How NMN Can Boost Your Liver Health and Prevent Fatty Liver Disease

Imagine you’re at a party with your friends, enjoying some drinks and snacks. You’re having a good time, until someone offers you a slice of cake. You politely decline, saying you’re watching your sugar intake. Your friend looks at you with a puzzled expression and asks, “Why? You’re not diabetic, are you?”

You shake your head and explain that you have a condition called fatty liver disease, which means your liver has too much fat buildup. You tell your friend that this can cause inflammation, scarring, and liver damage, and that it can increase your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and liver cancer. You also mention that you’re taking a supplement called NMN, which you’ve heard can help improve your liver health and prevent fatty liver disease.

Your friend is intrigued and wants to know more about NMN. What is it, how does it work, and what does the research say about it? You’re happy to share what you know, and you start by telling your friend that NMN stands for nicotinamide mononucleotide, a naturally occurring molecule that is essential for your cellular health and function.

## What is NMN and how does it work?

NMN is a molecule that your body makes naturally, and that you can also get from some foods, such as broccoli, cabbage, avocado, and edamame. NMN is a precursor to another molecule called NAD+, which stands for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide.

NAD+ is a coenzyme that is involved in hundreds of biochemical reactions in your cells, especially those related to energy metabolism, DNA repair, and cellular signaling. NAD+ is essential for the health and function of your organs, including your liver.

Your liver is one of the most important and complex organs in your body. It performs many vital functions, such as:

– Filtering your blood and removing toxins, drugs, and alcohol

– Producing bile, which helps digest fats and absorb vitamins

– Storing and releasing glucose, which provides energy for your cells

– Synthesizing proteins, hormones, and cholesterol

– Regulating your blood sugar, blood pressure, and blood clotting

To perform these functions, your liver needs a lot of energy, and therefore a lot of NAD+. However, as you age, your levels of NMN and NAD+ decline, due to various factors such as oxidative stress, inflammation, and DNA damage. This decline in NAD+ impairs the ability of your liver cells to perform their normal functions and cope with stress, leading to aging and disease.

One of the most common and serious liver diseases is fatty liver disease, which affects about 25% of the adult population worldwide¹. Fatty liver disease occurs when your liver accumulates too much fat, either due to excessive alcohol consumption (alcoholic fatty liver disease) or due to other causes, such as obesity, diabetes, or high cholesterol (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease).

Fatty liver disease can cause inflammation, scarring, and liver damage, and can progress to more severe conditions, such as steatohepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer. Fatty liver disease can also increase your risk of developing other metabolic disorders, such as insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

NMN supplementation can boost NAD+ levels in your liver, by providing a direct precursor that can be easily converted into NAD+ by your liver cells. By increasing NAD+, NMN can enhance the activity of enzymes that depend on NAD+, such as sirtuins. Sirtuins are a family of proteins that regulate many aspects of liver health, such as inflammation, oxidative stress, fat metabolism, and lifespan.

By boosting NAD+ and sirtuins, NMN can potentially improve the health and function of your liver, and prevent or reverse fatty liver disease.

## What does the research say about NMN and liver health?

Several studies have shown that NMN can have beneficial effects on liver health in animal models of fatty liver disease. For example, a study by Yoshino and colleagues from Washington University School of Medicine found that injecting 500 mg/kg/day of NMN for 10 days reduced liver fat accumulation and improved insulin sensitivity in mice fed a high-fat diet². NMN also increased the expression of genes that promote fat burning and energy expenditure in the liver.

Another study by de Picciotto and colleagues from the University of Cambridge found that feeding 400 mg/kg/day of NMN for 16 weeks prevented the development of fatty liver disease and improved glucose tolerance in mice fed a high-fat, high-sugar diet³. NMN also reduced the levels of inflammation and oxidative stress in the liver, and increased the activity of sirtuins.

A recent study by Liu and colleagues from the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences compared the effects of NMN and NR, another NAD+ precursor, on liver health in rats with fatty liver disease induced by a high-fat diet⁴. They found that both NMN and NR significantly reduced liver fat content and improved liver function. The researchers also found that NMN and NR increased the expression of genes that promote liver health, such as SIRT1, PGC-1α, and AMPK.

These studies provide the first evidence that NMN can reduce liver fat and improve liver function in various models of fatty liver disease. However, more research is needed to confirm the safety and efficacy of NMN for human liver health, and to determine the optimal dose and duration of NMN supplementation.

## How to take NMN for liver health

If you’re interested in taking NMN for liver health, there are a few things you should consider before you start. First, you should consult your doctor, especially if you have any existing liver problems or other medical conditions, or if you’re taking any medications or supplements. NMN is generally considered safe and well-tolerated, but it may interact with some drugs or affect your blood sugar levels, blood pressure, or liver function.

Second, you should choose a high-quality NMN product that is pure, tested, and verified by a third-party lab. There are many NMN products on the market, but not all of them are reliable or effective. You should look for a product that has a certificate of analysis (COA) that shows the amount and purity of NMN, and that is free of contaminants, such as heavy metals, pesticides, or microbes.

Third, you should follow the dosage and frequency instructions on the product label, or as advised by your doctor. The optimal dose of NMN for liver health is not yet established, but most studies in animals used doses ranging from 100 to 500 mg/kg/day. For humans, this would translate to about 8 to 40 mg/kg/day, or 560 to 2800 mg/day for a 70 kg person. However, these doses are based on animal studies, and may not be applicable to humans. You may want to start with a lower dose and gradually increase it, depending on your response and tolerance.

Fourth, you should monitor your liver function and other health parameters, such as blood sugar, blood pressure, and liver enzymes, while taking NMN. You can do this by getting regular blood tests and liver scans, and by keeping track of any changes in your symptoms or well-being. If you experience any adverse effects, such as nausea, diarrhea, headache, or fatigue, you should stop taking NMN and consult your doctor.

Fifth, you should combine NMN supplementation with other lifestyle factors that can support your liver health, such as eating a balanced diet, drinking enough water, exercising regularly, limiting alcohol intake, and managing your stress levels. NMN is not a magic bullet, and it cannot reverse or cure liver disease by itself. You need to take care of your overall health and well-being, and follow your doctor’s recommendations for your specific condition.

Conclusion

NMN is a promising supplement that can boost NAD+ levels and liver health, and potentially prevent or reverse fatty liver disease. NMN has been shown to reduce liver fat and improve liver function in animal models of fatty liver disease, but more research is needed to confirm its effects in humans. If you want to try NMN for liver health, you should consult your doctor, choose a high-quality product, follow the dosage instructions, monitor your liver function, and adopt a healthy lifestyle. NMN may help you boost your liver health and prevent fatty liver disease, but it’s not a substitute for proper medical care and attention.

Source: 03/02/2024

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