NAD+

Naturally occurring nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide coenzyme, included as a related molecule.

N/A — coenzymeAmino acids

~663.4Daltons

C₂₁H₂₇N₇O₁₄P₂Formula

Early 1900sResearch period

Overview

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In plain language

NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is not a peptide. It is a helper molecule, called a coenzyme, found in every living cell. It is included in this library because it is often marketed alongside peptides.

Cells use NAD+ to turn food into energy and to run enzymes that repair DNA. Levels appear to fall with age in some tissues, which has made NAD+ IV drips and supplements popular. Evidence that these products slow aging in people is limited, and NAD+ is not an FDA-approved anti-aging treatment.

Molecular reference: N/A — coenzyme amino acids; ~663.4 Da. NAD+ is a nucleotide-derived coenzyme, not a peptide; amino acid count is not applicable.

Molecular identity

Amino acids: N/A — coenzyme
Molecular weight: ~663.4 Da
Formula: C₂₁H₂₇N₇O₁₄P₂
Sequence: Not applicable

Form clarification: NAD+ is a nucleotide-derived coenzyme, not a peptide; amino acid count is not applicable. Molecular weight is a reference value, not a certificate of analysis.

Origin and history

The story of NAD+ begins in 1906, when Arthur Harden and William John Young in London found that yeast juice needed a small, heat-stable “cozymase” to ferment sugar. Hans von Euler-Chelpin worked out its chemical makeup, and the two men shared the 1929 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. In the 1930s Otto Warburg showed that it carries hydrogen in metabolism.

In 1937 Conrad Elvehjem found that nicotinic acid (niacin), a building block of NAD+, cures pellagra, a deadly nutritional disease. Interest exploded in the 2000s after Shin-ichiro Imai, Leonard Guarente and colleagues showed that sirtuins, enzymes linked to aging, need NAD+, and Charles Brenner identified nicotinamide riboside as a precursor. Whether boosting NAD+ slows human aging is still unproven.

Key people

Arthur Harden & Hans von Euler-ChelpinNobel Prize in Chemistry 1929
Conrad ElvehjemFound niacin cures pellagra
Leonard Guarente & Shin-ichiro ImaiLinked sirtuins to NAD+
Charles BrennerIdentified the nicotinamide riboside pathway

Timeline

1906
Harden and Young discover “cozymase” in yeast
1929
Nobel Prize to Harden and von Euler-Chelpin
1937
Niacin shown to cure pellagra
2000
Sirtuins shown to depend on NAD+
2004
Nicotinamide riboside identified as an NAD+ precursor

See every peptide on one history timeline.

Human evidence

PreclinicalEarly humanControlled trialsApproved use

Clinical evidence depends on formulation, indication and route; do not treat NAD+ as a peptide trial category.

Trial status, registration and results should be checked directly in clinical registries; enrollment is not proof of benefit.

Distinguish NAD+ from NAD precursors such as NR and NMN in literature summaries.

Explore original publications and distinguish preclinical findings from controlled human evidence.

Safety and regulatory status

See every compound on the regulatory tracker.

NAD+ is not an FDA-approved general anti-aging treatment.

Product identity, purity, sterility, and endotoxin testing address different risks. This profile is educational and does not provide treatment guidance.

Sources

Cite this page

Hernandez Gener, E. (2026, November 7). NAD+: molecular data, research history and evidence. VALREXA Biosciences. https://valrexa.com/peptides/nad.html

APA style · Last reviewed November 7, 2026 · Our editorial standards

Last reviewed November 7, 2026. Trial and regulatory status can change; confirm in the linked registries. This profile is educational and is not medical advice, a treatment recommendation, or dosing or sourcing guidance. Report an error · Corrections policy