Did you know that as people age, NAD levels innately wane in the body? This can influence the formation of age-related conditions, metabolic disease, cellular damage, oxidative damage, and more. But NAD IV therapy from the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre can help treat this shortcoming.

But let’s rewind a bit – how does NAD relate to a vitamin called B3? Well, B3 is a precursor to NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide). What this means is that the human body thrives off B3 during chemical reactions for constructing NAD. When additional B3 enters the body, it works like a “building block”, helping to build cellular energy to boost NAD levels. 

Vitamin B3 can be considered for supplementation, especially to help manage symptoms of heart disease and declining cognitive function. The TFMC explains what vitamin B3 is for educational purposes, how to supplement, and details about our NAD intravenous therapy.  

What is vitamin B3?

• • Vitamin B3 is a group of vitamins and antioxidants. It consists of nicotinamide riboside, nicotinic acid, and nicotinamide.
  • These vitamins are water soluble – whatever amounts are not used are eliminated through urine. 
  • If you don’t consume a balanced diet and continually practice alcohol overindulgence, you can be at risk of this deficiency. Causes may also include troubles with absorbing tryptophan, long-term chemotherapy, and metabolic health issues. 
  • Symptoms of B3 insufficiencies include memory loss, rashes, depression, appetite loss, digestive issues (constipation and/or diarrhea), low energy levels, and headaches. 
  • Plays a major role in the conversion of food into energy; also assists with the repair of DNA damage and helps optimize cellular function. 
  • May contribute to improving blood pressure and increasing “good” cholesterol levels. 
  • Your brain function requires B3 for energy production. Though further research is needed, one study showed that supplementation could offer brain health support in those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. 
  • There’s a chance it could promote positive effects in the prevention of skin cancers. In one study emphasized by Healthline, it was shown that taking nicotinamide two times a day lessened nonmelanoma skin cancer risks. The study was conducted on 300+ participants with high probabilities of forming skin cancer.

How to boost B3 levels

There are a few ways to heighten B3 levels. First, did you know that some foods naturally contain it? A holistic nutritionist may be able to help you add B3-rich foods to your diet, such as brown rice (cooked) or baked potatoes. Poultry, seeds, nuts, bananas, red meat and legumes also contain the vitamin. In addition, oral supplements can be taken as powders, capsules or tablets. However, we recommend speaking to a functional health care practitioner for personal guidance when it comes to purchasing these supplements. In particular, B3 supplements may interact with medications and could also cause bloating and flushing.  

Do you want to take B3 to improve NAD levels? There are cases where the ingestion of nutrients in patients is not effective due to malabsorption. To ensure your absorption of nutrients for boosting NAD, an IV drip can be prescribed. This route maximizes nutrient absorption because NAD is directed into your vein and bloodstream, which promptly provides you with a full dosage. IV therapy does not require the digestive tract, which means you absorb a complete dose without sacrificing amounts of nutrients through digestion. 

A regular NAD drip with daily healthy living and other health interventions could contribute to health advantages to your energy levels, metabolic functions, and cellular health. For more information on the beneficial effects of NAD IV therapy in Toronto, check out our blog. Below, learn how to access IV NAD+ therapy from our IV Lounge, which is located in our functional medicine clinic.

Experience our integrative approach to health care

New patients are always welcome at the TFMC! Our compassionate health team is available to tailor your treatment plan with a range of functional medicine treatments, such as conventional medicine, naturopathic medicine healing, herbal remedies, acupuncture, holistic nutrition, and IV infusion therapy. 

Our integrative care practitioners have an array of experiences customizing treatments for age-related diseases, cognitive function/brain fog (fuzz memory), neuropathic conditions, nutritional deficiencies, muscle health, chronic stress, immune health, energy metabolism, and other health concerns. If our health care practitioner determines that NAD+ IV therapy drips are suitable for you, these can be prescribed to you in our IV Lounge, where we compound intravenous therapy treatments with essential nutrients.

NAD+ IV drip sessions are designed for your comfort level, and they’re monitored by our health team of naturopathic doctors, registered nurses and nurse practitioners. Prior to your first IV NAD+ session, an initial consultation is necessary to rule out underlying conditions and to become familiar with your current health issues and health goals. You can request your NAD drip compound as a stand-alone treatment or as part of a series of nutritional drips. 

If you ever have questions about your NAD+ treatment or would like to request other key ingredients to a drip session, please speak up because we’re eager to help! Our IV Lounge menu also boasts amino acids, folic acid, glutamic acid, high-dose vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin A, glutathione, and many other key ingredients.

NAD IV Therapy from the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre is NOW available in our IV Lounge. Discover the health benefits today – simply click here to request your initial consultation and to meet our team!

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

Chen AC, Martin AJ, Choy B, Fernández-Peñas P, Dalziell RA, McKenzie CA, Scolyer RA, Dhillon HM, Vardy JL, Kricker A, St George G, Chinniah N, Halliday GM, Damian DL. A Phase 3 Randomized Trial of Nicotinamide for Skin-Cancer Chemoprevention. N Engl J Med. 2015 Oct 22;373(17):1618-26. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1506197. PMID: 26488693.

Chi Y, Sauve AA. Nicotinamide riboside, a trace nutrient in foods, is a vitamin B3 with effects on energy metabolism and neuroprotection. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2013 Nov;16(6):657-61. doi: 10.1097/MCO.0b013e32836510c0. PMID: 24071780.

Gong B, Pan Y, Vempati P, Zhao W, Knable L, Ho L, Wang J, Sastre M, Ono K, Sauve AA, Pasinetti GM. Nicotinamide riboside restores cognition through an upregulation of proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator 1α regulated β-secretase 1 degradation and mitochondrial gene expression in Alzheimer’s mouse models. Neurobiol Aging. 2013 Jun;34(6):1581-8. doi: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2012.12.005. Epub 2013 Jan 9. PMID: 23312803; PMCID: PMC3632303.

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

Kennedy DO. B Vitamins and the Brain: Mechanisms, Dose and Efficacy–A Review. Nutrients. 2016 Jan 27;8(2):68. doi: 10.3390/nu8020068. PMID: 26828517; PMCID: PMC4772032.

“Niacin” from Oregon State University, updated 8/10/18, viewed on March 27, 2024. 

“Niacin – Vitamin B3” from The Nutrition Source, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, reviewed March 2023, viewed on March 27, 2024.

Zhang Z, Liu M, Zhou C, He P, Zhang Y, Li H, Li Q, Liu C, Qin X. Evaluation of Dietary Niacin and New-Onset Hypertension Among Chinese Adults. JAMA Netw Open. 2021 Jan 4;4(1):e2031669. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.31669. PMID: 33404619; PMCID: PMC7788463.