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NAD+ therapy has been getting more attention over the past few years, mostly in longevity and biohacking circles. The claims range from reasonable to ridiculous depending on who’s making them. I’m going to stick to what the research actually supports.
What NAD+ Is
NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is a coenzyme found in every cell in your body. It’s involved in over 500 enzymatic reactions, including energy metabolism, DNA repair, and cellular signaling. It’s not a supplement anyone invented — it’s something your body has always produced.
The problem: NAD+ levels decline significantly with age. By the time you’re in your 50s, levels can be 50% lower than they were at 20. That decline is tied to fatigue, slower cellular repair, and reduced metabolic efficiency.
What the Research Actually Shows
The evidence for NAD+ precursors (NMN, NR) taken orally is promising but limited — most studies are in animals or small human trials. The evidence for IV and subcutaneous NAD+ administration is further along, particularly for cellular energy and metabolic function.
What’s reasonably well-supported: NAD+ therapy improves cellular energy production, supports DNA repair mechanisms, and has shown positive effects on metabolic markers in clinical settings.
What’s less certain: the dramatic anti-aging claims. The longevity data in humans is not there yet. Don’t let anyone sell you immortality.
Why Men Over 50 Are Using It
The most consistent feedback from men using NAD+ therapy is improved energy and faster recovery. Not a dramatic transformation — a meaningful baseline improvement. For guys who’ve been grinding through fatigue they attributed to age, that baseline shift matters.
It also stacks well with other protocols. If you’re training consistently, eating well, and still feeling like you’re running on 70%, NAD+ is one of the levers worth looking at.
The Practical Option
ShedRX offers NAD+ therapy through the same telehealth platform as their GLP-1 program — subcutaneous injection protocol, licensed providers, monthly supply through a licensed compounding pharmacy. Subcutaneous is more accessible than IV (no clinic visits required) and the absorption data is solid.
If you’re already looking at ShedRX for GLP-1, the NAD+ protocol is worth asking about. They can often run both concurrently.
Bottom Line
NAD+ therapy is not a magic fix. It’s a real intervention with real mechanisms and real evidence behind it — not at the level of hype, but enough to be worth considering if fatigue and recovery are your main complaints.
The question I’d ask yourself: have you addressed sleep, training, and nutrition first? If yes, and you’re still running at 70%, this is worth a conversation with a provider.
IV vs subcutaneous NAD+ therapy: what is the difference, and how much does it cost?
IV NAD+ delivers the compound directly into the bloodstream over a 1 to 4 hour infusion, typically administered at a clinic. Subcutaneous NAD+ is a small injection you can often do yourself at home after an initial consultation, similar to how GLP-1 medications are self-administered. IV therapy generally reaches higher blood concentrations faster, but it costs more (often $300 to $600 per session at a clinic) and requires the time commitment of sitting through an infusion. Subcutaneous protocols run lower per dose and fit into a normal week without a clinic visit each time, which is why the telehealth program covered on this page defaults to it. If cost and convenience matter more to you than peak absorption speed, subcutaneous is the more practical starting point; if you want the IV route specifically, ask your provider whether they offer it, since not all telehealth NAD+ programs do.
