I Have Started Taking TRU Niagen

I recently wrote an article in which I highlighted 5 interesting companies that are being added to the Russell 2000 index.

One of those companies was ChromaDex, the creator of TRU Niagen. TRU Niagen is a new form of vitamin B13, called NR, that contains the building blocks for your body to make NAD (Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide).

NAD is something that your body has in high quantity when you are young, and it declines as you age. Studies have shown that low levels of NAD are linked to negative age-related conditions, such as increased soreness, weight gain, and a less sharp memory. Further studies are in progress.

Well, as I approach my 40's, I am feeling the effects of aging. I am not as spry as I once was. So this all intrigued me and after reading user reviews on Amazon, I took the plunge and ordered a 2-month test run.

From reading about this product, I found the positive and negative effects people have reported.

Pros:

• Enhanced endurance
• Weight loss
• Increased overall energy
• Better recovery from workouts
• Increased Hair (+ darker color) & Nail growth
• Decreased Blood pressure/heart rate
• Increased Mental acuity
• Better overall sleep/dreams
• Younger looking skin

Cons:

• Expensive ($75 for two months supply)
• Some may experience vivid nightmares
• Product gains could level off after repeated use

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I Will Record Any Differences

I will take one pill in the morning and evening with a glass of water as the instructions state. I will not change my daily life, I will eat what I normally would and do what I normally do.

I want to see if the claims and reviews are true. I am curious. You might be as well.

I would like to lose some weight (I currently weigh 226.6 lbs) and feel less sore after exercising. Increased mental focus would be great as well.

Here is one review that I found to be very compelling:

I am a scientist and run a research laboratory at a major university. Part of my job is trying to stay on top of the scientific literature, which I do by monitoring the tables of contents for a number of scientific journals. A couple of years ago I came across a study published in Science (one of the top scientific journals on the planet) showing that giving aged mice a supplement called nicotinamide riboside improved mitochondrial and stem cell function and extended their life span (Zhang et al. Science 352,1436 [2016]). This caught my attention, because there are very few molecules that have been shown to extend the life span of mice in carefully controlled studies, particularly when first administered later in life. I googled the molecule, and lo and behold, found it for sale on Amazon under the brand name 'niagen'. I did a bit more research and found that niagen (a.k.a. nicotinamide riboside) is a molecule that your body produces naturally (and gets to a lesser extent from diet) but levels decline substantially with age. It is a precursor for another molecule called NAD+, which is an ancient molecule that has been conserved throughout evolution and is essential for energy production and DNA repair in all cells (two processes that are thought by many to be at the root of aging). More research revealed that niagen had been designated by the FDA as GRAS (generally regarded as safe), and a phase I clinical trial in humans had been completed revealing no adverse effects. Intrigued, I decided to try it.

I have been taking niagen daily now for ~2 years. I have substantially more energy than I did before -- I no longer hit a 'wall' at 3pm and require much less caffeine. I wake up feeling rested, and feel subjectively 'sharper' than I did before. I say this with some confidence, because I am pretty in tune with my mental performance. In addition, the aches and pains which had begun accumulating in my late 30s / early 40s have substantially receded. In particular, I suffered from chronic lower back pain since college and felt like I was on a one-way, gradual downward slope in that regard. While I cannot say that my lower back pain is cured, it is much less of an issue than it has been in years. I am also a weekend runner and have run ~5 miles every weekend for ~20 years. Before I started taking Niagen, my legs and back would ache for 24-48h after my run. Now, I am able to play basketball in the driveway with my son for an hour, run 5 miles, come back and play some more basketball, and I am essentially pain-free the next day.

Against the backdrop of my personal experience, I continue to monitor the scientific literature for new studies of nicotinamide riboside (i.e. niagen). From a basic science perspective, the evidence that this molecule acts in a systemic fashion to improve the health and function of multiple organ systems simultaneously is about as strong as it gets. You can see for yourself by searching for "nicotinamide riboside" in PubMed. As a result, there is a lot of excitement in the scientific community around NAD+ precursor supplementation. I decided to go with TRU Niagen since it comes directly from the company that manufactures the molecule and not from a supplement reseller.

There are a slew of other clinical trials underway, so there will soon be much more hard data about the clinical efficacy of niagen for treating a range of conditions. But based on the basic science studies so far, the clinical studies that already exist, my personal experience, and the experiences of many others I know, I believe that niagen is the real deal. I would not be surprised if this becomes the most popular supplement on the planet in a few years.

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Well, let's see if I can see any difference in my life. If it really does what people say it does, I expect this product to have an extremely high demand once the word spreads.

In expectation of that, I have purchased shares of the company that makes this pill - ChromaDex.

How much would someone over the age of 50 or 60 pay to feel 10 or 15 years younger? How much would you?