It’s safe to say that just about all of us hope for a long life. But not just a long life. What we really hope for is to maintain our youthful vigor – to feel good and look good well into our golden years.

Human beings have been searching for ways to slow down time and tap into the elusive “fountain of youth” since the beginning of time. But as it turns out, this “fountain of youth” might not be so elusive after all. You see, research has revealed that aging is largely influenced by a specific family of proteins known as sirtuins. And we have more power over these sirtuins than you might think.

Today we’re going to explore exactly what sirtuins are, how they impact the aging process, and most importantly – the best way you can support these age-defying proteins for a longer, healthier, more vibrant life. Let’s dive in.

Aging Defined: What Exactly Causes Aging?

The underlying mechanisms behind aging are complex and not entirely understood. It’s speculated that aging is a progressive accumulation of changes, with several factors all coming together to produce the cardinal signs of growing old. Some of the factors that can contribute to aging include:^1,2,3,4

• Telomere shortening: Your DNA is genetically programmed to have what’s known as replicative senescence – or a limit on the number of times it can divide and replicate. You see, your DNA contains protective structures known as telomeres that shorten each time a cell replicates. Over time, and with repeated replication, these telomeres become too short to continue replicating and the cell is no longer able to divide – eventually leading to cell death.  
• Oxidative stress: Oxidative stress occurs when molecules known as free radicals strip electrons from your healthy cells – causing damage and impairing your cell's ability to function correctly. This damage accumulates throughout life and gradually degrades your body’s ability to operate effectively. 
• Glycation: Glycation occurs when sugar molecules known as glucose binds to sections of your DNA as well as to crucial lipids and proteins. Once bound to glucose molecules, these lipids, proteins, and DNA strands are unable to do their job – causing cellular malfunction and disease. 
• Accumulated mutations: As cells replicate, there can be an increase in mutations or alterations in your DNA. This can impair cells' ability to perform correctly while impairing waste and protein removal – resulting in an accumulation and build-up of harmful proteins and wastes. 

This cumulative alteration in cellular structure and function is what causes all of the cardinal signs of aging – from decreased immunity to less muscle mass and from decreased skin elasticity to an increased risk of chronic disease. But the changes seen with aging are plastic – meaning we can influence our longevity and exactly how we age. 

And the secret to influencing our lifespan and our long-term health lies, at least in part, in a family of proteins known as sirtuins.

What Are Sirtuins? And What Do They Have to Do With Aging? 

Sirtuins are a family of seven proteins that can be found within each of your cells. While these cellular proteins may be itty-bitty, their impact on how your cells age is anything but tiny. You see, sirtuins help slow down the aging process and promote longevity by:^5,6,7

Protecting DNA: 

Think of your DNA as two strands of thread wrapped around a spool. As your cells divide, the end portions of the DNA (telomeres) gradually erode. Sirtuins protect the integrity of your DNA by:

• Regulating how much DNA is wound around the “spool” and how much is open to the surrounding environment – thus shielding it from damage and maintaining DNA stability
• Stabilizing telomeres – thus preventing genetic information from being lost which ultimately triggers the cell to self-destruct

By shielding your DNA from damage and stabilizing telomeres, sirtuins enhance genetic longevity and delay the DNA breakdown seen in aging.

Modulating Gene Expression: 

Because sirtuins regulate DNA spooling, they also regulate gene expression. When DNA is “spooled” it limits its ability to express certain genes. And when it’s “unspooled” it can enhance the expression of specific genes. 

But DNA spooling isn’t the only way sirtuins regulate gene expression – they’re also able to manipulate epigenetic enzymes, transcription factors, and transcription factor regulators to control the expression of different genes. By amplifying or suppressing certain genes – especially those connected to longevity and health – sirtuins can have a major influence on lifespan and well-being as you age.

Increasing Autophagy: 

Sirtuins also heavily influence various transcription factors (proteins that control the transcription or duplication of your genetic information). One of these transcription factors in particular known as FoxO modulates your cells' ability to eliminate cellular wastes in two distinct ways: 

• Autophagy: A self-degradative process in which cells break down and destroy old, damaged, or abnormal proteins and other waste materials
• The ubiquitin-proteasome system: A cellular process that breaks down proteins so they can be eliminated

Aging is, at least in part, associated with the accumulation of excess damaged proteins. So, by enhancing the removal of these damaged materials, sirtuins can extend the longevity of your cells.

