Key Points
- Several dogs showed lower heart stress marker levels after NMN.
- NMN's effects may relate to NAD⁺ energy metabolism and mitochondrial function.
- NT-proBNP changes varied by heart condition.
Methods
The study included eight canines aged 6 to 18 years with elevated heart stress markers:
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Dogs 1–2: elevated NT-proBNP without heart disease.
- Dog 1 received 10 mg NMN orally twice daily for 1 month, then 20 mg twice daily for 1.5 months.
- Dog 2 received 30 mg NMN orally twice daily for 2 weeks.
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Dogs 3–4: elevated NT-proBNP with other health conditions, but a healthy heart
- Received 20 mg NMN orally twice daily for roughly 2.5 months.
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Dogs 5–7: advanced heart conditions
- Received 20 mg NMN orally twice daily alongside standard heart medications for about 1–2 months.
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Dog 8: chronic kidney disease with elevated NT-proBNP.
- Received 30 mg NMN orally twice daily for about 1 month.
Doses were set by body weight (10–20 mg for small dogs, 20–30 mg for large dogs) and adjusted to NT-proBNP levels.
Heart stress markers were checked every 2–3 weeks, and NMN was stopped once levels returned to the normal range.
NMN Was Associated with Lower Heart Stress Marker Levels
Several dogs with elevated heart stress markers and no major structural heart problems showed declines in NT-proBNP following NMN.
- Dogs 1 and 2 had mild-to-moderate elevation without clear signs of illness.
“Dog 2 responded favorably to NMN therapy, with NT-proBNP levels normalizing after just two weeks of oral administration.”
- Dog 3 also showed a decrease in NT-proBNP during NMN.
- Dog 4's NT-proBNP declined from a peak of 2,068.1 to 876 pmol/L.
“NMN therapy is efficacious in dogs without substantial cardiac structural defect or those displaying mild-to-moderate elevations in NT-proBNP.”
This graph shows dog 2's NT-proBNP decreased from 1,871.6 to under 500 pmol/L following oral NMN.
Changes Varied in Dogs With More Advanced Heart Conditions
NT-proBNP changes varied among dogs with different heart conditions.
- Dog 5, which had heart symptoms, showed a decrease from 3,856 to 871 pmol/L before rising to 1,149.7 pmol/L.
“Dog 5’s case highlights that in dogs with cardiac problems…NMN’s oral administration… can effectively curtail NT-proBNP levels.”
- Dogs 6 and 7 showed continued increases in NT-proBNP, even with NMN and standard heart care.
“NMN seems less effective in markedly lowering plasma NT-proBNP levels in dogs presenting with overt manifestations of heart failure.”
This graph shows Dog 6's NT-proBNP rose from 7,231.5 to 10,000 pmol/L during the study, alongside symptoms of heart failure.
Conclusion
The changes observed with NMN varied by the severity of heart disease.
“NMN therapy is efficacious in dogs without substantial cardiac structural defects or… mild-to-moderate elevation in NT-proBNP.”
NT-proBNP decreased mostly in dogs with milder heart issues, with little change once heart failure was present.
“NMN, administered at a dose of 20- 30 mg twice daily, holds promise for mitigating plasma NT-proBNP levels.”
“NMN seems less effective in markedly lowering plasma NT-proBNP levels in dogs presenting with overt manifestations of heart failure.”
The study measured NT-proBNP only, not NAD⁺ levels or mitochondrial function. These results provide additional context for investigating how NAD⁺ biology and cellular energy metabolism may relate to heart health.
