NAD+ (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide) is the essential "coenzyme" for over 400 cellular enzymes. It powers energy production from food, repairs damaged DNA, regulates inflammation, and influences aging rates. Think of cells as a city—NAD+ is the power company; without it, everything shuts down.

Why Does the Ovary "Lose Power" First?
A 2025 review published by Oxford University Press, titled "Is NAD+ a Key Factor in Ovarian Aging and Dysfunction?", highlights three critical findings:

1. The ovary is one of the body’s most metabolically active organs. Follicle development, ovulation, and corpus luteum formation are all high-energy processes.
2. After age 30, ovarian NAD+ levels drop by approximately 20% per decade—much faster than in liver, muscle, or other tissues.
3. The chain reaction is clear: NAD+ deficiency → mitochondrial dysfunction → increased oxidative stress → declining egg quality → a sharp drop in fertility.

These Conditions Are Linked to Low NAD+
Research shows NAD+ insufficiency is associated with various reproductive health issues:

• In aging ovaries, NAMPT (the "engine" of the NAD+ recycling system) is significantly downregulated, directly impairing NAD+ regeneration.
• Women with PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) have only 62% of the NAD+ concentration in their follicular fluid compared to healthy women.
• The chemotherapy drug cyclophosphamide causes an immediate "crash" in ovarian NAD+ levels, accelerating premature ovarian failure.

Preclinical Evidence: 3 Experiments on NAD+ and Fertility
Multiple animal studies demonstrate that boosting NAD+ levels can effectively improve reproductive function:

1. NMN (Nicotinamide Mononucleotide)

In a study, 17-month-old mice (equivalent to late middle age in humans) were given 0.5 g/L NMN in their drinking water. After 20 weeks:

• Follicle count was restored to levels seen in young mice.
• Fertilization rate increased from 38% to 78%.
• Offspring were healthy and showed no abnormalities.

2. NR (Nicotinamide Riboside)

Mice given 200 mg/kg of NR via gavage for 8 weeks experienced:

• A 2-fold increase in egg mitochondrial membrane potential.
• A 40% reduction in chromosomal errors.

3. NAMPT Activator P7C3

When added to in vitro cultures of eggs from aged mice, P7C3:

• Boosted NAD+ levels by 1.8 times.
• Reduced spindle abnormalities from 54% to 19%, lowering the risk of embryonic developmental issues.

How to Support NAD+ Levels for Reproductive and Cellular Health
NAD+ plays a critical role in reproductive and cellular health. Beyond supplementation, here are evidence-based ways to support your body’s NAD+ levels:

• Dietary Sources: Incorporate milk, chicken, salmon, and avocados into your diet. These foods are rich in NAD+ precursors like NR, NMN, and NADH.
• Intermittent Fasting: This activates the AMPK→NAMPT pathway, stimulating the body’s own NAD+ production.
• Strength Training: Muscle contractions trigger the expression of NAD+ synthesis enzymes, increasing intracellular NAD+ concentrations.
• Prioritize Sleep: The circadian clock gene CLOCK directly regulates NAD+ rhythms. Staying up late severely disrupts its production.

NAD+ isn’t a miracle drug, but it is a key that can help reopen the energy gates of the ovaries. From laboratory breakthroughs to clinical applications and everyday diet and lifestyle adjustments, a "cellular energy revolution" for fertility is well underway. Science is advancing rapidly—don’t let your eggs wait too long.
 
Reference:
Valeria C, Teresa V, Stefano F, et al. Is NAD+ a key factor in ovarian aging and dysfunction? Insights and uncertainties from current research[J]. Biology of Reproduction, 2025. DOI:10.1093/biolre/ioaf140.