhaustion”) were measured and compared with mice that were not administered NMN (vehicle, white).
This study was conducted with different exercise intensities (low intensity and high intensity).
【Experiment results】
■Improved blood flow with NMN
The graph below quantifies the number of capillaries in relation to muscle fibers. Capillary density increased in mice that received NMN, which can be interpreted as NMN reversing the decline in blood flow due to aging.
■Increased endurance with NMN
The time and distance run by mice treated with NMN increased, so NMN is thought to reverse the decline in endurance due to aging.
【Take NMN and stay active both physically and mentally.】
The results of the experiment above indicate that NMN intake can be expected to have the effect of restoring age-related blood flow decline and improving muscle mass and endurance also in humans. NMN is a component that naturally exists in the cells of all living organisms, including humans, but its production decreases with age.
Besides, it is thought that the effect of NMN intake to improve blood flow and endurance is further enhanced by exercise and the ingestion of H₂S, which has the function of improving ischemia-reperfusion injury. However, muscle strength and endurance are required to exercise in the first place, and H₂S is said to have toxicity and side effects.
From the above, we could conclude that it is important, particularly for the elderly, to efficiently take NMN through supplements or intravenous drips, and to build the foundation of the body first.
If you improve your muscle mass and endurance, you will be active both physically and mentally, and your range of activities will expand. Of course, it is also effective in preventing flail, which tends to plague the elderly. With the help of NMN, enjoy a lively and healthy life!
Reference
Paper: Impairment of an Endothelial NAD+-H2S Signaling Network Is a Reversible Cause of Vascular Aging
Journal and volume number: Cell. 2018 Mar 22; 173(1):74-89.e20.
You can read the paper here (PubMed) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29570999/