Mitigating Oxidative Stress and Activating DNA Repair:

Sirtuins upregulate the gene sets that better enable you to cope with oxidative stress while simultaneously increasing the production of antioxidants – protecting your cells from oxidative damage. Not only do sirtuins prevent damage, they also help initiate the repair of damaged cells by:

• Turning on the machinery of DNA repair
• Creating access to damaged areas of DNA
• Helping limit further oxidative stress
• And regulating the cell cycle to facilitate DNA repair

This combination of effects translates into some heavy-hitting effects on just how well (or not-so-well) your body ages at the cellular level. So how exactly can we best support and optimize sirtuin production?

The answer to that question can be found in a molecule known as Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide or NAD+ – a complex compound that your longevity-boosting sirtuins are dependent upon to function.

What Is Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD+)?

NAD is what is known as a coenzyme – a helper molecule that assists with countless cellular functions and molecular reactions by shuffling around electrons. You see, NAD+ is able to “pick up” or absorb electrons and transport them to their destination – which makes this little molecule a major player in things like:^9,10

• Converting the food you eat into cellular energy
• Repairing DNA
• Fortifying your cellular defense system
• Defending your cells against oxidative stress
• Promoting a healthy sleep-wake cycle

With such a vital role, it’s easy to see how optimal NAD+ can support healthy aging. But its impressive anti-aging benefits don’t end there. Upping NAD+ is also the secret sauce to boosting sirtuin levels. Because sirtuins consume one molecule of NAD+ every single time they perform, sirtuins are considered NAD+ dependent – meaning they quite literally cannot perform their duties without NAD+. 

But unfortunately, optimal NAD+ levels can be hard to come by. Let’s explore why that is.

What Causes NAD+ Levels to Drop?

While your body naturally produces NAD, there are numerous factors that can put a serious damper on your ability to produce optimal levels of this critical coenzyme including:^11,12,13

• Age: NAD+ levels naturally decline as we age
• Inflammation: Your immune cells utilize NAD+ when they are activated and working to fight off foreign invaders – meaning chronic inflammation can majorly deplete NAD+ reserves
• Environmental toxins: Toxins lurking in your everyday environment (like in tap water, polluted air, and toxin-filled personal products) spike inflammation and clog up your detoxification pathways – both of which can deplete NAD+ levels
• Mold exposure: Toxic mold is a major source of inflammation that sends your immune system into a tailspin –  leaving your NAD+ supply dwindling
• Underlying infections: Similar to toxic mold, underlying hidden infections can trigger prolonged inflammation and exhaust your NAD+ 
• Stress: Chronic emotional stress means your body is essentially stuck in fight or flight mode which causes you to consume copious amounts of NAD+ 

With so many factors working against us, how do we best support optimal NAD+ levels to subsequently supercharge sirtuins to promote longevity and healthy aging? To understand the answer to this question we have to break it down even further and explore how your cells synthesize NAD+ and utilize another little molecule known as nicotinamide riboside or NR.

Nicotinamide Riboside (NR): The Secret to Supercharging Your NAD+ Levels?

Your body naturally produces and maintains NAD+ via a process that goes something like this:¹⁴

• Your cells gather raw materials or building blocks known as NAD+ precursors that are needed to “build” NAD+
• To synthesize NAD+, your body can utilize several forms of vitamin B3 including nicotinic acid (niacin or NA), nicotinamide (nam), or nicotinamide riboside (NR) as well as compounds known as nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), and tryptophan
• Each of these NAD+ precursors follows a unique pathway that chemically converts them into NAD+ 
• While the end result of each precursor ultimately leads to the creation of NAD+, all pathways are not created equally – some are more efficient and able to produce higher quantities of NAD+
• And the most efficient of all these precursors is nicotinamide riboside or NR

So, the secret to really supercharging your NAD+ levels is supplying your cells with plenty of NAD-supporting nicotinamide riboside. Now let’s zoom in on how you can best accomplish this.

