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Key Points
- Blood NAD⁺ levels increased significantly
- NAD⁺ metabolites rose rapidly
- No impact was seen on kidney function
Methods
42 adults hospitalized with COVID-19 and experiencing AKI were split into two groups at a 3:2 ratio.
- MIB-626 group (25 patients): Received 1000 mg of MIB-626 (two 500 mg tablets) orally, twice daily for 14 days
- Placebo group (17 patients): Received two identical-looking placebo capsules, orally, twice daily for 14 days.
"Participants who were discharged from the hospital prior to 14 days completed the remainder of the treatment at home."
Blood Levels of NAD+ Increased Rapidly
In β-NMN-treated patients, blood NAD⁺ levels rose steadily from baseline by day 5 to over 2.5 times the baseline by day 14.
"MIB-626 treatment resulted in a significant increase in blood NAD+ levels from baseline to Day 14 compared to placebo…"
While levels returned to baseline after four weeks of stopping supplementation, suggesting a benefit to consistent intake.
"Blood NAD+ levels on day 42 did not differ from baseline levels in either group."
*Figure A shows the change in NAD+ blood concentration levels, from baseline to 25.5 µg/mL on day 5 to over double the baseline at 42.6 µg/mL on day 14.
NAD+ Byproducts Peaked Rapidly
β-NMN raised plasma concentrations to a peak by day 3, suggesting a rapid NAD+ turnover. Understanding how β-NMN is absorbed and converted reveals that its rapid elevation of NAD+ metabolites indicates efficient cellular uptake and conversion, supporting its use in acute clinical settings where quick NAD+ restoration is therapeutically desirable.
"The plasma concentrations of the NAD+ metabolites were significantly higher than baselines at all timepoints during the 14-day intervention in the MIB-626 group."
Conclusion
Despite the rapid NAD+ turnover during COVID-19, β‑NMN successfully increased NAD+ levels and showed improved metabolic efficiency.
"Circulating concentrations of NAD+ metabolites are markedly increased in patients with COVID-19 compared with healthy adults, suggesting increased turnover of NAD+ due to marked upregulation of enzymes involved in NAD consumption as well as synthesis."
"In spite of the increased NAD+ turnover during acute COVID-19, the MIB-626 regimen used in this study significantly raised NAD+ levels."
This study is one of the first to demonstrate that β‑NMN effectively restores NAD+ levels in COVID patients and provides strong evidence for future therapeutic potential. Clinical research on NMN's metabolic benefits continues to validate NAD+ precursor supplementation as a promising therapeutic strategy for conditions characterized by metabolic stress and increased NAD+ consumption, extending beyond COVID-19 to metabolic syndrome and age-related decline.
