Your microbiome plays a key role in fostering daily energy levels, mood, and overall wellness. At the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre (TFMC), we can help recover gut health with a custom-made treatment plan. And depending on your needs, NAD IV therapy may be prescribed to  nourish your microbiome. 

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide – which is commonly called NAD+ or NAD – is foundational to our metabolic functions. It’s a crucial coenzyme that instigates chemical reactions in the human body, helping to boost energy production and mitochondrial function. 

Unfortunately, NAD naturally declines in the aging body, which is why scientists have linked its supplementation with preventing/delaying age-related conditions, especially those having to do with cognitive function. The beneficial effects of taking extra NAD may include: 

• • Supporting DNA repair
  • Metabolic health improvements (i.e. weight loss)
  • Reducing oxidative stress and inflammation
  • Neuroprotection
  • Improving muscle health and recovery for sports
  • Improving skin elasticity
  • Helping to strengthen immune health

NAD supplementation may promote positive effects in the gut, too. In this post, the TFMC explain this connection between NAD and your microbiome; how to supplement with the coenzyme; and details about booking NAD IV therapy from our IV Lounge. 

The link between gut health and NAD+

Scientists have posited a therapeutic partnership between optimal amounts of NAD+ in the body and a healthy gut. NAD may directly influence how intestinal microbes are metabolized; meanwhile, gut microbes have been shown to be capable of synthesizing NAD!

NAD naturally helps the body produce enzymes required for energy metabolism. “As these enzymes are widely involved in the production of cellular ATP, it is speculated that boosting NAD+ can promote microbial energy production,” which is constructive for optimizing nutrient absorption, digestion, and physical and emotional health. 

Being deficient in NAD may also disrupt the microbiome. However, research has shown that supplementing with NAD+ precursors may contribute to “…maintaining the integrity of the gut barrier. Indeed, its deficiency has been associated with enhanced gut inflammation and leakage, and dysbiosis,” confirms a Nutrients piece. 

So, if you’re ready to take on gut-enhancing strategies, we have good news – you can get NAD supplementation directly from our clinicians. 

A few ways to take NAD supplements

Our functional medicine practitioners can integrate NAD supplementation into a comprehensive treatment plan. Here are examples of what we might recommend for NAD-related issues:   

• • Dietary measures: Certain foods can contribute to increasing NAD, though in miniscule amounts. These foods include beef, fish, cow’s milk, whole grains, avocados and broccoli. 

• • Precursors consumed as oral vitamins: Human studies have shown that taking NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide), NR (nicotinamide riboside), and niacin is a safe method for augmenting NAD. Please speak to a functional naturopathic doctor before taking NAD precursors; mild side effects are rare, but include nausea and diarrhea.

• • Sublingual supplementation: This offers a rapid absorption of NAD under the tongue. Blood vessels are located beneath the tongue, so when sublingual tablets are placed there, NAD can enter the bloodstream without being filtered through the digestive tract. 
  • NAD IV therapy: This is another way for NAD to enter the bloodstream without digestion. Your vein is connected to an IV drip that allows for a formula to be immediately absorbed by the body. Because it doesn’t need to travel through the digestive system, your NAD dose will not be broken down by digestive enzymes. IV NAD+ guarantees that you absorb the full intended dosage prescribed for your biology. 

If you’ve reached a plateau in your wellness journey, why not check out NAD supplements? These can also be beneficial for targeting a fuzzy memory, alleviating oxidative damage, supporting cellular repair, and more. Learn how to become a new TFMC patient today.    

Health improvements can begin in our Toronto IV Lounge

In our TFMC IV Lounge, we make getting NAD IV therapy a seamless process. Here’s how it works:

1. 1. Attend your initial consultation, which is when you tell us all about yourself! We’ll likely ask about your health goals, genetics, medical history, lifestyle and environmental factors, etc. Functional lab testing may be advised to scrutinize underlying concerns. 
   2. If a NAD+ IV drip suits your needs, we can prescribe a custom dosage at your initial consult. Then you’re welcome to get your IV NAD+ immediately or book it for another day. 

NAD drip therapies can be administered as a single therapy or within a series of other IV ingredients. Additional IV nutrient therapies offered by us include vitamin C, B vitamins (i.e. folic acid), glutathione, several amino acids, and more; vitamin D booster shots can also be prescribed by our clinicians. Our IV Lounge is designed to meet your biological needs, though they are not meant to replace healthy living. When combined with additional functional medicine treatments and a nourishing lifestyle, then IV therapy drips can potentially support health benefits. 

If you need additional help taking other NAD formats, such as sublingual supplementation, the TFMC can provide you with detailed instructions. As we adhere to the principles of functional medicine, our approach to health is patient-centered and acknowledges individuality. This is why your drip dosages will never be identical to another patient’s treatment! Along with intravenous therapy, a personalized treatment plan may integrate conventional treatments with naturopathic medicine, botanical remedies, holistic nutrition, psychotherapy, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and more. 

Interested in getting personalized drip therapies? NAD IV therapy from the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre can be accessed by new patients today! Use our contact form right now to request your initial consultation.

Disclaimer: The information in this article is designed for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. This information should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting a doctor. You should always consult with a health care practitioner before relying on any information in this article or on this website. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified healthcare provider because of information you have read from the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre website or other affiliate media. 

 

References

Conlon, N. J. (2021). The Role of NAD+ in Regenerative Medicine. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 150(4 Suppl), 41S. https://doi.org/10.1097/PRS.0000000000009673

Idoine R, Kwon J, Ishtiaq Y, Rosene M, Shao A, Nkrumah-Elie Y. Impact of Boosting NAD on Immune Function: Results From NR Preclinical Studies. Curr Dev Nutr. 2022 Jun 14;6(Suppl 1):983. doi: 10.1093/cdn/nzac068.012. PMCID: PMC9194018.

Iqbal, T., & Nakagawa, T. (2024). The therapeutic perspective of NAD+ precursors in age-related diseases. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 702, 149590. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrc.2024.149590

Niño-Narvión J, Rojo-López MI, Martinez-Santos P, Rossell J, Ruiz-Alcaraz AJ, Alonso N, Ramos-Molina B, Mauricio D, Julve J. NAD+ Precursors and Intestinal Inflammation: Therapeutic Insights Involving Gut Microbiota. Nutrients. 2023 Jun 30;15(13):2992. doi: 10.3390/nu15132992. PMID: 37447318; PMCID: PMC10346866.

Poljsak, B., Kovač, V., & Milisav, I. (2020). Healthy Lifestyle Recommendations: Do the Beneficial Effects Originate from NAD+ Amount at the Cellular Level? Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, 2020, 8819627. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/8819627

Rajman, L., Chwalek, K., & Sinclair, D. A. (2018). Therapeutic potential of NAD-boosting molecules: The in vivo evidence. Cell Metabolism, 27(3), 529. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2018.02.011