How to Naturally Increase Your Nicotinamide Riboside (NR) and NAD+

Because nicotinamide riboside is a naturally occurring form of vitamin B3, it can be found in a variety of foods including:¹⁵

• Milk and dairy products
• Meat 
• Certain fruits and vegetables
• Brewers yeast

While these foods certainly contain some level of nicotinamide riboside, the truth is, you’d likely have to consume an unhealthy amount of these foods to really make a significant difference in your overall levels of this form of vitamin B3. But the good news is, there’s no need to chug a glass of milk or head to the store to pick up some brewer’s yeast if you really want to optimize your nicotinamide riboside intake. 

Because the easiest and most effective way to deliver a concentrated dose of this anti-aging precursor to your cells is via a simple supplement known as Tru Niagen®.

Introducing Tru Niagen: The Key to Healthy Aging

Tru Niagen is a unique form of nicotinamide riboside created by the scientific team at ChromaDex. In fact, this form of nicotinamide riboside is so unique, it’s even patent protected. So, why exactly is Tru Niagen the best way to supercharge your nicotinamide riboside intake? Just a handful of reasons include:

• Safety: NIAGEN^® is the world’s first and only known FDA accepted form of nicotinamide riboside.
• Effectiveness: It’s been clinically proven to effectively (and safely) increase NAD+ in humans in 10 clinical studies.
• Potent NAD+ boosting capabilities: Just one Tru Niagen capsule daily can increase your blood NAD+ levels by up to a whopping 51% in as little as two weeks!
• Life-changing results: Tru Niagen has dozens of customer reviews touting the remarkable health-boosting, anti-aging, and cellular energy-enhancing effects of incorporating this supplement into their routine – just head over to their website to see what their customers are saying!
• Commitment to improvement and transparency: ChromaDex is committed to setting the industry standard for excellence in collaborative research, with Tru Niagen being used in over 25 human clinical studies and in over 300 published scientific studies.
• More benefits on the horizon: Over 30 registered clinical trials are continuing to further explore the incredible potential of this unique nutrient.

Simply popping a single capsule each day or stirring in a packet of Tru Niagen Stick Packs in your favorite beverage can provide a concentrated serving  of NR to elevate NAD+ levels. And improving NAD+ levels can translate into enhanced sirtuin function, which supports a longer, healthier, more vibrant life. Click here to learn more about the healthy aging-boosting power of Tru Niagen. 

 Ready to Supercharge Your Sirtuins and Experience the Power of Tru Niagen for Yourself?

The truth is, there is no single supplement or lifestyle change that’s going to single-handedly transform your health. But there are certain compounds that, when utilized correctly, give us a major leverage point – meaning they deliver a significant return on their investment when it comes to your well-being. And Tru Niagen’s patented form of nicotinamide riboside provides exactly that – a leverage point that can allow you to have a significantly positive impact on your health with very little effort.

And when you combine this powerful supplement with an overall healthy lifestyle, you’ve got the ingredients for a healthy, happy, and long life. To learn more about the power of Tru Niagen, explore the science behind their unique supplement, and order a bottle (or maybe a couple) for yourself, head over to the Tru Niagen website. You’ll find their whole line-up of Tru Niagen products as well as ample proof to back up all the impressive benefits this supplement provides.

I personally love Tru Niagen and recommend it to anyone and everyone looking to uplevel their health and preserve their youthful vigor. And I can’t wait to hear what you all think of this incredible supplement.

Resources:

1. Understanding the Odd Science of Aging: Cell
2. Are Telomeres the Key to Aging and Cancer (utah.edu)
3. The Biology of Aging (bu.edu)
4. Which Is the Most Significant Cause of Aging? – PMC (nih.gov)
5. The controversial world of sirtuins – PMC (nih.gov)
6. What Are Sirtuins and What Do They Do? | Lifespan.io
7. Sirtuins, a promising target in slowing down the ageing process – PMC (nih.gov)
8. NAD(+) Metabolism and the Control of Energy Homeostasis: A Balancing Act between Mitochondria and the Nucleus – PubMed (nih.gov)
9. NAD + biosynthesis, aging, and disease – PubMed (nih.gov)
10. Why NAD+ Declines during Aging: It’s Destroyed – PMC (nih.gov)
11. Age-related NAD+ decline – PMC (nih.gov)
12. Chronic inflammation causes a reduction in NAD+ (buckinstitute.org)
13. NAD+ metabolism: pathophysiologic mechanisms and therapeutic potential | Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy (nature.com)
14. Which Foods Contain Nicotinamide Riboside? | Tru Niagen

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